How I read a CV as an In-house Recruiter/HR

Ever wonder what a recruiter actually sees when they open your CV?

After 17 years in recruiting and HR across industries like entertainment, animation, management consulting, fintech, and proptech, I’ve probably read over 30,000 CVs. It’s safe to say I’ve developed a certain rhythm when it comes to scanning and assessing them.

In this article, I’ll walk you through exactly how I read a CV, what catches my attention, and what I tend to overlook. 

Caveat: What I’m sharing here isn’t the way to read or write a CV — it’s just my way, based on years of experience. I hope that by sharing this, you’ll walk away with some helpful guidance on what are important if you come across a recruiter like me. 

How do I read a CV (in order)?

✨ The Quick Scan (2-3 Seconds)

First impressions matter. When I open a CV, the first thing I do is a quick visual scan:

• Formatting: Is it neat, readable, and easy to follow?

• Structure: Are sections logically organized with a clear division for each session?

• Consistency: Are the font sizes, verb tenses, bullet points, and alignment clean and uniform throughout? You’d be surprised how often I see mismatched fonts or inconsistent formatting on a CV — and yes, it does make a difference.

A well-presented CV keeps me interested and earns more than the average 10-second glance. Think of this as your CV’s handshake.

🎓 Education

It might sound old school, but I usually glance at education first — a habit I picked up at McKinsey & Company, where top academic credentials were the norm.

That said, I don’t believe a fancy degree is the only path to success. But if you do have one, it signals:

• Discipline (degrees take time and focus)

• A learning mindset

No Ivy League? No problem — you can show these traits elsewhere, such as your certifications or courses you took. But if you do have a strong academic background, use it. 

🚀 Work Experience & Trajectory

Here’s where I spend most of my time next:

• What is your trajectory and journey?

• How have you progressed?

• Are you switching industries, functions, or leveling up?

One of the most important things I look for in a CV is impact. A great CV doesn’t just tell me what you did — it shows me how well you did it. This is the secret sauce to make your CV stand out among thousands of others. It shows your value to the company.

✨ Instead of listing tasks straight from the job description, focus on outcomes, contributions, and results. Even if the results weren’t solely yours, they still matter. You can frame it honestly with phrases like:

“Contributed to…” or “Helped drive…”

This shows your role in the bigger picture without overstating.

Here’s an example from my own career. When I was at Aspire as the first Head of People, I wrote this on my CV:

“Contributed to growth from 100+ to 430+ by building and leading the global People function.”

 I didn’t do it alone, but I did play a key role — and this framing respects both truth and quantifiable impact.

Even if you’re in a role where metrics are hard to come by (hello, non-sales folks!), try to describe the business value of your work:

• Did your work improve a process?

• Save time?

• Support growth?

• Enhance a team’s performance?

• Any qualitative contribution?

You don’t always need hard numbers, but you do need a clear sense of the results and why what you did mattered.

📅 Gaps & Transitions

Unexplained gaps raise questions. That doesn’t mean gaps are bad — they happen. But if you leave me guessing, I’ll get distracted wondering what happened.

You could just do a quick one-liner:

“Career break for caregiving.”“Upskilling and exploring new industries.”

Clear and simple works.

Here is a quick summary/checklist based on my experiences to improve your CV:

💼 What I Love to see in a CV

• Great first impression: Use ChatGPT or another AI tool to help you fix -easy! 

  • Consistency in tone, font, grammar (e.g., verb tense), layout, and formatting. 

  • Clean structure with clear sections

  • Bullet points over chunky paragraphs

    
    

• Impact-driven language, even without hard numbers. As mentioned above, I love CVs that showcase the quantifiable impacts(=your value). It is not easy to do it throughout, but every role the person took should showcase this.

  
  

• Volunteering, side projects, or leadership roles: These give me a sense of who you are beyond the 9-to-5.

  
  

• Interests: Yes, I do read this part. If you like pottery, ultramarathons, or baking sourdough — state them! It makes you memorable.

  
  

• Key skills: Especially for technical or specialized roles, having a separate skills section makes it so much easier, both for recruiters like me and for the ATS (Applicant Tracking System). When I need to quickly match requirements, this is where I look first.

  
  

• Tailored colors or design (Bonus Points ✨): If you’ve subtly matched the CV’s colors to the company’s brand, I notice — and it shows you’ve done your homework. It’s not essential, but it’s a nice touch that feels thoughtful and intentional.

🚫 What I Don’t Love as much in a CV:

These are the things that make me pause… or click away:

• Reads like a Job Description: If your bullet points just list tasks like “Responsible for managing social media,” — I know what you do but have no idea if you were good at it. It's best that you show what you did and achieved.

  
  

• Too Long: TL;DR is real. If your CV runs beyond two pages without a strong reason, it’s hard to know where to focus. The key is to strike a balance — highlight what truly matters for the role, and trim the rest. A good career coach can help you decide what to keep, cut, or reframe so your core message shines through.

  
  

• Obvious Mistakes: Typos, incorrect dates, formatting mishaps — these can be red flags.

  
  

• Unexplained GapsI appreciate clarity and transparency. A short note on career breaks helps me understand your journey faster and make decisions more efficiently. It doesn’t have to be detailed — just a quick line would do.

🤷‍♀️ What I Think Is Optional

• Visual Design / Fancy Layouts: They can absolutely make a great first impression, especially if you’re in design, marketing, or a creative field. In those cases, show off your flair! But for most roles, I’ll always choose clear content over a glossy finish. Let me put it this way:

  • CV 1 looked stunning, like a magazine spread… but every line read like a job description. I couldn’t tell what the person actually did.

  • CV 2 was simple and clean — but packed with impact: “Redesigned onboarding process, reducing new hire ramp-up time by 30%.

Guess which one got the callback?

• Summary Section: This is hit or miss. If it’s a short and powerful summary that gives me a clear sense of your “so what,” I’ll read it. But if it’s generic and vague, I’ll likely skim past it.

  
  

• Fancy AI templates: Helpful if well-executed, but substance beats style. AI tools are great for getting started on your CV — but always review every line carefully. Make sure it reflects your voice, experience, and impact, not just generic phrasing.

💬 Final Thoughts

Your CV isn’t just a list — it’s a story. It’s the opening scene of your career pitch. Make it clear, honest, and impactful. It does not have to be perfect, but it is important to show your effort, thoughtfulness, and a little bit of you in it.

👋 Let’s Connect

If you have questions about this article or want tailored advice on how to approach it based on your unique goals and personality, I'm here to help!

You don’t have to navigate your job search alone. ✨ Let’s build a plan that works for you.

📩 Send me a message on LinkedIn or reach out via email (melody@poppartners.org)