Your CV database questions, answered without the sales pitch

Use any of the free trial buttons on this site. They take you to CV-Library's recruiter trial page, where you register your company details and get access to run searches and see matching candidates.

No. In-house recruiters, HR teams, business owners and hiring managers all use CV databases. You just need a genuine vacancy and a company email address.

Usually minutes. You register, confirm your details and you can start searching the same day.

It is sold as a subscription rather than per hire, and the price depends on users and CV view volume. Compare it as cost per hire across a year — for most employers that lands far below a single agency fee.

In most cases yes, if you have the time to search and screen yourself. A contingency agency fee of 15–25% of salary on one £35,000 hire is roughly £5,250 to £8,750, which typically exceeds a year of direct access.

Yes. All figures are shown in GBP (£) and reflect the UK market.

Nine times out of ten the search is too broad or too old. Add one must-have skill, tighten the location radius, and limit to CVs updated in the last 30 days.

Within 48 hours of the CV being updated wherever possible. Active jobseekers move fast, and the first credible approach usually wins the conversation.

Yes. Saving a search that works and setting up alerts means new matching CVs come to you, which is especially useful for roles you hire repeatedly.

Candidates upload their CV knowing recruiters will search it, and the job board handles that consent. You still have your own duties: use the data only for genuine recruitment, keep it no longer than needed, and respond to any request to be removed.

No. We are an independent resource site. We use affiliate links to CV-Library and may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.

Never. We do not sell, rent or share personal data with third parties. See our privacy policy for the full detail.