In short
An applicant tracking system normally converts your CV into structured text before a recruiter reviews it. Decorative layouts can look impressive while making important facts harder to extract.
Choose a structure machines can read
Use familiar headings such as Profile, Education, Experience, Projects and Skills. Avoid placing contact information only inside headers, footers, text boxes or images.
A simple PDF generated from a text document is usually safer than a scanned page. Check the result by selecting and copying the text into a plain editor.
Match the advert honestly
Reuse the employer’s terminology when it accurately describes your background. If the advert says Microsoft Excel and you used Excel in a project, name it directly instead of writing only “computer literacy”.
Do not paste invisible keyword lists or claim skills you cannot demonstrate. Recruiters still evaluate the document after it is parsed.
Run a simple parsing test before you apply
Save the CV as a PDF, select all text and paste it into a plain-text editor. Your name, headings, dates and bullet points should appear in a sensible order. If a qualification disappears or columns become mixed, the document may also be difficult for recruitment software to interpret.
Next, compare the parsed text with the advert. Exact, truthful terms matter: write “Microsoft Excel” when that is the tool you used, and include the full qualification name. This is relevance, not keyword stuffing.
Check whether the document can be parsed
An ATS-friendly CV should still read naturally to a person. These tests expose formatting that may hide evidence before a recruiter sees it.
Copy the complete PDF into a plain-text editor and check whether headings, dates and employers remain in the correct order.
Confirm that your phone number and email are in the document body rather than only in a header, footer or image.
Search the PDF for the exact qualification and essential tools named in the advert, using them only where they are truthful.
Remove columns, rating bars, logos and decorative icons when they interrupt reading order or replace written information.
Your practical action plan
- 1
Start from a one-column document with standard headings and live text rather than a scanned image.
- 2
Identify the employer’s role title, qualification, tools and core activities, then use matching terms only where accurate.
- 3
Remove icons that carry meaning, skill bars, text boxes and important information placed only in a header or footer.
- 4
Repeat the copy-and-paste test after every export and open the file to confirm that links and characters still work.
Mistakes to avoid
Designing for a poster
Multiple columns and decorative timelines can disturb reading order when a system converts the page to text.
Hiding keyword lists
White text and repeated terms do not create real relevance and can damage trust when a recruiter opens the file.
Ignoring the application form
The portal fields and CV should agree on dates, qualification names and contact details.
Application checklist
- Use a single column.
- Avoid skill-rating graphics.
- Spell out abbreviations once.
- Include qualification names exactly.
- Test that all PDF text can be copied.
Questions people ask
Does ATS-friendly mean a plain, ugly CV?
No. Use spacing, hierarchy and one restrained accent colour. The important rule is that structure must remain clear without depending on graphics or unusual positioning.
Is Word or PDF safer?
Use the format requested by the employer. When no format is stated, a text-based PDF usually preserves layout, but always test that its text can be selected and copied.
How many advert keywords should I use?
There is no useful target number. Include the exact terms that describe evidence you genuinely have, especially qualifications, systems, methods and responsibilities.
Will an ATS reject me automatically?
Different employers configure their systems differently. A readable document cannot guarantee selection; it prevents formatting from hiding the evidence a recruiter or configured screen needs.
Can an ATS reject a CV only because of its design?
Parsing problems can make important facts difficult to find, but employers configure and use systems differently. A simple, selectable-text document reduces avoidable risk; it does not guarantee progression or replace the need to meet the vacancy criteria.
Official sources
Rules, fees and processes can change. Use these primary sources for the current position:
