Easy applying in 2022: out with the cover letter and CV

Easy applying is the norm these days. Yet a cover letter and CV have by now become a standard part of the application process. After all, if you want to recruit staff, you assume that when a job ad really appeals to a candidate, uploading a cover letter and CV is a small effort. But are they still relevant, or rather: do they still fit the application process of today's labour market, as in an RPO campaign? Let's see if we can change your mind.

Want to recruit staff? Then skip the cover letter

Where a CV (ideally) puts facts on the table, a cover letter can be full of fables. You often cannot tell whether someone really feels your company is such a good fit for him or her, or whether that person just needs a new job very urgently. It is also yet another extra step for the applicant. And besides creating extra work, it often adds extra pressure too. "Will they like me enough? I'll just make something up, to be on the safe side...". So a cover letter is often not that reliable!

Is a CV really indispensable?

We know: a CV can be very handy and clear. The problem is that employers often let themselves be led by it. Do not forget that behind that chronological list of education, diplomas and work experience there is a person! From this piece of paper you cannot tell whether someone is motivated, eager to learn or a good fit for your company and your people. Also, many years of work experience can sound very positive, but you can also read it as unwillingness to keep learning. So a CV can give a distorted picture of an applicant, positively or negatively. And that is exactly what you as an employer want to avoid in this part of the process.

Why do we still ask for a cover letter and CV?

An application process takes time. That time spent has shifted from the applicant's side to the recruiter's side. So candidates want to apply easily. Asking for a cover letter and CV in a job ad has become almost old-fashioned. It dates from the time when applying took a lot of time and effort anyway. Back then, people were happy to take more time to apply. Because everything has to be quick and easy these days, this way of applying no longer fits the modern recruitment process.

How do we let people apply without a cover letter and CV?

For now, it is up to the recruiter to put some time into research by making a phone call. That way they can ask about things like diplomas, experience or a driving licence themselves, and hear whether there is a click. If, as a recruiter, you still want some input from the other side at an earlier stage, have candidates answer one specific question. That way it cannot become a standard message, and you still learn a bit more about them. So do you want to recruit staff efficiently? Then keep the cover letter and CV out of the first part of the application process!