How to Create an ATS-Friendly CV with Templates
ATS (Applicant Tracking System) CV screening is fast becoming a standard stage of the recruitment process, and if you don't have an ATS-friendly CV, you could be out of the running before your application is even read by the recruiter.
In this article, we provide a detailed step-by-step guide to preparing a CV in an ATS-ready format, with ATS CV templates and examples to help you pass this vital recruitment stage.
By reading this article, you'll learn:
- Why it's important to spend some time optimising your CV for ATS screening.
- The key steps to creating an ATS-friendly CV.
- What to include in an ATS CV to maximise your chances of passing this stage.
- ATS-optimised CV examples and templates you can use when creating your CV.
Why is an ATS CV important?
ATS recruitment software helps employers manage the hiring process more efficiently. Automated CV screening enables recruiters to rank CVs according to likely match to the job description, making the whole review process more efficient.
Research from Jobseeker indicates around three quarters (76.3%) of recruiters use ATS. This means it's essential to optimise your CV for this initial screening stage. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to create an ATS-friendly CV that boosts your chances of progressing.
5 steps to create an ATS-friendly CV
You might be wondering, what is an ATS-friendly CV? Well, creating an ATS-compliant CV requires you to focus on your CV's formatting, content, keyword alignmenstrt and overall clarity to make your CV as easy and accurate as possible for ATS scanning. Following these five steps will ensure your CV has the best chance of ranking highly at the ATS screening stage:
Step 1 – Choose the right file format
Firstly, you'll want to make sure you choose the most compatible file format for your ATS CV. If you submit your CV in a file format that's incompatible with ATS software, all the other steps will be undermined because the system won't be able to read your document accurately.
In most cases, Word and PDF formats are the safest bets for ensuring ATS compatibility. Here's a quick summary of the pros and cons of each format.
The pros and cons of Word
Microsoft Word is a common writing tool that also lets you build a CV from scratch and save as a .docx file. However, there are a few things to consider when creating an ATS-friendly CV with Word:
Pros
- Microsoft apps are widely used and compatible
- Default Word formatting is clean and easily scanned
- Built-in styles (including headings) are ATS-friendly
- Documents are easily updated and tailored
- Spell check and grammar tools are easy to use
Cons
- It can be easy to break formatting accidentally
- Templates can be bland and over-used
- Headers and footers can be incompatible or invisible to ATS apps
- Potential issues with version compatibility for older documents
- Can be a less secure format unless encrypted/protected
Pros and cons of PDF
PDF is widely considered the industry standard for sending applications because it ensures that formatting and layout remain consistent across devices. Have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of choosing PDF as your go-to format:
Pros
- Documents appear the same, with retained formatting, on any device
- Secure format that's difficult to edit or break
- Professional appearance, owing to the lack of issues with version compatibility
Cons
- PDF is less readable than Word, especially for highly visual CVs
- Some ATS platforms reject PDFs or convert them to Word or plain text
- Difficult to edit or tailor for different applications
- Exporting in the wrong PDF format can embed text as images, making them unreadable
In most cases, if you're applying via a jobs portal or jobs board website, Word is the most ATS-compatible file format for your CV. If you use a clean, professional template without too many visual elements, you'll likely encounter very few issues with scanning accuracy. However, if you're emailing your CV straight to a human recipient, you might find PDF produces the more professional-looking, easy-to-read document.
Step 2 – Optimise your section headings
ATS apps scan your CV for specific information that fits into clear, traditional CV section categories. Adopting a traditional CV layout with all the required sections, using widely-used section headings, is the safest and most ATS-compatible way to format your CV.
For example, if you try to be creative and rename your ‘Personal Statement’ to ‘About Me’, an ATS scanner is less likely to analyse the information in this section because it might not recognise the heading you’ve used.
As such, the safest approach is to stick to the standard CV headings such as 'Personal Statement'/'CV Summary', 'Work Experience', 'Skills' and 'Education'. Whatever CV layout and order you opt for, it's important that your CV contains at least these four basic sections, clearly labelled.
