For many employers, selecting a candidate from a pile of CVs can be a bit of a headache. Not only is it time consuming, it is also necessary to demonstrate that the process was done fairly and without bias. Candidates must be selected for interview based on how closely they fit the job description and person specification, and to avoid any allegation of bias or discrimination, at least two people must be involved in deciding how closely the candidate matches the job description and person specification.

As the candidates' CVs start to come in, a note should be made of the quality of presentation of the document. Spelling mistakes, unnecessary embellishment or a lack of logical flow result in making a poor first impression and a higher chance of early rejection. Ideally, the CV should be tailored to the job which is being applied for and this is the same for the covering letter which should mirror the job description to some degree. The first stage of selection is to screen resumes to eliminate applicants who do not meet the requirements. This process typically involves three steps - to scan the keywords; evaluate the candidate against job requirements and then a full review of the CV with a close look at the candidate's job history. In theory, there should be some repetition of keywords, indicating skills or activities which have been introduced into the job description, in the applicant's CV.

After the initial screening, a thorough evaluation of the remaining CVs should be done. Level of education, experience, salary range and current location are key points to consider and the next stage is to identify red flags, or issues which should elicit further contact with the candidate or a line of questioning at interview. Typically, red flag points would be: gaps in employment, job hopping, a drop in responsibility or a change of career direction. There will be valid reasons for all these things, and pertinent questioning will provide a clearer picture of the candidate.

At the stage where a small number of candidates are being weighed against each other, factors such as a history of advancement and increasing degrees of responsibility in former positions, working for a company of a similar size, industry experience and whether the person is over or under-qualified will all combine to point towards the most appropriate future employee.

CVs will arrive in a range of formats, but referees without contact details, implausible boasts, and inappropriate humour are all no-nos. A one or two page CV is considered the optimum by employers but those CVs which include solid reference to communication skills, problem solving ability and computer software skills, among other keywords, are generally very well received.

A third of UK employers have said they spend less than one minute reviewing a CV while just over one in ten admitted to 30 seconds or less.

Around 25% of employers said they had detected a lie on a CV in the past 12 months. An increasing number of employers use electronic devices to screen and rank CVs and so the importance of keywords from a job advert relating to a candidate's experience cannot be overestimated.

To discuss your recruitment advertising in Berkshire Media Group titles, contact: Alex McDowell 0118 9 55 3354

Email: amcdowell@berksmedia.co.uk