A recruiter reviewing CVs at volume is looking for one thing: evidence that you've done the job the client needs, recently, and at a comparable level of complexity.
The most common mistakes we see:
**Functional CVs.** Unless you're a career changer with a specific reason, use a reverse-chronological format. Recruiters want to know where you worked and when, not just a list of skills.
**No quantification.** "Managed a team" is meaningless. "Managed a team of 8 engineers delivering a $4M platform migration on time and 3% under budget" is a statement a recruiter can present to a hiring manager.
**Omitting years.** "2019–Present" tells us nothing if you've had multiple roles in that period. Date every role individually.
**Generic summaries.** Your opening paragraph should reflect the role you're applying for, not be a recycled summary from your last application. Tailor it — even one or two sentences matters.
When you submit to Illoura, our team reads every application. You'll hear from a consultant within two business days, whether we have an immediate match or not.