Many applications are first screened by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that parses your CV and matches it to the role. If it can't read your CV, a human may never see it. Here's how to be ATS-friendly without sacrificing readability. See also how to write a CV.
How an ATS reads your CV
It extracts text into fields (contact, experience, skills, education) and matches keywords to the job requirements. Complex layouts confuse it.
Formatting rules
- Use a simple, single-column layout with standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills).
- Avoid tables, text boxes, images and graphics for key content.
- Use standard fonts and normal bullet points.
- Save as a .docx or a text-based PDF (not a scanned image).
Keywords matter
Mirror the exact terms in the advert — job title, skills and tools. Don't keyword-stuff; use them naturally in context. Job Intelligence™ extracts the keywords a specific vacancy is looking for.
Balance ATS and human
Once it parses cleanly, make sure it still reads well for the human who receives it — clear achievements and structure. Avoid the errors in common CV mistakes.
Practise what you've learned
Turn this into a stronger CV now. CV Optimisation checks your CV against a specific role, and Job Intelligence™ decodes exactly which skills and keywords the vacancy wants so you can mirror them. Build the evidence behind your CV in your Career Passport™.
What breaks an ATS — and what doesn't
Applicant tracking systems parse your CV into structured data. They struggle with tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, images, and text in headers/footers. They handle simple, single-column documents with standard headings (Experience, Education, Skills) reliably. Save as a .docx or a text-based PDF, never an image.
Keywords, done right
Mirror the exact terminology from the job advert where it's genuinely true of you — if they say "stakeholder management", use that phrase rather than a synonym. Don't keyword-stuff or hide white text; modern systems flag it and recruiters still read the CV afterwards.
Pass the machine and the human
An ATS-optimised CV that bores the recruiter still fails. Structure for parsing, then write result-led bullets that convince the human in seven seconds. See how to write a CV and run a final check against the common CV mistakes.