You're about to screen a candidate in 10 minutes. You've got their CV open and you're scanning for the things to ask about. Most of what you'll spot will be obvious. The interesting stuff, the angles that actually change the conversation, won't be.
This prompt fixes that.
The Prompt
You're helping a recruitment consultant prep for a 30-minute screening call with a candidate. > Here's the candidate's CV: [paste CV] > Here's the role they're being considered for: [paste job spec or summary] > Give me back: 1. The three strongest angles to lead with on the call (why this candidate is interesting for this role) 2. The three biggest gaps or risks in their profile that I need to dig into 3. Five sharp screening questions, written in plain English, that go deeper than "tell me about your last role" 4. One thing about their background most recruiters would miss but is worth asking about 5. Any inconsistencies or things in the CV that don't add up > Keep it tight. No fluff.
Why It Works
Most "summarise this CV" prompts give you back what you can already see. This one forces Claude to think like a consultant: where's the angle, where's the risk, what's the question nobody else is asking. Numbering the output keeps Claude structured. The "no fluff" line is what stops the four-paragraph preamble Claude defaults to.
How to Tweak It
If you're prepping for a client interview rather than your own screen, change point 3 to "Five questions the client is likely to ask, and the answers I want this candidate ready for."
If the role is highly technical, add a line at the end: "Flag any technical claims in the CV that I should verify on the call."
If you've already screened them once and you're prepping for the next stage, paste your previous call notes in too and ask Claude to "build on what we already know rather than repeat ground."
The Point
Ten minutes of prep with this prompt beats 30 minutes of staring at a CV. You go into every screen knowing exactly what to dig into, exactly what to ignore, and exactly what's worth flagging to the client afterwards.