The UK Careers Fair logo
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
HomeAbout2025/26 ScheduleEventsNewsJobsLondon
Exhibit With UsBook A Stand
Contact Us
CV Advice
5 min read

Here's Why Your CV Isn't Getting You The Interviews You Want...

Sometimes we do everything right on our CV. We spend meticulous hours formatting it correctly, trying out a few different templates, and making sure that the CV is visually appealing. Then we painstakingly use the right buzzwords and headers that recruiters are looking for to make sure that your CV is flagged. 
Written by
Alan Writer
Guest Post
Published on
June 20, 2025

Sometimes we do everything right on our CV. We spend meticulous hours formatting it correctly, trying out a few different templates, and making sure that the CV is visually appealing. Then we painstakingly use the right buzzwords and headers that recruiters are looking for to make sure that your CV is flagged. 

You have the right background for the position, and maybe you’ve even gone above and beyond to curate your CV for each specific position you apply for. Yet, for some reason, you are not getting any interviews or callbacks after an initial screening. While demotivating, it doesn't mean you're not qualified for the position. 

It's the position itself

Sometimes there are simply too many applicants, and these can be for very standard positions. Positions at law firms in bigger cities, banking positions on the high street, or any type of in-demand position will have a huge supply of candidates. That means the recruiter themselves need to be able to pick from that large pool the right few candidates to proceed with. 

At times it could be simply based on random luck, or there's something that you may have missed out on your CV that could be extremely minor, but you'll never really know, and that could be disheartening after the first few rejections. You can attempt to reach out to the recruitment team to see what didn't pass on your CV. 

Constantly update your CV

Every time you get a new month of work completed, make sure to update your CV and any timeframes as necessary. Every time there’s a project completed where you had a major impact with figures, update your CV. You want to take a micro approach and have numerous revisions as possible. Maybe a position you're applying for needs exactly 3 years minimum of work experience without any room to spare. Perhaps you need to beat out other candidates with higher success rates or figures on your CV. 

This continuous updating of your CV needs to be combined with the persistence of continuously applying for new positions as they open. So you'll always come out of each application with just that extra amount of experience and success that will lead you to stand out ahead of the recruitment pool and get you towards that interview stage. 

Consider alternatives to the online application

At times with the ease of applying to a position online, you may have your perfectly fine CV simply get lost through all the other submitted CVs. Take a more personal approach when possible and send it to people that you have met from networking events. 

You can still send it digitally to them, but then have them send it across to the talent acquisition department. It will come in as a referral and not as a standard application that will help your odds with your CV.

In the end, you want to be honest with yourself and your CV and always maintain your motivation.

The UK Careers Fair will return to events in February, starting with Manchester. The Manchester Careers Fair takes place at Britannia Hotel on Friday 3rd February, between the times of 10am-2pm. Be sure to secure your free ticket.

Weekly newsletter
Sign up to our newsletter to keep updated with the latest insights for the freshest trends and know-how in the career realm.
By submitting, you are agreeing to receive our weekly newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time if you no longer wish to receive these updates.
Read about our privacy policy.
Thank you! You're now subscribed to the latest news from The UK Careers Fair.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Latest News

Dive into our latest insights for the freshest trends and know-how in the career realm, updated daily.
Interview Advice

How Employers Can Ensure A Successful Interview

Joanna Clare
|
Content Manager
October 20, 2025
5 min read
Careers Advice

Are You Contemplating A Change Of Career or Industry?

Joanna Clare
|
Content Manager
October 16, 2025
5 min read
Press

Plan Ahead and Secure Your Place for 2026

The UK Careers Fair
|
Editorial Team
October 14, 2025
5 min read

Upcoming Events

Check out our full and comprehensive list of upcoming events.

Plymouth Careers Fair
October 22, 2025
Bristol Careers Fair
October 22, 2025
Huddersfield Careers Fair
October 22, 2025
Canterbury Careers Fair
October 23, 2025
Newport Careers Fair
October 23, 2025
Southampton Careers Fair
October 24, 2025
Ipswich Careers Fair
October 24, 2025
Exeter Careers Fair
October 29, 2025
Manchester Careers Fair
October 29, 2025
York Careers Fair
October 31, 2025
London Careers Fair
November 14, 2025
Reading Careers Fair
February 4, 2026
Nottingham Careers Fair
February 6, 2026
Swindon Careers Fair
February 6, 2026
Brighton Careers Fair
February 11, 2026
Wolverhampton Careers Fair
February 12, 2026
Cardiff Careers Fair
February 13, 2026
Belfast Careers Fair
February 18, 2026
Colchester Careers Fair
February 25, 2026
Bedford Careers Fair
February 25, 2026
Derby Careers Fair
February 26, 2026
Southend Careers Fair
February 26, 2026
Sheffield Careers Fair
February 27, 2026
Cambridge Careers Fair
March 5, 2026
Durham Careers Fair
March 5, 2026
Coventry Careers Fair
March 6, 2026
Carlisle Careers Fair
March 11, 2026
 TAKE ME THERE