How to make an ATS-friendly CV

An ATS stores applications, pulls the text out of your CV, and sorts it into fields: name, jobs, dates, education, skills. A recruiter then searches and filters those fields. In most systems a person still makes the decision.

That means the real risk is parsing. If the software cannot extract your text, or puts it in the wrong place, your experience may not show up when someone searches for it.

1. 1Real text, not an imageExport a PDF whose text you can select and copy. A CV saved as a picture, or a scan, is invisible to the software.
2. 2A simple, single columnColumns, tables and text boxes can be read in the wrong order. One main column is the safest layout.
3. 3Standard headings“Experience”, “Education” and “Skills” are recognised everywhere. “My journey” is not.
4. 4Normal fonts and bulletsUse a common, readable typeface and simple round bullets. Icons and decorative symbols may turn into stray characters.
5. 5Consistent datesUse one format throughout, such as “Mar 2022 – Present”, so each job’s dates are found and its length is worked out.

A quick test: open your PDF, select all the text and paste it into a plain text editor. If the order is jumbled or parts are missing, so will an ATS see it.

Recruiters search by the words in the job ad: tools, certifications, job titles. If you really have a skill, use the ad’s wording for it (“Google Analytics”, not only “web statistics”). Put the keywords where they are true, in your skills and in the bullet points that show them in use.

Hidden white text and keyword lists you cannot back up are old tricks that modern systems and recruiters spot. They cost you the interview as soon as someone asks.