Step 3 – Add the right keywords
The best way to optimise your CV, and indeed your cover letter, for ATS is to include the right keywords. You can do this by reviewing the criteria listed in the job description and adding keywords from these sections throughout your application.
If you have a skill or qualification required for the position, it's important to list it using the same language as in the job description. For example, if you write that you’re ‘good with spreadsheets’, but the employer is looking for someone with ‘Excel skills’, the chances are the CV will rank lower with the ATS. Similarly, if you’re a project manager but you state that you’re a 'PM' in your CV, you'll perform worse in the screening stage.
However, beware of over-optimising your CV with keywords. Not only will your CV be awkward or unnatural to read, but recruiters may question whether you really have all the skills you say you have.
Take a look at the examples below for how to naturally integrate keywords into a CV summary and a work experience section bullet point.
CV summary examples
Strong example |
Results-driven Civil Engineer with 7 years' experience in structural design, infrastructure development, and project management across residential and commercial sectors. Proficient in AutoCAD and BIM software, with a track record delivering highway construction projects on time and within budget. A Chartered Engineer (CEng), specialising in geotechnical analysis, load calculations, and stakeholder coordination for large-scale public sector contracts. |
Weak example |
Dedicated and hardworking professional with many years' experience in the engineering field, looking for an exciting new opportunity to grow and contribute to a forward-thinking company. Worked on a variety of different projects and comfortable using computer programmes relevant to the industry. A strong communicator who works well in a team and is eager to take on new challenges. |
The strong example has a richer, more layered summary, implementing the right keywords throughout without over-optimising. On the other hand, the weak example is slightly vague, which not only impacts how it is scanned by an ATS system but can also impact the impression the employer has when reviewing the CV.
Work experience bullet point examples
Strong example |
|
Weak example |
|
Similar to the CV summary, the strong example for the work experience section utilises specific keywords to highlight why they're a strong profile to consider. Specifying the type of sales team they lead and what aspects of the business they contributed to improving (e.g. CRM optimisation) increases their chances of being picked up by the ATS scan.
Step 4 – Format for ATS readability
Elaborate CV layouts or designs may look creative, but risk not being scanned correctly by ATS. Keep to a simple, traditional CV layout and list your experience in reverse chronological order to make your CV easy to scan and to read.
Use bullet points
Use bullet points instead of paragraphs throughout your CV (except for your CV profile or summary section). They deliver information in a simple, straightforward format and they’re easier for ATS to parse.
Select clear fonts
It's important to make your CV stand out, but if you use a font that is challenging to read, there’s a good chance that the ATS will struggle to scan and parse your CV. Let your experience speak for itself and use a font that’s easy to read such as Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, Calibri, Times New Roman or Georgia.
Avoid too much visual content
Many ATS are unable to read images, graphics or tables. If you need to submit a profile photo, many recruitment agencies offer the option for you to upload it directly to their system rather than including it in your CV. ATS have a hard time reading information in tables; as a result, they’re likely to jumble the information together or not recognise important keywords.
Follow this summary of dos and don'ts to ensure your CV formatting is ATS-friendly:
Do
- Use a simple, traditional CV format (reverse-chronological or functional).
- Create a classic, single-column CV design for ease of processing by ATS.
- Write bullet points for concise, keyword-rich content that's easy to parse.
- Use consistent line spacing and hierarchy of headings and body text to make the order clear.
- Adopt classic, easy-to-read serif or sans serif fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Georgia).
- Choose a clean, text-based layout that's straightforward for an ATS to read accurately.
Don't
- Use overly complex or creative CV layouts with unconventional sections.
- Create a design with multiple columns, which ATS can have problems analysing.
- Write long sentences and paragraphs that ATS can be less efficient at scanning.
- Use different font sizes and inconsistent line spacing that could blur the sections of your CV.
- Adopt elaborate or handwriting-style fonts that can be harder for both ATS and humans to read.
- Choose a design that heavily incorporates images, text boxes or graphs, as ATS can struggle to parse text accurately from these elements.
