More than 75% of large companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to automatically screen CVs before a human ever sees them. If your CV isn't optimised for ATS, it may never reach the hiring manager — no matter how qualified you are.
An Applicant Tracking System is software that parses your CV, extracts information, and scores it against the job requirements. CVs that score below a threshold are automatically rejected. Understanding how ATS works lets you write a CV that passes the filter.
ATS reads your CV like a simple text file. It looks for keywords, job titles, dates, and qualifications. It then compares these against the job description. Complex formatting — columns, tables, images, headers and footers, text boxes — often confuses ATS parsers and causes information to be lost or misread.
The keyword rule: Read the job description carefully. Make a list of the key skills, qualifications and tools mentioned. Then make sure each one that applies to you appears on your CV — ideally in exactly the same wording as the job ad.
Keywords fall into two categories: hard skills (specific technical abilities, tools, certifications) and soft skills (leadership, communication, project management). Both matter, but ATS systems weight hard skills more heavily.
To find the right keywords: copy the job description into a text editor, highlight every skill, qualification, tool or experience requirement, and make sure your CV addresses each one. Don't stuff keywords unnaturally — weave them into your bullet points contextually.
Yes — because after passing ATS, your CV is read by a human. The goal is to write a CV that is clean and parseable for machines, while remaining clear and impressive for people. Our free CV generator uses ATS-friendly templates by default — clean layout, correct heading structure, and simple formatting throughout.
After creating your CV, copy and paste its text into Notepad or a plain text editor. If the content still makes sense in that format — in the right order, with all information intact — your CV will likely parse correctly through ATS.
If you've been applying for roles and not hearing back despite strong qualifications, it's possible your CV isn't passing ATS. A professional CV writer on Fiverr can audit and rewrite your CV specifically for ATS, using their experience with hundreds of successful applications in your industry.