How To Decide If Application Forms Or CVs Are Better

When advertising for a new job, you need to decide whether you want your applicants to apply using a CV or by answering an application form you have created. Each method has pros and cons, which must be considered before deciding which suits your recruitment campaign. 

Applications Form Pros and Cons

Asking your candidates to request or download an application form guarantees consistency. It allows you to get the answers to the questions you want, obtaining more specific information than is often included in a CV.

Because candidates generally view application forms as a necessary evil, going down this route may result in fewer applications, but those you get will be from more serious candidates, not just those blanket-bombing a generic CV.

They also allow you to compare candidates on a more even keel once the applications come in. When the response is high, you can quickly sift through the applications, focusing on just a couple of the more important areas of the form. Those who make it through this first filter can then be assessed on how they have answered the rest of your questions.

CV Pros and Cons

The application form takes time for both you and the candidate; asking applicants to send in their CVs cuts through a potential barrier to candidates applying for your job and gives you more time to find the right candidate.

Assuming your job description is accurate and engaging, people with their CVs ready to send will apply immediately, hopefully matching the skill requirements and person specification you have described. You can also start filling your shortlist immediately from our CV database. 

Formats for CVs are looser and more informal than application forms, allowing the candidate to inject a bit of their personality into their document. However, that can make them harder to judge objectively if a good layout over good content sways you. You may even receive a CV the candidate thinks was formatted correctly on a Mac but looks all over the place on your PC. Should they be punished for this file incompatibility?

And then there is the question of outside interference. Plenty of candidates will have had all sorts of help preparing CV and may not be as good as their document suggests. 

Making Comparisons

When compiling your application form, first decide on the criteria that you feel to be the most important./ If you lay these questions out on page one, when comparing candidates, you can quickly assess those who meet your criteria and discard those who don’t before wasting your time reading page two.

Comparing CVs is a trickier assignment and one that requires you to be able to pick out important information. Have a list of the critical criteria for the role next to you and scan through each CV, circling every point where your criteria are met. Those with more circles are more likely to match your requirements.  

Both of these approaches aren’t foolproof. Plenty of candidates may not meet your requirements for a top degree. Still, if you go deeper into their experience, they may have what it takes to do the job, so make sure you set aside enough time to assess applications comprehensively.

The Right Option for Your Recruitment Campaign

Application forms are still the norm in some industry sectors, most notably the public sector, where protocol and fairness are part of the culture. But opting for CVs instead doesn’t mean you won’t be fair in your selection process. You may also need to integrate with existing Applicant Tracking System software. 

If you expect hundreds of applicants, then forms may be a better way to go. CVs are the better option if the role you’re advertising requires candidates to show off their creativity. 

If you’re expecting many candidates with similar qualifications and want each to prove what makes them more employable than the others, go for CVs. Applying forms will be more effective if you’re only interested in candidates who can meet stringent selection criteria.

There’s no right or wrong way to do things; remember to think carefully about what you expect from candidates before going for one or the other.  If you would like advice, reach out to your account manager on 0800 781 4377 to plan a recruitment campaign.