🔍 Blog: Part 2 – The Red Flag CV Checklist
So you’ve posted a job. Your inbox is now overflowing. But the problem isn’t a lack of interest—it’s figuring out who’s actually worth calling.
That’s where the Red Flag Checklist comes in.
Whether you’re an HR manager, a business owner, or someone who’s inherited the hiring process (because “how hard can it be?” 🙄), this checklist will help you cut through the noise fast.
Here are the most common red flags we look for as experienced recruiters—before we spend even one minute on a screening call:
🚩 Red Flag #1: The Serial Job Hopper
📌 6 jobs in 3 years?
Unless it’s clearly contract work, approach with caution. Fast movers can mean fast leavers.
🚩 Red Flag #2: Vague Job Titles & Duties
📌 “Worked on various projects…”
Doing what, exactly? Lack of detail often = lack of substance. If it’s not clear what they did, they probably didn’t do much.
🚩 Red Flag #3: CV Doesn’t Match the Role
📌 Applying for a data analyst role with nothing but sales experience?
It’s fine to career-shift—but there needs to be some link. No effort to tailor = no real interest.
🚩 Red Flag #4: Poor Formatting or Typos
📌 We’re not talking about the odd comma. But entire CVs in Comic Sans? Misspelled job titles?
That’s a no.
🚩 Red Flag #5: “Open to Anything” Attitude
📌 “Willing to consider any opportunity.”
They’re probably not genuinely interested in your opportunity. These candidates often ghost.
🚩 Red Flag #6: Unrealistic Salary Expectations
📌 If their last role paid £100k and yours is £45k, it’s a mismatch.
They’re either desperate or unaware. Neither ends well.
🚩 Red Flag #7: Missing Dates or Gaps in Employment
📌 Everyone has gaps. But if there’s no explanation at all, you’ve got to wonder.
Having a Red Flag Checklist allows you to screen CVs fast and focus only on those with true potential.
Bonus Tip: Save time by scoring candidates against a short criteria grid. Give each CV a quick 1–3 score on skills, relevance, and red flags. Anything under 6? Bin it.
👉 Still overwhelmed?
If you don’t have time for this—or don’t trust your process—we offer a CV filtering service to do the heavy lifting for you.
We sift, sort, and deliver a shortlist of engaged, qualified candidates who actually want the job.
📩 DM us to learn more.
