What Is ATS and How to Pass It
If you’ve applied for a job online and didn’t hear back, your CV might have been filtered out by an ATS before a human ever saw it.
What Is an ATS?
An ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) is a software used by employers to manage job applications. It scans CV for specific keywords, formatting, and structure to determine which ones match the job posting closely enough to be reviewed by a recruiter.
Why Does the ATS Matter?
About 95% of Fortune 500 companies and 40%+ mid size businesses use ATS. If your CV isn’t ATS-friendly, it may never reach a hiring manager no matter how qualified you are.
Common ATS Pitfalls
- Complex Formatting: Graphics, tables, columns and unusual fonts often confuse ATS software.
- Missing Keywords: CVs that don’t reflect terms from the job posting are frequently excluded.
- Wrong File Type: Some ATS platforms don’t read .pdf files properly and very rarely they read anything but .docx
How to Make Your CV ATS-Friendly
1. Use a Simple Format
Stick to:
- Standard section titles like “Work Experience,” “Education” and “Skills”
- No columns, text boxes, headers or footers, designs.
2. Include Relevant Keywords
Use terms found in the job description:
- Specific skills, job titles, tools certifications
- Include both acronyms and full terms (for example CRM AND Customer Relationship Management)
One of the candidates - quite an experienced marketing manager - used a beautifully designed CV with graphics and two columns. She applied to over 50 jobs and heard back from none. When she switched to a plain text format and included keywords like “SEO,” “campaign analytics” and “Google Ads” from the job postings, she started getting interview calls.
3. Choose the Right File Type
- Read instructions and choose what is supported. In majority of the cases it will be docx and it will say specifically if pdf is ok.
4. Tailor Each CV
Customise your CV to match the language and priorities of each job posting.
It is often misunderstood that “all-for-everything CV” will go just fine. Wrong. In a modern world there is no such thing as applying for all the jobs with just one CV.
Additional Tips to Pass the ATS
- Avoid jargon unless it’s used in the job ad and you are personally comfortable with it
- Don’t try tricks like white text or keyword stuffing. It maybe worked a year or so ago, but technology is changing so rapidly that you might go straight to blacklist.
- Proofread carefully - misspelled words won’t be recognised
Quick ATS Resume Checklist
✅ Simple, clean format
✅ Standard section headings
✅ Keywords from the job description
✅ Correct file type (.docx or ATS-friendly .pdf)
✅ Customised for each role
✅ No hidden texts
Scared of ATS c*ck blocking you from getting the job of your dream? 👀 Terrified AI’s coming for your job? Don’t worry — it’s not here to steal your job (yet), it might just help you land a better one. [How AI Can Improve Your CV]