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Employers need to speak to graduates before rejecting them, says C&P Recruitment

The recruiter said heavy reliance on CV screening risked excluding suitable candidates before employers had assessed their attitude and potential.

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Nicola monro
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C&P Recruitment has urged employers to speak to graduate applicants before rejecting them based on their CVs.

The recruiter said heavy reliance on CV screening risked excluding suitable candidates before employers had assessed their attitude and potential.

Employers received an average of 140 applications for each graduate vacancy, according to the Institute of Student Employers. 

This was the highest level since it began collecting the data in 1991.

Research from High Fliers found graduate recruitment among leading UK employers fell by 24.5% since 2022.

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Nicola Monro (pictured), permanent recruitment director at C&P Recruitment, said: “These are candidates who haven’t yet had the chance to build up years of experience, so what an employer is really assessing is attitude and potential, and that is very difficult to judge on paper. 

“Will this person listen? Will they learn? Will they be enthusiastic? 

“Can you see them developing over the next few years? In my experience, you usually only find that out by having a conversation with someone.”

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Monro added: “When competition is this intense, I completely understand why employers need to manage applications efficiently, but we can’t let streamlining become another barrier for young people trying to get their first opportunity. 

“If we’re screening people out purely on paper, we risk losing candidates who could have impressed within five minutes of walking through the door.

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“We speak to bright, enthusiastic graduates who simply don’t know how to get that first opportunity. Someone might not have the perfect CV, but that doesn’t mean they won’t become an excellent quantity surveyor, project manager or estimator.”

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She said: “There is a danger we create a system where the people who are best at applying for jobs get through, rather than those who could actually be best at doing them.

“We’re not suggesting employers interview hundreds of applicants. 

“A short introductory call before making a final shortlist, or giving a proportion of applicants the chance to speak to someone, could make a real difference.”

She added: “If businesses are serious about tackling skills shortages and attracting the next generation, we need to give young people an opportunity to show us who they are, not just what they can fit onto a CV. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation.”

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