Over 75% of CVs are rejected before a human ever reads them. Not because the candidate is unqualified — but because an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) couldn't parse the CV correctly. Here's how to make sure yours makes it through.
What is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System is software used by employers to automatically filter, sort, and rank job applications. Companies like Unilever, ING, Booking.com, and most large employers run every CV through one before a recruiter sees it. The ATS scans for keywords matching the job description, work experience in the right format, education and qualifications, and skills that match the role. If your CV scores below a threshold, it's rejected automatically — no human review.
The 7 rules of ATS-friendly CVs
1. Use keywords from the job description
This is the single most important thing you can do. Copy exact phrases from the job posting. If the job posting says "experience with stakeholder management", your CV should say exactly "stakeholder management" — not "working with different departments". Use CVmake's AI tailoring feature: paste the job description and it automatically rewrites your CV with the right keywords.
2. Use a simple, single-column layout
ATS software reads CVs top-to-bottom, left-to-right. Multi-column layouts confuse it. Avoid two-column layouts, text boxes, tables used for layout, and graphics or icons. Use a clean, single-column document with clear section headings.
3. Use standard section headings
ATS looks for specific section names. Don't get creative. Use "Professional Summary" not "My Story", "Work Experience" not "Where I've Worked", "Skills" not "What I Know".
4. Use the right file format
Most ATS systems handle .docx and .pdf well. PDFs exported from Word or Google Docs are fine. Avoid .pages files (Apple) — they're often unreadable. Safest option: export as PDF from CVmake.
5. Include dates in a consistent format
ATS calculates your years of experience from dates. Use a consistent format like "January 2022 – March 2024" or "2022–2024". Never leave dates blank or write "a couple of years ago".
6. Spell out abbreviations
Write "Project Management Professional (PMP)" the first time, then just "PMP" after. ATS may not recognise abbreviations it hasn't seen before.
7. Don't put important info in headers or footers
Many ATS systems skip headers and footers entirely. Put your name and contact info in the main body of the document.
Common ATS mistakes — and how to fix them
- Using star ratings or progress bars for skills — ATS can't read these. Fix: list skills as plain text.
- Putting your name in an image or logo — Fix: your name must be plain text.
- Writing "responsible for" instead of action verbs — Fix: use "Led", "Built", "Increased", "Reduced", "Designed".
- Adding generic skills like "Microsoft Office" — Fix: be specific. "Advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs)".
- Sending the same CV to every job — Fix: tailor your CV per role. CVmake does this in under 2 minutes.
What your ATS score means
An ATS score is typically based on keyword match (40–50%), experience match (20–30%), skills match (20–30%), and education match (10%). CVmake's ATS checker gives you a score out of 100 and highlights exactly which keywords are missing so you know what to fix before you apply.
ATS-friendly CV structure
Here's the format that works best:
- Your name and contact info — plain text, at the top
- Professional Summary — 2–3 sentences with your key strengths and target role
- Work Experience — job title, company, dates, then bullet points with achievements and metrics
- Education — degree, university, year
- Skills — comma-separated plain text list
- Certifications — if applicable
Key takeaways
- ATS rejects 75%+ of CVs automatically
- Keywords from the job description are the #1 factor
- Simple, single-column layouts work best
- Tailor your CV for every application
- Check your ATS score before submitting The good news: once you understand the rules, you can reliably get your CV in front of human recruiters — and that's where the real competition starts.