650 CV's in 2 days!

By David Morgan April 2024

Speaking to a colleague this week he told me that he closed a job advert after 48 hours after receiving over 650 applications.

Let me say, I do not believe this indicative of the entire market but is certainly the case for certain sections of the market. I can not recall activity at this level since the financial crisis and the beginning of the age of austerity.

What does this mean for people hiring managers in processes today?

In short: More work to maintain high standards and an opportunity to sew the seeds for future growth when the market inevitably turns around.

This time I am hopeful that economic conditions and confidence will bounce back more quickly than the impact of 2008 or 1990's and we are currently in a shorter term dip than a prolonged period of recession.

*Side note in the early 90's recession I did have a candidate offer me ￡50 to be shortlisted for a role I was handling. For the record - I refused it.

Words of advice and caution

Never forget: Recruiting is a two sided market place of employers and applicants and as individuals our position in the process will be interchangeable at some point. We should always remind ourselves of the longer term picture and that almost everyone will sit on the other side of the interviewers desk at some stage.

For candidates, I have written in recent Newsletters about the importance of tailoring applications, networking, personal branding and developing skills to develop an edge and get noticed. High volumes of applications can be disheartening, time consuming and counter-productive.

Employers need to understand their role

People are not defined by their label in today's hiring process. Back in the distant past, I was taught the number one rule as a new consultant "treat a junior accountant now, like the Finance Director you want to work with in 5 years time"

Here are my top 5 tips for managing vacancies:

Set more time aside than you first thought

Undoubtably managing high volumes of applications means more time and prepare to juggle the "day job" dealing with longlisting, shortlisting and the administration of organising interviews and co-ordinating rejections.

Don't forget your Employer Brand

Consider the impact on your employer brand of a less than excellent candidate experience. See here for my in depth report on Employer Branding: The Do’s and Don’ts | Morgan Law (morgan-law.com)

Look more closely for diversity and equality

Beware of unconscious bias. The benefits of a diverse workforce can not be overstated but managing effective consideration of candidates under time pressure needs to be factored.

Empathy

Looking for a new position in this job market can be stressful for candidates as well as hiring managers dealing with high volumes of CVs. Be prepared to give honest feedback and helpful pointers to enable candidates to improve.

Succession Planning Future opportunities

There is a temptation to consider candidates currently performing the role. Do not ignore applications Identifying transferrable skills and expertise beyond current technical skills. In many cases those making a step up in responsibilities will add more value over a longer tenure.

To learn more about how we can reduce the burden and improve time to hire find your consultant here: Meet The Team | Morgan Law (morgan-law.com)

For our current roles click here: Find Jobs | Morgan Law (morgan-law.com)

And for those who got this far - the job with 650 CVs was an IS Rollout Project Manager, 7 months at ￡500 per day.