Why Your CV Is the Reason You're Not Getting Interviews

According to the Institute of Student Employers (ISE), UK employers received over 1.2 million applications for roughly 17,000 graduate roles in a single recruitment cycle.

Source: https://ise.org.uk/knowledge/insights/410/record_graduate_job_applications/

That means recruiters are rejecting the vast majority of CVs, often after just 6 to 8 seconds of scanning. In that time, they're not asking "Is this person talented?"

They're asking "Is this CV clearly relevant to this role?"

If the answer isn't obvious, the CV is gone.

One of the biggest misconceptions job seekers have is that recruiters read every CV.

They don't.

Research consistently shows that over 75 percent of large UK employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter applications before a recruiter sees them. These systems score CVs based on how closely they match the job description, including skills, keywords, structure, and clarity.

If your CV doesn't align, it's rejected automatically, regardless of your potential.

This is one of the main reasons qualified candidates never get interviews.

One CV sent to every job might feel efficient, but it's one of the fastest ways to get rejected.

Employer research highlighted by Wonkhe shows that UK employers are increasingly focused on skills-based and role-specific hiring, rather than broad academic profiles.

Source: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/employers-will-increasingly-focus-on-graduates-skills-over-technical-knowledge/

Yet many CVs still:

• Use vague, generic skill descriptions
• Fail to mirror job description language
• Emphasise responsibilities instead of outcomes

In a market where hundreds of applicants meet the minimum criteria, generic CVs simply blend into the background.

UK government data shows that 87.6 percent of graduates are employed, compared to 68 percent of non-graduates.

Source: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-labour-markets/2024

But employers are clear. Having a degree is expected. It's not impressive on its own.

Employer perception research from HE Professional consistently shows that recruiters prioritise communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and digital confidence over academic detail.

Source: https://heprofessional.co.uk/edition/employers-perceptions-of-the-employability-skills-of-new-graduates-in-the-uk-release

CVs that focus heavily on modules, grades, and theory without showing real-world application fail to answer the employer's key question:

"What can you actually do?"

Communication is one of the most demanded skills in the UK job market, yet many CVs demonstrate the opposite.

Surveys by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) show that 36 percent of employers cite communication as a major skills gap, while 58 percent point to a lack of resilience.

Source: https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/article/do-graduates-lack-the-skills-to-be-work-ready/

Long paragraphs, cluttered layouts, irrelevant detail, and unclear sections all signal weak communication before an interview even begins. Recruiters don't have time to figure out your CV. They move on.

One of the most common CV mistakes is listing skills with no proof.

Saying you have "teamwork" or "problem-solving" skills means very little without evidence. Employers want to see:

• What you did
• How you did it
• What changed as a result

This applies whether your experience comes from internships, university projects, part-time work, or volunteering. Without evidence, your CV reads like everyone else's.

In today's market, relevance beats volume. A CV that's closely aligned to a job description is far more likely to:

• Pass ATS screening
• Be understood quickly by recruiters
• Lead to interviews

Even small changes, such as adjusting skill wording or re-prioritising experience, can dramatically improve results. Yet many candidates skip tailoring because it's time-consuming.

This is exactly the issue CVLab is designed to solve.

CVLab allows you to upload your CV once and automatically tailor it to each job description. Instead of sending the same generic CV everywhere, your application is optimised for:

• Job-specific skills and keywords
• ATS compatibility
• Clear, recruiter-friendly structure

This means your CV answers the employer's question immediately: "Is this person right for this role?"

A strong CV alone isn't always enough. Many UK roles still expect a cover letter, but writing one for every application is time-consuming.

CVLab generates tailored cover letters in one click, ensuring your message aligns with both the job description and your CV. This consistency strengthens your application rather than weakening it with generic statements.