Guide
What is an ATS-friendly CV, and how do you make one?
An ATS-friendly CV is a CV that software can read without mistakes and that uses the same words as the job posting. It is not a special kind of CV. It is a normal, clean CV with a few habits. Here is what an ATS does, what breaks it, and a checklist to run before you apply.
What an ATS is
ATS stands for applicant tracking system. It is the software many employers use to receive applications, store them and manage the hiring process. Greenhouse, Lever, Workday and Workable are examples.
When you apply, the system reads your file and turns it into fields: name, contact details, jobs, dates, education, skills. Recruiters then search and filter those fields, often with words from the posting. That is why two things matter: the software must read your file correctly, and your CV must contain the words the posting uses.
How much an ATS filters by itself depends on the employer and on how they set it up. We do not have a reliable number for how many CVs are rejected automatically, so we do not quote one. The safe approach is simple: make your CV easy to read for a machine and for a person.
What breaks the reading
Most problems come from the layout, not from the content. These are the usual ones:
- Columns, text boxes and tables. The reader may mix the order of your lines or skip a block.
- Your contact details inside the header or footer of the page. Some systems ignore those areas.
- Text inside images, icons or skill bars. If it is a picture, it cannot be read as text.
- A scanned CV saved as an image. If you cannot select the text with your mouse, neither can the software.
- Unusual section names such as «My journey». Use the names the system expects.
- Dates in different formats from one job to the next.
What works
- One column, top to bottom, with a standard font.
- Headings such as Summary, Experience, Education and Skills.
- Dates in one format, for example Mar 2022 – Jun 2024.
- Job title, company and dates on each role, then your bullets.
- A PDF made from a text editor, or a modern DOCX, unless the posting asks for one of them.
- A file name with your name, for example Ana-Lopez-CV.pdf.
A safe structure, in order
- 1.
Name and contact
Name, city and country, email, phone, and a LinkedIn link if you have one. In the body of the page, not in the header.
- 2.
Summary
Two or three lines: who you are professionally and what you are looking for, using the title of the job you apply to.
- 3.
Experience
Most recent first. For each role: title, company, dates, and 3 to 5 bullets with what you did and the result.
- 4.
Education
Degree, institution and year. Add certificates that the posting asks for.
- 5.
Skills
The tools and skills you really use, written as the posting writes them: «Microsoft Excel», not only «Office».
- 6.
Languages
Only if they matter for the job, with your level.
Keywords: use the posting's words
A keyword is a word or phrase from the posting: a tool, a skill, a job title, a certificate. If the posting says «stakeholder management» and your CV says «working with different teams», a search for the first will not find you, even if you did the work.
Read the posting, list the 8 to 10 terms that repeat or come first, and check which of them are true for you. Use the exact wording where it is true, once or twice, inside real bullets. Never add a skill you do not have. Repeating a word many times does not help and reads badly to the person who opens the file.
We explain the whole method in the guide on how to tailor your CV to a job description.
Checklist before you apply
- I can select and copy the text in my PDF.
- One column, no tables, no text boxes.
- Contact details are in the body, not in the header or footer.
- Standard section headings.
- All dates are in the same format.
- The job title in my summary matches the posting.
- The main terms from the posting appear in my CV where they are true.
- I read the file once more as plain text, in case something got mixed up.
Three myths
«There is a trick to beat the ATS»
There is none that we would trust. White text with hidden keywords and similar tricks are easy to spot and can get you rejected by the person who reads the file. A clear CV that matches the posting is the safe way.
«An ATS CV has to look ugly»
No. A single column with good spacing and a clean font is easy for software and pleasant for people.
«One ATS CV works for every job»
The format can be the same. The words should change with each posting.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an ATS CV?
- It is a CV that applicant tracking software can read correctly: simple layout, standard headings, real text and the keywords of the posting. It is not a different kind of CV.
- Does every company use an ATS?
- No. Many employers do, especially larger ones, but not all. Small companies often read applications by hand or in an email inbox. Preparing a clean CV is useful in both cases.
- Is a PDF or a DOCX better?
- Both can work. A PDF with selectable text keeps your layout. If the posting asks for a specific format, use that one.
- Can I use a template with two columns?
- It is a risk. Some systems read columns in the wrong order. If you are not sure, use one column.
- How many keywords should I use?
- Cover the 8 to 10 main terms of the posting that are true for you, once or twice each, in real sentences. More is not better.
- How do I check my CV against a job?
- Our free checker compares your CV with a posting and shows which keywords you cover and which you miss. You do not need an account.
Check your CV against a real job
Paste your CV and a job posting into the free checker. In seconds you see your match score, the keywords you cover, what is missing and three quick fixes. It does not keep your CV or the posting.
A free account includes the full editor, all templates, PDF without watermark and 1 tailored application.