Canva, the global visual communication platform, shares insights from a survey involving 10,000 hiring managers and job seekers, shedding light on the evolving dynamics of the hiring process.
Conducted by Sago and encompassing participants from the US, UK, India, Germany, Spain, France, Mexico, and Brazil, the survey underscores the growing significance of visual design and AI in job applications.
Key Trends in the UK Job Market
1. CV Layout Crucial for UK Hiring Managers: 40% of UK hiring managers emphasize the importance of ‘CV/document layout’ among the top five elements that catch their attention during the review.
2. Mixed Satisfaction Levels with CV Aesthetics: 32% of UK hiring managers spend 30 seconds to three minutes reviewing a CV, with only 33% expressing high satisfaction with the look and feel of screened CVs in 2023. Job seekers also show modest contentment, with 37% pleased with the appearance of their own CVs.
3. Visual Appeal Over Text: a notable 67% of UK hiring managers anticipate the obsolescence of text-only CVs within the next five years. Nearly 40% of UK job seekers acknowledge their current reliance on text-only CVs, but 73% express the intent to make their CVs more visual if given the necessary time and resources.
4. Digital Portfolios as a Decisive Factor: despite only 34% of Brits incorporating digital portfolios in their job applications, 62% of UK hiring managers consider them significant in the selection process.
5. Generative AI Reshaping CV Creation: 40% of UK job seekers have leveraged generative AI to build their CVs, with 50% likely to use it again, citing time-saving (64%) and enhanced creativity (61%) as key benefits.
6. Brand Influence in Job Attraction: 81% of UK job seekers believe a company’s brand, encompassing style, design, images, colours, and language, influences their interest in a job. In the eyes of 85% of UK hiring managers, a candidate’s digital brand holds significant sway in the hiring process.
Canva’s Perspective
Duncan Clark, Europe Lead at Canva, underscores the impact of design and technology on hiring, stating, “In today’s competitive job market, a visually compelling application is essential to stand out from the crowd. With 71% of hiring managers expecting text-only CVs to become obsolete in the next five years and nearly half of job seekers harnessing AI to enhance their applications, it’s clear that design and technology are having a profound impact on hiring.”
As the job market evolves, the survey highlights a shift towards visual and interactive CVs, supported by AI technologies, as candidates and hiring managers recognise the importance of standing out in a competitive landscape. The integration of design, technology, and brand influence is reshaping traditional hiring processes, marking a new era in the world of work.
