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Having an employee resume filebase vs a structured resume database

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The employee resume file base in Sharepoint or shared drives

The status quo at many engineering and consulting firms is their Sharepoint site or shared folder with resumes or CVs in them. This approach can be labelled a Sharepoint "filebase" where the individual CVs, resumes or case studies are stored as Word, PDF or PPT files on a shared drive where relevant users has access to either their own resume or the entire folder. It creates static documents where the content is locked in it's format. Also, when you need a tailored version, a copy is made that is rarely re-used. The copy might have a cryptic filename that only the original author can make sense of. The legacy resume filebase does not allow for re-using content such as industry names, client names, client or project descriptions across a large set of files, content which should be standardized or tailored to the client. Finally it is also difficult to extract more valuable insights from these static files, as the search capabilities are limited to content, and not linked to any additional info such as duration.

Are your CVs Resumes scattered around in multiple file bases?

In general, the common challenges with a Sharepoint resume filebase include

  • Content locked in template or format
  • Resumes tend to end up having different formatting since people become creative in their own Word/PPT format
  • Users with different software versions updating files locally could change the formatting when synchronized
  • People reformat their job-application resume to match the format of the company, causing further discrepancies
  • Difficult to perform co-authoring and limited version history
  • Re-use of content is challenging since other content is also locked in another file
  • File naming conventions rarely followed
  • Rarely updated Resumes is also a common theme
  • Case studies or past performances not linked to CVs or resumes

The structured resume database

The better solution is the structured resume database in CV Partner. In this way, the content is kept in a secure cloud service that the users (engineers or consultants) access through their browser. This means that they get a nicer user interface, and the content is not locked in the format that is their Word, PDF, Powerpoint or InDesign resume. It also offers a better version history, and the ability to create tailored version and export them in nicely designed custom templates. Additional benefits include improves searchability, transparency and better control over content.

Benefits from having a structured resume database that is cloud based include

  • Increased transparency
  • Increased searchability
  • Flexible templates for export
  • Granular template options
  • Data export and API
  • More bids won
  • Increased compliance with regards to data portability and accessibility

It is clear that the structured resume database is the better option for the above reasons. But how can can you help your company with the new way of working with Resumes and Case Studies? 

CV Partner CVs/Resumes and Case Studies exported as a tailored proposal with one click


The journey from a resume file base to resume database does not need to be a tough one. CV Partner have done similar migrations for hundreds of professional services companies. The process can be broken down to the following steps:

  1. Assessment of the quality if the data in the file base
  2. Importing of the resume data using CV Partner data import team
  3. Cleaning up imported data using the CV Partner master data tool
  4. Set up help texts and templates
  5. Get your colleagues to log in, update and Quality Assure their resume

Learn how leading engineering consultancy Multiconsult went from resumes in a shared drive to having full control over their resumes and case studies

Learn more by contacting CV Partner