CVs and application forms
There are different ways in which a company can sift through their applicants to determine if they should go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. The most common approach is by requesting CVs from the applicants or to have a job-specific application form, which all applicants are required to complete
Benefits of CVs
- CV provides a chance for the candidate to promote and sell themselves in a creative and unrestricted way, which is highly appropriate for some fields where, for instance, creativity and selling skills are essential
- a single CV can be used for many job applications
Limitations of CVs
- although CVs allow for applicants to be creative in promoting themselves, applicants are limited by the length of the CV
- applicants can include irrelevant and unnecessary information, which in turn makes it more difficult to assess all candidates on an equal basis (SeeCIPD website)
- CVs can reveal group identities, for example ethnicity age and so on, which can allow for discrimination
- putting together a CV could in itself demonstrate a particular skill that might not be relevant to the job
Benefits of application forms
- application forms can provide a more accurate basis for comparison of candidates and help by asking candidates to provide appropriate and relevant information about their various skills
- using application forms rather than CVs can be more appropriate for certain jobs
- as with a CV, the applicant's style can give an insight to their suitability, for example their presentation skills and writing style. However, be aware of the possibility of disability discrimination
- applications provide information regarding the applicant's experiences, capabilities, skills, and qualifications (see ACAS website)
Limitations of application forms
- they can be used to extract too much information, which may not be relevant to the job
- applicants can be put off, due to:
- application forms being too time-consuming (one CV can be used to apply for many jobs); thus, candidates find vacancies elsewhere more quickly
- candidates do not like to fill in application forms
- application forms can be inadvertently discriminatory as they require candidates to have well-developed literacy skills when that might not be relevant to the job. Also, candidates whose first language is not English could struggle with completing application forms
- experienced candidates may find the application form inadequate, not allowing them to express all their experience
- less experienced candidates could struggle completing an application form
- application forms can stifle creativity
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Tips
Whether a company uses CVs or application forms as means of assessing its candidates, there are points to bear in mind in the process:
only information relevant to the job (eg experience, knowledge, competencies) should be asked for. TheACAS websiteprovides more information as well as sample application forms
do not ask for information on CVs or application forms that could lead to discrimination by ethnicity, religion, gender (name or title), age, sexual orientation etc; asking for marital status could suggest heterosexuality
photographs of candidates should not be requested, unless relevant to the job (eg if the applicant is applying for a modelling job)
be aware of discrimination (eg asking for years of experience in former employment or year of education, could be interpreted as discrimination). Requiring such information should be justifiable, for example if applicants are working with children (Criminal Records Bureau checks)
provide candidates with information regarding the application process and how it is related to the company's diversity policy. For example, how are religious requirements going to be accommodated?
ensure the equal opportunities form and candidate's personal information are separated and handled by those not involved in the selection process
it is advisable to acknowledge solicited and preferably unsolicited applications
If application forms are used:
they should be available in multiple formats e.g. electronic brochure, Braille, large print
guidance regarding how to fill out the application should be provided as well as examples of how to address various parts of the application form (eg person specification)
be aware that the form could in itself suggest personal preference by using gendered terms (eg 'caring', 'frontline', 'competitive'). They could also use other terminology which implies a cultural/age/class preference (eg 'energetic', 'like-minded')
Example application form
See an example application form (DOC, 48 Kb)
Summary
The choice of whether to use CVs or application forms depends on the organisation itself and how much resources that are expected to be invested. It is advisable to use both CVs and application forms as they are, in combination, less discriminatory.