Step 5 – Proofread and test your CV
Above all, don’t forget to proofread your CV. It can be easy to rely on spellcheck, but it won’t pick up everything, especially if the spelling of the word is correct, but you’ve misused it, for example, ‘their’ vs. ‘there’.
If an ATS detects spelling and grammar errors, it may consider your CV not good enough to go through to the next stage. If your CV passes the ATS filter, a human hiring manager will almost certainly view your application negatively if it contains spelling or grammatical errors.
These tests and checks can help ensure your CV is free of errors and written to a high professional standard:
- Carefully proofread your CV yourself.
- Use a writing tool to review your CV and suggest improvements.
- Use AI suggestions, such as those included in Jobseeker's CV builder, to enhance the suitability of your content and writing style for your target job title.
- Paste your CV and the job description into an AI assistant and ask it for feedback on how strong of a match they are.
- Send your CV to a friend, mentor or colleague and ask them to proofread it, and provide feedback.
One shortcut to creating an ATS-friendly CV is to use an online CV tool like Jobseeker to format sections of your CV properly. The benefit of using Jobseeker's online CV builder is that you don’t need to spend hours adjusting your layout or checking your document formatting. All you have to do is pick a template and fill in your information, and the CV builder will take care of the rest, leaving you with a CV that's perfectly optimised for ATS success.
What to include in an ATS-friendly CV
Successfully passing the ATS stage of the recruitment process requires a clear CV order and standard, traditional CV sections. This will help the ATS to scan and parse the information in your CV clearly, and analyse the contents more accurately against the job description. Here's a guide for what to include in an ATS-ready CV:
CV section | Why it matters | When to include |
Contact details | Helps ATS identify the candidate. | Always |
Personal summary | Highlights relevance for the role and contains critical keywords. | Strongly recommended |
Work experience | ATS prioritises this. Gives extensive opportunities for keyword integration. | Always |
Education | Supports qualifications, which ATS will scan for if specified in the job description. | Always |
Skills | Allows for greater keyword optimisation. | Always |
Certifications & licences | Important for professional and highly regulated fields where licences are a requirement. | When applicable |
Languages | Important for multinational companies or international roles. | When applicable |
What not to include in an ATS-friendly CV
Avoid including these elements in your CV, and you will boost your chances of successfully progressing to the next stage:
Element | Why avoid |
Photos | Cause parsing issues; ATS may skip them |
Graphics/icons | Unreadable by ATS |
Tables and columns | Causes jumbled parsing |
Non-standard fonts | Harder to parse accurately (e.g. Comic Sans or handwritten-style fonts) |
Overly complex formatting | Harder for ATS navigate in order |
Non-traditional CV sections/content | Likely to add nothing to overall ATS ranking |
ATS-friendly CV templates and examples
Starting your CV with a template can help you ensure your CV includes all the right elements, presented in a way that is optimised for ATS apps and easy-to-read for hiring managers. Take a look at the ATS-friendly CV template below for inspiration:
This simple, single-column CV template uses a clear, well-ordered format and a readable sans serif font, with minimal, unintrusive design features and a traditional CV order and sections. All these things make this an excellent choice for an ATS-friendly CV template.
ATS-friendly CV examples
Jobseeker offers ATS-ready CV examples that are ideal for different types of jobs and industry sectors. Visit Jobseeker's CV examples page to pick the right CV layout for your next application. Here are some examples to chose from:
Jobseeker's 'Professional' CV template combines a main column for the critical CV sections, including your CV profile, work experience and education, with a sidebar for your additional information and skills summary. This CV example is ideal for professional applications requiring a smart, well-organised CV, such as for corporate positions or roles in finance, HR and administration.
The 'Modern' CV template adds a splash of customisable colour in a left-aligned sidebar, with the main CV content listed to the right. Using a clear sans serif font and strong colour-contrast for the text on the coloured backgrounds, this CV template maximises readability and is perfect for roles in marketing, tech and creative positions requiring a clean layout.
