Why our hiring platform Vizzy flips the CV on its head
Vizzy’s founders say the UK-based recruitment platform was created to help candidates stand out.
Many entrepreneurs attest to starting their businesses from the kitchen table. For the founders of Vizzy, a UK-based recruitment platform that is reimagining the traditional CV, it was a matter of mulling over ideas over drinks in a greenhouse during COVID.
Six years ago, Joe Woodward was set to take over as marketing chief for IPL cricket franchise Rajasthan Royals. After going to Mumbai, he had to return to England soon. She has formed a support bubble with her sister Jess Woodward-Jones and her husband Chris during the pandemic.
When Woodward started writing her resume and building her portfolio on platforms like Wix, she had a hard time communicating what she had accomplished and where she wanted to go in her career.
Read more: ‘As soon as we stop loving meat, Jolly Hog business goes bad’
The trio used their unstreamlined resume as a template on the greenhouse table and came up with a plan to create a platform that could better showcase everything a resume had to offer. They also wanted it to be geared more towards “young emerging talent”.
With the widespread use of artificial intelligence, the shrinking of the job market and the increase in applications, Vizzy’s co-founders recognized the fact that traditional CV-focused recruiting was becoming increasingly difficult.
Vizzy CEO Chris Woodward-Jones says the platform is an alternative to CVs and is at the heart of multimedia-focused professional profiles and storytelling. More than 115,000 candidates have used the platform since its launch in late 2023.
Vizzy was founded in 2020 by Chris Woodward-Jones (left), Joe Woodward and Jess Woodward-Jones. ·Voutt photography
“One person told us, ‘It’s like my CV was born from Pinterest.’ That was always central to our inspiration and initial nomination,” says Woodward-Jones.
The trio spoke to various groups and individuals, including relatives who were studying at university at the time. They have joined forces with career readiness programs to create job tools based on what candidates want to show on their resumes, while also providing data and insights to help companies make hiring decisions.
“When you give candidates the freedom to express themselves, it’s amazing how much they are willing to share if they feel included in the process,” says Woodward-Jones. “That’s when you get the detail and insight that’s missing from most apps right now.
Read more: I slept in the freezer to pay the staff; You must do whatever it takes to be successful.
“We were surprised at how little disruption there was in the field. Video is quite alienating to a lot of people, but that’s why versatility is at the heart of what we’ve built, taking it from the single CV page and more accurately representing the person recruiters are hiring.”
Burberry’s use of Vizzy to run a global campaign, rather than using external apps, proved to be a “bucket moment” for the trio and a catalyst for growth for the firm, which has raised more than £7 million in investment since launch.
Woodward-Jones continued her career in management consulting while Vizzy was taking shape. Since Woodward was working full time on the project, they would meet for an hour in the evenings and every Saturday morning between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. After signing the Burberry deal, the trio began working full-time, with Jess becoming account director and Woodward as creative director.
Vizzy says its platform allows candidates to provide a more comprehensive picture of who they are.
Clive Woodward, who coached England to Rugby World Cup victory in 2003, is also the CEO’s father-in-law. “You’re getting closer to understanding how important it is to find the right talent to execute a plan,” admits Woodward-Jones.
“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. You need the tools and the talent to bring the two together. That’s what we do and a big part of it is learning from Clive.”
Woodward-Jones admits a Vizzy profile after finishing university would highlight his black-and-white, lightweight CV. He worked in bars and dug sewers to earn money, and is a fan of musical theatre. Some business owners first look at the bottom of CVs to find talent, and Woodward-Jones says Vizzy, which employs 11 staff, has “turned the CV around”.
The platform’s top demographic is 18-35, but the company said it’s also a good option for older applicants.
When it comes to the early career market, which spends around £270bn a year, AI is having an impact, says Woodward-Jones. Their figures show that more than 60% of resumes and cover letters have some AI contribution.
Read more: ‘We have a personality and a great presence with rabbits in our energy drinks’
“It’s a hard blow to a very competitive market,” adds Woodward-Jones. “It is widely reported that AI is accepting entry-level jobs, with the same number of candidates going for fewer jobs.
“With AI writing resumes and applications, it’s as if technology is killing trust and businesses don’t know if they’re considering a human.”
Denis Machuel, CEO of Adecco Group, recently told the BBC that people need to send an average of 200 applications to receive a job offer. The recruitment company uses artificial intelligence in candidate pre-screening.
The B2B product, for which Burberry is Vizzy’s first customer, was launched in 2023. ·Voutt photography
A “human-centered recruiting solution,” Woodward-Jones sees Vizzy as a step change for its clients, as AI cannot fill out a profile.
Vizzy claims a 35% to 75% reduction in screenings for large enterprise clients and has saved 80% of the recruiting team’s time.
“When we’re talking about 20,000 applications [in some cases]we offer a much smaller, more engaged talent pool,” adds Woodward-Jones.
Tips to increase investment
Passion backed by belief shows you are making progress. The problem we solve interests many investors. How you talk about it is the #1 thing that needs to happen.
You have to knock on a lot of doors, a lot more than I thought. But once you start getting some evidence, you need to knock on fewer doors and prepare harder for them.
Then the lens through which you are viewed is slightly different: success is about potential and how well thought out your future is. Passion, drive and pleasure need to be at the highest level. Increasing amounts of preparation and detail will then emerge.
Read more:
Download the Yahoo Finance app you can use. Apple And Android
