3 Unforgettable CVs

If you’re a recruiter reading this, you’ll know all too well the bleary-eyed feeling you get looking through hundreds of CVs a day, searching for those obscure/in demand/non-existent skills and experience your client or hiring manager has requested.

Here are 3 of the most unforgettable CVs I have found on my marathons through LinkedIn and endless CV databases.

1: The QR Code

The first unforgettable CV was one I found in 2011.

In short, I was at the very beginning of building an IT recruitment desk from scratch, for a global recruitment agency you will have heard of.

I needed candidates, any candidates, and clients, any clients. Building my network was my only focus. The more people I knew, the more chances I would have of matching people up.

I had no idea what a Software Engineer was….

I hadn’t done any recruitment in the software engineering space at that point. My experience had focused on project management, programme management and infrastructure. I had no idea what a software engineer was, so was on a mission to find out.  After connecting with someone on LinkedIn, I sent a message requesting a meeting for a coffee to introduce myself. I always meet my candidates face to face; how will I find them the right job if I haven’t taken some time to get to know them?

The candidate replied with their CV and agreed to a coffee, perfect I thought; another candidate in the bag and a new tech skill to learn about. I opened the attachment and…..

their CV was…….

A. QR. Code.

This was back in 2011 too, when they weren’t on the door of every venue that you go in for track and trace purposes. I was the quietest I had been for a long time in those few moments. I was almost hypnotised by the squiggly black and white box in front of me. How will I open this?!

I grabbed my phone in its over-the-top diamante case with a massive pink flower that stuck out of it and searched for an app that would read a QR code. Bingo, I thought as I found one and downloaded it.

I sprung out of my chair and held my phone as closely as I could to my computer screen.

‘Please work, please work,’ I muttered. My colleague leaned in curiously, “What are you doing Sam?” she asked. “Trying to read this software engineer’s CV,” I chuckled. My colleague put her hands to her face giggling, and I just smiled; thinking ‘this is why I love tech recruitment’.

I skipped out of the office and hurried to the coffee shop eager to meet the person behind the QR Code. I ordered my usual iced caramel macchiato, and their americano. As I was waiting, I spotted them at a table. I caught their eye, gave a big smile and small wave, gesturing that I wouldn’t be long.

I sat opposite them at the smallest brown square table. Our personal space was definitely compromised and would never, in our covid lives pass as socially distanced.

I breathed in:

“Thank you so much for meeting me,” I said nervously.

“I would love to hear more about what you do.”

There was a long pause as they sat in front of me, shoulders slightly hunched over, I noticed their hand shaking a little as they sipped their coffee.

By the time they took a breath to speak I was practically on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

The conversation that followed might as well have been in a different language.

Something about see sharp (C#) and dot net (.Net), coding something on a framework, integration, CSS and HTML. I frantically scribbled down everything I could on my notepad.

“That all sounds really interesting” I chirped, praying they wouldn’t realise I had zero clue what any of it meant.

After thanking my candidate for their time, I scuttled back to the office and said hello to my good friend Google. Let’s make some sense out of all of this.

Was it a test?

Even now, I still wonder if the QR Code CV was some sort of test, I really should have asked…….

2: Diamond in the rough

The second unforgettable CV was found when I was recruiting for a networking consultancy, they had been a prospect (this is what I called a client I wanted to work with) for the best part of a year.

They phoned ME?!

I couldn’t have been more delighted when they phoned ME and asked ME if I had any network engineers on MY books. At that time network engineers were like hen’s teeth; it was a nightmare trying to find them and they always had multiple offers. “Let me have a look,” I said enthusiastically, hoping to mask the slightly nervous feeling with the melodic tone in my voice since I didn’t have ANYONE at that exact moment.

Boolean search

On to the CV database I went. My Boolean search was as broad as I could make it so I didn’t miss ANY hidden gems. I finally came across a CV that I hadn’t seen before, this candidate had spent a few years working in a network analyst-type role, then had a career gap and it looked like they were currently working in the warehouse for a well-known clothes retailer.

What caught my eye was; they were CCIE certified, and recently too. CCIE is accepted worldwide as the most prestigious networking certification in the industry, you don’t often see people with this. ‘Worth a call,’ I thought.

This candidate’s story is still one that warms my heart when I think about it.

“Thank you so much for coming to meet me”, I sang as we sat in the office board room.

You have a really interesting CV, tell me about your story.

I waited almost holding my breath in anticipation. They sat quietly in front of me, wearing a black suit and white shirt. Hands gently clasped together on the table, they started to share with the softest sounding, kind voice:

“I am originally from the Philippines and worked as a network analyst. I gave up my career to follow my partner’s engineering job which has meant that we have been able to travel the world. They said warmly. “Having brought up our children, I would like to find a job for myself doing networking which I love.”

“I have recently qualified with my CCIE which I studied while looking after my kids and I just want a chance to prove what I can do,” they said softly, but with a determined edge to their voice.

Wow I thought, this is perfect.

The opportunity I have could change their life, I NEED to make this happen.

“Thank you so much for sharing that with me,” I said excitedly as I sprung up from my chair, “Can you hold on for a minute while I make a quick call?” I think you are perfect for my client. I was already on my way out of the room as they agreed.

Ring ring, ring ring.

“Hi it’s Sam, remember the network analyst you were looking for?” I didn’t even pause to let them speak.

“I have the perfect person for you, CCIE certified, and I think you could be one to give them the chance of a lifetime. They are at my office with me just now. an you see them this afternoon if I send them across?”

“How can I say no Sam when you sound as enthusiastic as you do? Send them across.” 

They were offered the job that afternoon.

To this day this is one of my most treasured achievements. I had spotted something that people rarely do, a ‘diamond in the rough’.

3: The Brochure

The third unforgettable CV wasn’t a CV at all, it was a brochure!

This candidate, I learned, was a true entrepreneur.

After scraping through hundreds of profiles on LinkedIn whilst looking for a project manager for an ‘up-and-coming mobile consultancy’, I found someone who caught my eye. It looked like they had done a little project management and had some interesting volunteering experience; managing a project where people were invited to write their dreams on a piece of paper and they were sent up into space on some sort of weather balloon. The child in me thought this was magical.

They responded to my carefully crafted message and agreed to come and meet me in the office.

I really wasn’t prepared for who I was about to meet.

They arrived wearing a vibrant blue suit and a contemporary floral shirt with a hint of pink. Their smile filled the room and their bright eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Their zest for life was infectious as they spoke candidly about their achievements and future goals.

I loved their positive attitude and spirited personality, it was quite mesmerising to listen to.

‘Was my client ready for them?’ I wondered; in fact, was the world ready?

I agreed to put their CV in. I was more worried that the role wouldn’t keep them interested than anything else.

As we were finishing, they handed me a glossy brochure, like the ones that you get in a car showroom. The cover made me think of a prestigious sports car, they style was not dissimilar to what you get presented with in a car showroom. The contents had sleek abstract images scattered through with words like collaboration, ambition and breakthrough that popped out of the page. It was an unforgettable visual journey. .

They don’t know this, but that brochure stayed on my desk for a long time, I loved everything about it, and if that isn’t self-promotion then I don’t know what is.

There is a unique person behind every CV you read.

As Recruiters, we are gifted with the opportunity to change lives and spot opportunities for people that might have passed them by. We can find the gems that the world of tech is calling out for.