CVs may be a standard tool for determining whether candidates are qualified for certain roles. But for some recruiters, the typical CV – with its outline of education, skills and experience – tells but doesn’t show.

One such recruiter is Rob Ryan, recruitment and talent manager for Tesco Telecoms/Tesco Mobile, who told a London audience this morning that under his talent planning format, which enables existing employees to progress to the next level in management, he favours the '3D CV' approach in which candidates for roles use props to show him something about them. He gave the example of a candidate for a senior managerial role who used a McDonald’s uniform to reflect his first job and illustrate his teamwork and customer service approach to the workplace.

“I’m bored with CVs,” Ryan said. “CVs are same-y… Don’t tell me how great you are. Show me.”

Ryan was speaking to hospitality recruiters at a Caterer.com breakfast event, attended by Recruiter, about a revolutionised approach to leadership and career progression that has been put in place at the retail giant in the last three years. “It’s always been ‘jobs for the boys’ at Tesco,” Ryan said. “Not any more.”

Leaders are now chosen and developed on the basis of behaviours such as collaboration, empathy, resilience and resourcefulness.

“Behaviours drive our business, and not the skill,” Ryan said, adding: “Skill is the easiest thing to teach people.”

Ryan has worked at Tesco since 2010. The talent planning format he has implemented is now being rolled out across the telecoms business.

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