For academic or scientific job applications, Jobseeker's 'Classic' CV template is a strong choice. This CV layout combines a clear, unintrusive, single-column design with well-structured boxes for each of the main CV content sections, making it especially easy to parse and read accurately. This layout is an ideal choice for research, teaching and science roles.
Key takeaways for a perfect ATS-friendly CV
Spending some time and effort making your CV ATS-friendly can make all the difference with your job applications. If you've been struggling to get to the interview stage with your applications, your CV could be falling at the ATS screening stage. Optimising your CV for ATS screening will give it the best chance of actually being read by a recruiter or hiring manager.
Follow this basic, core guidance to ensure your CV is ready for the ATS stage: choose a compatible file format for your CV, such as MS Word or PDF, and use a simple, single-column CV design focused on text rather than complex design elements like text boxes, graphs and images. Include clear, traditional CV headings that provide a strong structure to the document, and add keywords that reflect the job description and show how strong a match you are for the role. Finally, review your application by proofreading it, and using AI tools to improve your writing style and ensure the CV matches the job description.
Using Jobseeker's resources makes the process of producing a high-performing ATS CV much quicker and easier. Access CV and cover letter templates, examples and AI tools to boost your chances of passing the ATS stage. Sign up today and produce an ATS-optimised CV in minutes.
Write an ATS-friendly cover letter
There's a strong chance your cover letter will also be scanned and analysed by ATS, to assess your suitability for the role. Ensure your application is fully ATS-optimised by following the structure and content of our professional cover letter examples.
ATS-friendly CV FAQs
How do I know if my CV will pass ATS?
There are several things you can do to give your CV the best chance of passing the ATS stage. Clear, traditional, consistent document formatting, simple design choices and layout, and content that's rich in keywords and provides a good match to the job description, are all valuable steps to ensuring an ATS pass. You can also use online ATS checking tools or AI assistants to assess your CV's match to the job description, which will tell you how strong your CV's chances of passing the ATS stage are.
Is it okay to use coloured fonts on my CV?
Monochrome colour palettes tend to make for a more readable CV, but that doesn't mean you're not allowed to use coloured fonts and text in an ATS-friendly CV. The key to use of colour is ensuring the contrast between background and foreground is as strong as possible. If you're using a light (or white) background, select a dark font colour and vice versa. Otherwise, to avoid risk, stick to black or very dark fonts on a white background, and add colour via other design elements in your CV.
What file format is best for ATS CVs?
Word documents tend to provide the most compatible formatting for ATS screening. This file format is widely accepted and presents clear, readable fonts with built-in styles that make your CV more accessible for humans and more compatible with ATS software. PDFs are also a strong choice for ATS compatibility, but they do come with some risks regarding ATS ability to read PDF content accurately.
Can ATS read columns or tables?
Modern ATS software is getting better at reading non-traditional document layouts, but the best thing for an ATS-customised CV is to avoid that risk altogether. Tables and columns can cause ATS apps to misread or skip content, or become confused over the order and hierarchy of text in a document. As such, a simple, text-focused CV design and layout is usually the most effective for ATS screening.
Why is ATS rejecting my CV?
There are two key reasons your CV might be failing at the ATS stage: its formatting and its content. If your CV's formatting isn't clear and well-structured, following a traditional CV layout and headings, it might be difficult for the system to scan and parse the text accurately. Likewise, if your CV lacks strong keyword integration and doesn't reflect a high-level of relevance to the job description, it could rank poorly with ATS.
Can an ATS-friendly CV be two pages?
The best approach to a high-performing ATS CV is to produce a concise document, using bullet points to deliver keyword-rich content that's as focused and relevant to the job description as possible. This means a single-page CV layout is likely to produce the best results when it comes to ATS ranking. However, if you're a particularly experienced or senior candidate, or you're applying to work in a country where longer CVs are the norm, you might wish to write a CV of two pages or longer.
Impress employers with your CV
Step-by-step guidance to create a professional CV in minutes.
