3 Responses

1. Use appropriately
   We keep CVs for min. 6 months in my company for a couple of reasons:
   1. When I have a speculative cv for which I have no current suitable vacancy.
   2. Post interview – where the candidate is still of interest but not for the vacancy concerned.
   We do review them as and when vacancies occur. If space became an issue I would probably reduce the timescale or have the CVs scanned onto the computer. Jenny

2. Keep you on file
   Irene

   At my last company we did keep CV’s for about 6 months after, in line with our policy, moreso from the point of having evidence to defend any “equal Opps” accusations then we could prove why we hired who we did …
   Like Keith, sometimes we kept CV’s of people we were generally interested in so that if something did crop up in the future we COULD contact them again, but we didn’t use it as a “fob off” – we just said, “Sorry, but no ..” I guess different people use for different reasons.

   Can also be related to other areas, such as telling sales people, “We’ll bear you in mind – translated, thanks but no thanks, usually, and I’m now finding myself as a freelance trainer, being told “we’ll bear you in mind ..” but who knows !!!!
   Bin, shredder, filing cabinet – WHY CAN’T PEOPLE BE HONEST AND UP FRONT AND DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL ?

   One of life’s great dilemnas !
   Andrea

3. kept on file
   Irene,
   i spent a number of years as a recruitment consultant and can say from experience that being ‘kept on file’ has several meanings.
   It is used as a ‘fob off’ for undesireable candidates BUT it is also used for unusual/specific candidates who are well presented with a good work history when you have no suitable vacancies. The latter tends to manifest itself by an approach from the consultancy/agency in the form of Headhunting at a later stage.
   I hope this helps
   Regards
   Keith