Manchester software developer Matthew Cawley has launched Someo, a new hiring platform
designed to help businesses discover people based on personality, strengths and suitability
rather than starting with a traditional CV.
The idea behind Someo came from seeing first-hand how difficult it can be for someone with little experience to get their foot in the door.
Matthew (pictured) said: “I watched a young person close to me spend almost a year trying to find work. They were willing to work, they wanted the opportunity and I knew they would make a great employee, but getting to the point where they could actually speak to an employer was incredibly difficult.
“They applied for plenty of jobs and had support along the way, but only managed to get a
handful of interviews. Eventually they found work through a personal connection, and that
really stuck with me.
“It made me wonder how many good people are being missed simply because they don’t
have much to put on a CV yet.”
That experience became the starting point for Someo, which aims to give employers another way to find people who may be overlooked by more traditional recruitment methods.
Rather than putting employment history and qualifications at the centre of the process, Someo builds profiles around a person’s traits, strengths, preferences and the type of working environment they are likely to suit.
Businesses can then create opportunities based on the type of person they are looking for, rather than relying entirely on a list of previous roles and qualifications.
Cawley believes the traditional approach can work well for jobs where specific qualifications or experience are essential, but says there are many roles where attitude and personality can matter just as much.
“A CV is useful, but it can only tell you so much,” he said. “It can tell you where someone has worked before, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you whether they are reliable, whether they will fit into your team, whether they will enjoy the role or whether they genuinely want to work for you.
“For plenty of businesses, particularly smaller companies, those things are incredibly
important.”
Someo is intended to be particularly useful for younger people entering the workplace for the first time, but the platform is not limited to any particular age group.
It could also help people returning to work, changing careers or moving into an industry where they do not yet have direct experience.
Cawley added: “The best person for a role is not always the person with the longest CV.
“Sometimes it is the person who turns up, wants to learn, gets on with everyone and
genuinely wants the opportunity.
“The problem is that those qualities can be very difficult to show when the first stage of
recruitment is just uploading a CV.”
Businesses using Someo can create profiles and opportunities that focus on what matters to
them, while people using the platform can discover roles that appear to fit their personality and preferences.
When there is mutual interest, the two sides can connect and take the conversation further.
Cawley is now speaking to businesses about joining the platform and helping shape how Someo develops.
He said: “I’m not trying to tell businesses to throw away CVs or completely change how they
recruit. I just want to give them another way to discover people they might never otherwise come across.
“If Someo can help a good person get noticed a little earlier, while helping a business find
someone who genuinely fits what they need, then that is exactly what I want it to do.”
