What Employers Really Want And Why Your CV Might Be Failing You

On this morning’s Big Convo, the spotlight turned to one of the most pressing realities facing young Ghanaians today, finding a job.

Joining the discussion were Jemima Ashietey, Head of Marketing and Genevieve Amponsah from Jobberman Ghana, who broke down the realities of recruitment, CV mistakes and how technology is quietly deciding who gets hired.

At its core, Jobberman’s role is simple: matching the right talent to the right job. But behind the scenes, it’s far from basic.

According to Jemima, most job seekers are losing out on opportunities before they even get noticed, not because they lack qualifications, but because their CVs are not optimised.

“Your CV is your marketing tool. If it doesn’t communicate your value clearly, you won’t even get a call” she said.

One of the biggest revelations from the conversation was the role of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), a software that scans CVs before any human sees them.

This system: scans for keywords, matches CVs to job descriptions and ranks candidates automatically. If your CV doesn’t align with the job description, you’re filtered out instantly.

“If the keywords don’t match, there’s no way you’ll be shortlisted no matter how qualified you are.”

Sending the same CV to every job is one of the fastest ways to get ignored.

Instead: study each job description carefully, identify key requirements and tailor your CV specifically for that role.

Interestingly, there’s a disconnect between job seekers and employers in Ghana. Yet, experts argue that sales is one of the most rewarding career paths, especially in industries like tech.

Surprisingly, your specific degree may not be the deciding factor. Employers are focusing more on: skills, experience and ability to perform.

Jobberman offers free training programs to help young people develop these essential skills. The job market isn’t just competitive, it’s intelligent.

With systems like ATS, your CV must do more than list qualifications, it must strategically communicate your value.