ATS-friendly CV: how to optimise your CV for applicant tracking systems

What is an ATS

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It's the software companies use to publish job ads, receive applications, store CVs and manage the stages of hiring. When you apply through a company's "Careers" page or a recruiting portal, your CV almost always ends up in an ATS.

They are almost universal in large companies (according to Jobscan's analyses, nearly all Fortune 500 companies use one) and increasingly common in mid-sized businesses and recruitment agencies.

The myth of the "robot that rejects CVs"

You often read that "75% of CVs are rejected by ATS before a human sees them". It's a statistic that has circulated for years without a reliable source. The reality is more nuanced:

• Most ATS don't decide on their own. They extract information from your CV (name, experience, degrees, skills) and organise it into a profile.
• The recruiter searches and filters. They type keywords ("accounting", "SAP", "fluent Spanish") or set filters (location, years of experience) and look at the results.
• Some systems assign a match score between CV and job ad, and some companies use knockout questions in the form ("Do you have a driving licence?").

So the real risk isn't a mysterious automatic rejection: it's not appearing in search results because the software didn't read your CV properly or because it lacks the words the recruiter is looking for.

How an ATS reads your CV

The software converts the document into plain text and then tries to work out which text belongs to which section. To do that it relies on:

• recognisable section headings ("Work experience", "Education", "Skills");
• text order: it reads left to right, top to bottom;
• recurring patterns: dates, company names, job titles.

Anything that breaks these patterns (complex tables, text in boxes, columns that get mixed up, information inside images) can put data in the wrong field or lose it altogether.

1. Keywords: the most important factor

Keywords are the terms the recruiter will use to search for candidates. They almost always match the job ad.

How to find them

• Job title: "Accounts Assistant", "Data Analyst", "Registered Nurse".
• Technical skills: software, tools, methods ("Excel", "SAP", "AutoCAD", "Scrum").
• Certifications and licences: "PMP", "CSCS card", "HGV licence", "professional registration".
• Education requirements: "degree in Economics", "accounting qualification".
• Languages: "fluent French", "German B2".

Where to put them

• In your CV title, under your name: use the same wording as the ad if it matches your profile.
• In your profile: 2-3 main keywords, naturally.
• In your experience: where you show you've used those skills.
• In your skills section: a clear, readable list.
• Acronyms and full forms: write both at least once, e.g. "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)", because the recruiter might search for either.

What not to do

• Copy the whole job ad into your CV.
• Hide keywords in white text on a white background: many systems now show the extracted text, and the trick is spotted immediately.
• List skills you don't have: the interview comes anyway.

2. A simple, readable layout

• One column is the safest option. Simple two-column layouts are read well by most modern systems, but if you're applying to a large company with an older portal, one column removes all risk.
• No tables or text boxes for important content.
• No information inside images: your name, contact details and skills must be selectable text, not part of a graphic.
• Document header and footer: some systems ignore them. Put your name and contact details in the body of the page.
• Icons: they can accompany information (a phone icon next to your number) but not replace it.
• Skill bars and charts: software can't interpret them. Use words (basic, intermediate, advanced) or certifications.

3. Standard section headings

Use headings the software recognises:

• "Work experience" or "Professional experience" (not "My journey").
• "Education" (not "Where I learned").
• "Skills" (not "My toolkit").
• "Languages", "Certifications", "Projects".

4. Consistent dates and job titles

• Write dates the same way throughout: "03/2022 - 06/2025" or "March 2022 - June 2025".
• For your current job: "03/2022 - Present".
• Put job title and company on clear lines: "Accounts Assistant - Smith Ltd, London".

ATS calculate years of experience from dates: confusing formats can make you look less experienced than you are.

5. The file format

• PDF is the best choice in most cases, as long as it's generated by a word processor or CV builder (selectable text), not a scan or photo.
• DOCX if the portal explicitly asks for it.
• Never images (JPG, PNG) or uncommon formats (Pages, ODT) as your main file.
• File name: "Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf".

6. Fill in the portal fields too

After you upload your CV, many portals ask you to fill in or correct fields: experience, education, skills, extra questions. Don't skip them, and check that the software extracted your data correctly: those fields are often exactly what the recruiter filters on. Read knockout questions ("Do you have at least 3 years of experience?") carefully and answer honestly.

The 2-minute test

Before sending your CV, try this:

1. Open the PDF.
2. Select all the text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and copy it.
3. Paste it into a text editor or a blank document.

Check that: all the text is there; the order makes sense (experience isn't mixed up with skills); your name, email and phone are readable; dates sit next to the right roles. If the pasted text is in order, an ATS will read it well. If it's chaotic, simplify the layout.

ATS-friendly doesn't mean ugly

An ATS-compatible CV can be elegant: a modern font, an accent colour for headings, well-distributed white space, a thin line between sections. What matters is that the structure stays text-based and orderly. Remember that after the software there is always a person: your CV must work for both.

Every WizardsCV template generates a PDF with selectable text and standard section headings. Fill it in once, pick a template and download your CV for free, with no sign-up.

ATS checklist

• Are the job ad's keywords (that you genuinely have) in your CV?
• Does the title under your name match the role?
• Are your section headings standard?
• Are your name and contact details text, in the body of the document?
• Are dates in a consistent format?
• Is no important information inside images, tables or text boxes?
• Is it a PDF with selectable text and a clear file name?
• Does the copy-paste test give orderly text?