Why ‘More CVs’ Is Usually the Wrong Goal

In agency recruitment, volume can look impressive.

More CVs sent.More candidates submitted.More activity.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: For a recruitment agency, chasing “more CVs” is usually a sign the strategy isn’t sharp enough. Clients don’t pay agencies for volume.They pay for precision.

Activity ≠ Value

It’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring:

• Number of applicants generated

• Number of CVs sent to client

• Number of interviews arranged

  
  

Those metrics look good on reports. But from a client’s perspective, the real questions are:

• Are these candidates genuinely aligned?

• Do they meet the brief?

• Can I confidently hire one of them?

  
  

Sending 12 CVs might feel productive.

Sending 3 that are genuinely appointable is powerful.

High Volume Signals Weak Qualification

If an agency sends 10–15 CVs for a specialist or mid-senior role, it often suggests:

• The brief wasn’t fully qualified

• The market wasn’t mapped properly

• Candidate motivations weren’t deeply assessed

  
  

Strong agencies filter rigorously.

They eliminate:

• Salary misalignment

• Location uncertainty

• Cultural mismatch

• Counter-offer risk

By the time a CV reaches a client, it should already have passed multiple layers of qualification.

More CVs Increases Client Friction

Clients are busy. That’s why they use agencies.

When an agency sends too many profiles:

• Hiring managers experience decision fatigue

• Internal stakeholders struggle to align

• Feedback becomes vague and delayed

  
  

Instead of appearing proactive, the agency appears unfocused.

A tight, curated shortlist makes it easier for clients to:

• Compare properly

• Decide faster

• Feel confident

And confidence is what drives placements.

Volume Undermines Your Positioning as a Specialist

The best agencies don’t compete on database size.

They compete on:

• Market insight

• Talent access

• Depth of screening

• Strategic advice

  
  

If your differentiator is “we can send lots of CVs quickly,” you’re competing on speed, not expertise.

True specialist agencies aim to be seen as:

• Market advisors

• Talent partners

• Consultants

Not CV distributors.

More CVs Often Hides Poor Targeting

When a consultant says: “We’ll just widen the net.”

It usually means:

• The initial search wasn’t focused

• The value proposition wasn’t strong enough

• The outreach wasn’t targeted properly

  
  

Exceptional agencies:

• Map competitors

• Identify passive talent

• Approach selectively

• Qualify deeply

They don’t rely on inbound volume. They create precision pipelines.

Your Reputation Is Built on Hit Rate

Clients remember:

• How many CVs you sent

• How many were actually relevant

• Whether the first shortlist contained the eventual hire

  
  

High CV volume with low relevance reduces credibility.

A high hit rate builds long-term relationships.

And in agency recruitment, long-term relationships are everything.

What Agencies Should Measure Instead

Rather than tracking “CVs sent,” focus on:

• CV-to-interview ratio

• Interview-to-offer ratio

• Offer acceptance rate

• Time-to-shortlist

• Placement retention

These metrics reflect quality of process, not just quantity of output.

The Ideal Agency Shortlist

For most mid-to-senior level roles, a strong agency shortlist is:

• 3–5 candidates

• Fully qualified on salary and motivation

• Technically aligned

• Culture-aware

• Availability-checked

• Counter-offer risk assessed

  
  

If none are appointable, the issue isn’t volume. It’s search strategy.

When Volume Does Make Sense

There are scenarios where higher numbers are appropriate:

• High-volume temporary recruitment

• Entry-level campaigns

• Rapid scaling environments

  
  

But for specialist, professional, or executive recruitment? Precision wins every time.

The Bottom Line

As a recruitment agency, your value isn’t in how many CVs you send. It’s in how few you need to send before the client hires. Because clients don’t remember activity. They remember outcomes.