What is a “good” CV, respectively an “imperfect CV”?

Jan 7, 2022 | Soft Skills

According to an HR survey by Von Rundstedt, 60% of recruiters in Switzerland only consider candidates who match 76 to 90% with the desired profile. [1] Are these methods effective? What about so-called “imperfect” CVs?

The recruitment of the perfect CV has broken down

For a third of Swiss employers, finding the right profile is a real challenge, especially for SMEs.

Moreover, according to Manpower, between 2017 and 2018, the Adecco and University of Zurich’s labor shortage index increased by 8% [2] . In short, it is increasingly difficult to recruit. What can you do to increase your sourcing while matching the profiles you are looking for?

Alternative methods to recruit

Removing selection bias is a key issue. There is no such thing as a magic wand and not everything is thrown away in traditional ways. Traditional interviews with team members to define the position to be filled, the profile sought, optimization of the candidate path, participation in interviews by future colleagues, feedback from several people on candidates and other tools are certainly interesting to keep while making some improvements.

These methods can evolve and grow richer. New approaches to the profiles sought in companies are emerging, which often requires a review of the processes.

As such, a new trend in Europe is emerging: gamification. [3] In Switzerland, although this method is still marginal, large companies such as Credit Suisse and PwC have tested it. [4] Testing the candidates in a different context than the formal one is very interesting. The company can, for example, approach the candidate in a more authentic and less formal way around coffee in the company for example, or even in the form of a game with future colleagues. Limiting bias and opening up sourcing to so-called “imperfect” profiles is also a very interesting avenue for all companies to explore.

Why hire an imperfect profile?

According to Regina Hartley, vice president and Global Talent Manager at UPS, hiring imperfect candidates on paper is more beneficial for companies, on many levels. [5]

Indeed, less expert employees are the most loyal and motivated to stay in the company for the long term because they are grateful for the chance given to them. In addition, their lack of CV experience leads them to be more flexible.

According to Harvard Business Review, you can compromise on the experience but not on the character of the candidate. [6] Indeed, qualities such as resilience, curiosity, autonomy and the ability to renew oneself are fundamental characteristics for building united, united and efficient teams.

Behavioral skills are an incomparable business asset [7] in a constantly changing world. When your employee will have to learn new tools to adapt to the challenges of tomorrow, their flexibility and openness will be fundamental for the evolution of your brand.

Aware that an imperfect CV does not necessarily correspond to a bad candidate, we have made a commitment with Caritas Geneva and Nelson Dumas to support people in professional reintegration, permanently removed from the labor market in Switzerland, thanks to highly qualified training. high quality to help them land their next job.

At 123 Next Generation , we help companies adapt to the challenges of tomorrow. We support you in the long term in a holistic way in the key subjects of the acquisition and retention of your talents, the development of skills in particular soft skills, change management, multigenerational transmission, your employer brand, your corporate culture. business, your digital communication, in particular for more visibility and attractiveness, performance and sustainability, corporate responsibility.

We offer tailor-made training, consulting and communication services dedicated to companies and their talents. In short, we advise, we train, we communicate.

Want to know more ? Email us at welcome@123nextgeneration.com or give us a call on 022 552 22 40 and let’s discuss your needs.

We look forward to meeting you soon.


[1] https://www.travailler-en-suisse.ch/emploi-suisse/tout-savoir-sur-les-methodes-de-recrutement-en-suisse

[2] https://www.pme.ch/management/2019/05/06/recrutement-methodes-marchent

[3] https://www.pme.ch/management/2019/05/06/recrutement-methodes-marchent

[4] https://www.lematin.ch/story/des-escape-rooms-pour-mieux-recruter-961376400312

[5] https://www.ted.com/talks/regina_hartley_why_the_best_hire_might_not_have_the_perfect_resume

[6] https://hbr.org/2011/12/spotting-the-great-but-imperfe

[7] https://opensourcing.com/blog/soft-skills-recrutement-importants/

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