Is Your CV Passing ATS Screening?
If you're applying to jobs and hearing nothing back, your CV might not be reaching a human at all. Most large companies filter applications automatically before a recruiter ever sees them. Here's how it works and what to do about it.
What is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that scans your CV for keywords, qualifications, and formatting compatibility before passing it to a recruiter. Most large companies use one. If your CV doesn't match what the system is looking for, it gets filtered out automatically — regardless of how qualified you are.
The Most Common ATS Killers
Tables and columns
ATS reads left-to-right, top-to-bottom. A two-column layout gets merged into a single jumbled stream of text. Always use a single column.
Missing keywords
If the job description says "React development" and your CV says "built web apps," the system may not connect them. Mirror the language in the job posting — naturally, not robotically.
Headers, footers, and text boxes
Many ATS systems skip content inside headers, footers, and text boxes entirely. Never put your contact details in a header.
Non-standard section headings
The system looks for "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills." Calling your experience section something creative usually means it doesn't get recognised.
How to Pass ATS Screening
- Single column layout, standard section headings
- Mirror keywords from the job description throughout your CV
- Spell out abbreviations once — "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" — then use the acronym
- Save as PDF or .docx — check the job posting if unsure
- Use a standard font at 10-12pt (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
Frequently Asked Questions
Most large companies do. Smaller companies and startups often don't — applications tend to go straight to a human. The bigger the company, the more likely they're filtering automatically.
Simple single-column layout, PDF or .docx, no tables or graphics, standard section headings. See our full guide on how to write a CV for more detail.
Yes — paste your CV or upload a PDF at cvscore.ai and you'll get an ATS compatibility score in about 15 seconds.
Check your ATS score — free
Upload your CV or paste the text and get an instant ATS compatibility score plus the specific issues to fix.
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