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How to Make an ATS-Friendly CV

By WiseCV Team · Updated 30 October 2026 · 4 min read

An ATS-friendly CV uses a simple layout, standard section headings, a common font and keywords from the job advert, so applicant tracking software can read it correctly. Save it as a text-based PDF (or Word file if the employer asks), and avoid putting important information in images, text boxes or headers.

What is an ATS?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software employers use to collect and organise job applications. When you upload your CV, the ATS reads the text and sorts it into fields such as name, job titles, dates, education and skills. Recruiters then search and filter candidates — often by keywords like “Excel”, “project management” or “nursing”.

An ATS does not usually reject people on its own. The real risk is simpler: if the software cannot read your CV properly, your experience may appear jumbled or missing when a recruiter looks at it, and you may not show up in their keyword searches.

ATS-friendly formatting rules

How to use keywords the right way

1. Collect keywords from the advert. Note the job title, required skills, tools, qualifications and repeated phrases.
2. Match the exact wording where it is true. If the advert says “stakeholder management”, use that phrase rather than “working with stakeholders”.
3. Put keywords in context. Use them in your summary, skills section and experience bullet points — not just in a list.
4. Include both the full term and the abbreviation once, e.g. “Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)”.
5. Never stuff keywords or hide white text. Recruiters read the CV too, and it looks dishonest.

Common ATS myths

“75% of CVs are rejected by robots”

This widely shared statistic has no reliable source. In most companies, people review applications; the ATS stores, organises and searches them. What matters is that your CV is readable and relevant.

“You need a plain, ugly CV to pass an ATS”

No. You can use colour, a clear heading style and a tidy two-column layout. What causes problems is text the software cannot extract — images, text boxes, unusual symbols — not good design.

“Copying the whole job advert into your CV helps”

It does not. Recruiters see it immediately, and many systems flag it. Use the advert’s key terms honestly, in your own sentences.

How to write each section for an ATS

• Job titles: use your real title, and if it is unusual, add the common equivalent — e.g. “Customer Happiness Hero (Customer Service Advisor)”.
• Dates: include month and year for each role, in the same format throughout.
• Skills: write each skill as a word or short phrase, separated by commas or line breaks.
• Education: name the qualification in full, then the institution and year.
• Certifications: give the official name, e.g. “Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals”.

ATS-friendly CV checklist

• Standard section headings
• One clear, common font at 10–12pt
• No text inside images, icons or skill bars
• Contact details in the main body of the page
• Job titles, employers and dates on every role
• Keywords from the advert used naturally
• Saved as a text-based PDF (you can select the text) or .docx if requested
• File named clearly, e.g. Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf

Quick test: open your PDF, select all the text and paste it into a plain text editor. If it comes out in a sensible order with nothing missing, an ATS will most likely read it well too.

Are WiseCV templates ATS-friendly?

Yes. All WiseCV templates — Minimal, Corporate and Modern — use real, selectable text, standard headings and clean layouts designed for clean parsing, and download as text-based PDFs.

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