How can I tell if my CV is "ATS-friendly?"
2 min read. Updated on June 28, 2019
Do you know what to write in a CV to ensure it's
How can I be certain that I have an "ATS-friendly" CV?
Before you test how "ATS-friendly" your CV is, be certain you are following these CV writing best practices:
Don't place important information such as your name, email address, and phone number in the header or footer of your CV document
Avoid using custom fonts, embedded images, and unusual CV designs. They may be pleasing to the human eye, but they can create some serious issues for your CV when it passes through an employer's applicant tracking software.
Optimise with keywords for your CV - particularly in the "Key skills" and "Work history" sections
How to determine if your CV will past the "ATS-friendly" test
There are two simple ways to learn if your CV will be properly interpreted by an applicant tracking system.
Save your CV in plain text
Applicant tracking systems favour CVs with uncomplicated designs and a clear hierarchy of information. They often have trouble reading information contained within fancy design elements and images. When your CV passes through the ATS, these details will become garbled or will be entirely left out of your application entry in the system.
To determine what information may become misplaced or eliminated after passing through this electronic net, copy and paste the information from your CV into a plain text file and then review the results. If the plain text version of your CV is missing details from your original document, if some of its characters have saved incorrectly or if its information looks disorganised (e.g. the heading for your "Education" section appears in the middle of your "Career history" section), then you can be certain your CV did not pass the "ATS-readability" test.
Request a free ATS scan
Professional CV writing service TopCV offers a free ATS scan as part of its free CV review. In the first part of the review, you'll receive an objective look at your CV's strengths and areas for improvement from both content and design perspectives.
In the second part of the review, TopCV shows you exactly what information an ATS will pull from your CV, what information it will be unable to identify and retrieve (such as your name, contact information, most recent job title, and most recent employer) and what top skills and keywords your CV currently ranks for. If the ATS is unable to recognise any of this important information or believes you're a fit for a job that you're not, then your CV did not pass the ATS-readability test.
Amanda Augustine is a certified professional career coach (CPCC) and CV writer (CPRW) and the resident career expert for Talent Inc.'s suite of brands:
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Amanda Augustine is the resident career expert for Talent Inc.'s suite of brands: TopResume, TopInterview, and TopCV. With more than 15 years of experience in the recruiting and career services industry, she is a certified professional career coach (CPCC) and resume writer (CPRW), helping professionals improve their careers and find the right job sooner. Follow Amanda on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for her latest advice.
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