Has worked in recruitment for over 10 years: – Many people try to make their CV too perfect

After more than ten years in the recruitment industry, Jeanette Meyer is still focused on the same thing: seeing the person behind the application. As Team Manager at Head Energy Consulting, she works every day to create good matches between candidates and clients.

– Many people try to make their CV “too perfect”. They cut out what they think is unnecessary, and end up saying nothing.

Jeanette has read thousands of CVs. After more than ten years in the recruitment industry, she quickly knows what works and what does not. As Team Manager at Head Energy Consulting, she is used to assessing over a hundred applicants for a single position.

Even so, she always tries to meet each candidate with the same thought:

– I remind myself that there are people behind every single name. It is important to me that candidates are seen and get a proper assessment.

– Don't remove your summer job

That mindset also shapes how she looks at applications, and Jeanette therefore does not necessarily agree with the myth that a good CV must always be one page. She would rather understand what the candidate has actually done, and believes many people underestimate the value of small and early experiences.

– Don't remove summer jobs or part-time jobs because you think they are irrelevant. They are part of your story and who you are, and often say a lot about work ethic, sense of responsibility and initiative.

She also thinks many people are not concrete enough:

– Don't just write where you worked. Say a bit about what you actually did. That makes it much easier to understand the candidate behind the bullet points.

She also highlights one thing she personally appreciates when reading CVs:

– I actually think it's nice to include a photo. Many people remember faces better than names, and it makes the candidate more human.

Opening the door to working life

What motivates Jeanette as much now as when she started is seeing the potential in people and helping them succeed.

Many people are nervous before an interview, and she believes it is her responsibility to create enough confidence for the candidate to actually show who they are.

– Don't dismiss people before you have talked to them. Sometimes it is in the conversation that you really bring out the potential.

The most rewarding thing for Jeanette is the opportunity to help people into working life.

– I have met many candidates who struggle to get into the job market, especially young candidates coming straight from school and applying for their first full-time job. Seeing someone get their first job, and knowing that you have helped open that door, is one of the best things about my job.

When your gut feeling is right

When she really believes in a candidate, she is not afraid to argue for them with clients either.

– When we see something in a candidate and say: “You should meet this person”, we can actually make a difference.

To achieve that, she believes it is essential to spend time understanding both the candidate and the client.

– You need to understand the client's culture and how the teams work. The best matches are not just about qualifications on paper, but about personality, collaboration and culture.

– When we see something in a candidate and the client ends up hitting it off with them, we know we've got it right.

A place where people are looked after

Jeanette believes the values she cares about when meeting candidates are also reflected internally at Head Energy.

She particularly highlights the security of schemes such as pension and insurance, and believes it is important for consultants to feel that they are looked after over time.

– In the consulting industry, that is not always a given. That is why it means so much when a company actually invests in its people.

For Jeanette, it is precisely this mindset that makes both candidates and clients stay over time.

Get to know our team managers!

At Head Energy Consulting, our team managers work closely with clients, consultants and candidates. We have talked to several of them about leadership, recruitment and what motivates them in their working day:

Get to know Anne Metten Fjeld, who has worked in the consulting industry for more than 25 years.

Meet Svein Erling, regional manager in Central Norway, and read about how he works with people, leadership and developing strong teams.

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