What is ATS and Why Your CVs Need to Be ATS-Compliant

Over 75% of large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen CVs before a human ever sees them. If your candidates' CVs aren't ATS-compliant, they may be rejected automatically—no matter how qualified the candidate is.

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An Applicant Tracking System is software that companies use to manage their recruitment process. It automatically:

• Collects and stores CVs from various sources
• Parses CV content to extract key information
• Ranks candidates based on keyword matches
• Filters out CVs that don't meet basic criteria
• Helps recruiters manage the hiring pipeline

Popular ATS software includes Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse, Lever, and iCIMS. Each parses CVs slightly differently, but they all rely on structured, clean formatting to extract information correctly.

How ATS Parses Your CV

When a CV is submitted, the ATS attempts to:

1. Extract contact information: Name, email, phone number
2. Identify sections: Experience, Education, Skills
3. Parse work history: Job titles, companies, dates, descriptions
4. Extract skills: Technical skills, certifications, languages
5. Match keywords: Compare against job requirements

If the CV format confuses the ATS parser, critical information may be missed or misinterpreted.

Common Formatting Issues That Break ATS

1. Complex Layouts and Tables

Multi-column layouts, tables, and text boxes confuse ATS parsers. The system may read content in the wrong order or skip sections entirely.

2. Graphics and Images

ATS cannot read text embedded in images. Logos, icons, headshots, and infographic-style CVs are problematic.

3. Unusual Fonts

Creative or uncommon fonts may not be recognized. Stick to standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.

4. Headers and Footers

Many ATS systems skip header and footer content. Important information placed there may be lost.

5. Non-Standard Section Headings

Creative headings like "My Journey" instead of "Experience" or "Toolbox" instead of "Skills" confuse ATS parsers.

How to Make CVs ATS-Compliant

Format Guidelines

• Use a single-column layout
• Avoid tables, text boxes, and graphics
• Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Garamond)
• Save as .docx or PDF (check which the company prefers)
• Use standard section headings
• Include keywords from the job description
• Use simple bullet points (•) not symbols
• Spell out acronyms at least once

Content Guidelines

• Include relevant keywords naturally throughout
• List skills that match the job requirements
• Use consistent date formats (e.g., Jan 2020 - Dec 2023)
• Include full company names and job titles
• Quantify achievements where possible

Testing ATS Compatibility

You can test if a CV is ATS-friendly by:

1. Copying all text from the CV and pasting into a plain text editor
2. Checking if the information appears in the correct order
3. Using online ATS simulation tools
4. Submitting to a job and checking the parsed preview (if available)

Why Recruitment Agencies Need ATS-Compliant CVs

When you submit CVs to clients, those CVs often go through the client's ATS. If your CVs aren't formatted correctly:

• Candidates get filtered out unfairly
• Client hiring managers never see qualified candidates
• Your placement rates suffer
• Clients may question the quality of your candidates

Conclusion

ATS compliance isn't optional—it's essential. With the majority of companies using automated screening, a beautifully designed CV that fails ATS parsing is worse than useless. It actively hurts your candidates' chances.

Ensure every CV you submit is clean, properly structured, and optimized for ATS. Your candidates—and your clients—will thank you.