How Recruiters Really Read Your CV

Inside the Recruiter’s Mind

You spent hours perfecting your CV. A recruiter spends seconds scanning it. Here’s what actually matters — and what gets ignored.

It’s not personal — it’s efficiency

Recruiters receive hundreds of applications. To keep up, they learn to scan CVs lightning fast. They’re not trying to be unfair — they just have to decide quickly who moves to the next round.

On average, a recruiter spends just 6–8 seconds on a first scan (source). In that time, they look for:

• Matching job titles
• Relevant experience
• A clear layout
• Any red flags or formatting issues

If they don’t see what they need right away, they move on. That’s why clarity beats creativity every time.

What they pay attention to — and what they don’t

✅ They do look at job titles, company names, years of experience, and skills that match the job.
❌ They don’t care about generic phrases like “motivated team player.”
✅ They do notice formatting, consistency, and how easy it is to scan your CV.
❌ They don’t read your entire job description unless the top of your CV already caught their interest.

So what’s the takeaway? Make it obvious you're qualified — don’t make them dig.

Want to know how your CV looks to a recruiter? Let one read it

No template or AI tool can replace the perspective of someone who screens CVs for a living. If you’re not sure whether your CV hits the right marks, get feedback from someone who knows what recruiters see — and what they skip.