How to Write a CV That Passes Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS Guide 2026)

What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that employers use to collect, sort, and rank job applications before a recruiter ever sees them. Companies like Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever power these systems, and over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use one.

When you submit your CV online, the ATS parses it into structured data — your name, job titles, skills, dates, education — and scores it against the job description. CVs that score below the threshold get filtered out automatically. That means a qualified candidate with poor formatting or missing keywords can be rejected before a human reads a single line.

Learning how to write a CV that passes applicant tracking systems is the first step to getting your application in front of the right people. This guide covers exactly how to do it: the formatting rules ATS software expects, how to find and place the right keywords, and the mistakes that get CVs rejected silently.

How ATS software reads your CV

Before optimising your CV, it helps to understand what the software actually does.

An ATS performs three core functions:

Parsing — extracts text from your file and maps it to fields (name, experience, education, skills)
Matching — compares your CV content against the job description's requirements
Ranking — assigns a relevance score and places you in the recruiter's queue

Most systems struggle with non-standard formatting. If the parser cannot extract your information correctly, your relevance score drops — regardless of your actual qualifications.

Key takeaway: An ATS does not read your CV the way a person does. It follows rigid rules, so your CV must follow them too.

How to write a CV that is ATS friendly

1. Use a clean, single-column layout

ATS parsers read top to bottom, left to right. Multi-column designs, text boxes, and sidebar layouts confuse parsing and cause content to appear jumbled or missing entirely.

Follow these formatting rules:

Single-column layout throughout the entire document
Standard fonts — Arial, Calibri, Garamond, or Helvetica at 10–12pt
Margins between 2cm and 2.5cm on all sides
No tables, text boxes, or graphics — ATS often skips content inside these
No headers or footers for critical information — some systems ignore them entirely
Save as .docx unless the listing specifically accepts PDF (most ATS parse Word files more reliably)

Before: A two-column CV with a sidebar listing skills in a text box, a photo, and icons for contact details.

After: A single-column CV with plain-text contact details at the top, standard section headings, and skills listed as comma-separated text.

2. Use standard section headings

ATS software maps your content to predefined categories. Non-standard or creative headings cause sections to be misclassified or ignored.

Use these exact headings:

Personal Statement or Professional Summary
Work Experience or Employment History
Education
Skills
Certifications (if applicable)

Avoid headings like "My Journey," "What I Bring," "Career Snapshot," or "Toolbox." These may look distinctive to a human reader, but an ATS will not recognise them.

3. Mirror keywords from the job description

This is the single most impactful step for passing ATS filters. The software matches your CV against the job description, so using the same language directly increases your relevance score.

How to extract and use keywords:

Read the job description twice and highlight repeated terms
Group keywords into categories: hard skills, soft skills, tools, certifications, and industry terms
Use exact phrasing — if the listing says "project management," write "project management," not "managing projects"
Place keywords naturally in your summary, work experience bullets, and skills section
Include both acronyms and full terms — write "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" on first use, then "SEO" thereafter

Example: A data analyst role lists "SQL, Python, Tableau, data visualisation, stakeholder reporting."

Weak CV line: "Performed analysis and created reports for leadership"
Strong CV line: "Built Tableau dashboards for stakeholder reporting, using SQL and Python to analyse datasets of 500K+ records"

The strong version includes four keywords from the job description and adds a measurable detail — without stuffing or forcing language.

4. Write results-driven bullet points

ATS matching gets your CV seen. Strong bullet points get you shortlisted. Every bullet in your work experience should follow this structure:

Action verb + task + measurable result

Weak: "Responsible for managing client accounts"
Strong: "Managed a portfolio of 35 client accounts worth £2.1M, achieving 94% retention over 12 months"

More examples:

Weak: "Helped improve the onboarding process"
Strong: "Redesigned employee onboarding programme, reducing time-to-productivity from 6 weeks to 3 weeks"

Weak: "Worked on social media"
Strong: "Grew Instagram following from 4,200 to 22,000 in 10 months, generating 180 qualified leads per quarter"

Aim for 3–5 bullet points per role, focusing on your most recent two or three positions. Older roles can be summarised in one or two lines.

5. Add a dedicated skills section

A standalone skills section gives the ATS a clear block of keywords to parse. List 8–12 relevant skills matched to the job description, separated by commas or displayed as a simple list.

Example skills section for a marketing manager role:

Content Strategy, SEO, Google Analytics 4, Paid Media (Google Ads, Meta Ads), Email Marketing, HubSpot, A/B Testing, Stakeholder Management, Budget Management, Copywriting

Important: Only include skills you can discuss confidently in an interview. Never add keywords you cannot back up with experience.

Common mistakes that get CVs rejected by ATS

Even strong candidates get filtered out by avoidable errors. Here are the most common reasons an ATS rejects a CV:

Using images or icons for contact details, skill ratings, or section dividers — ATS cannot read image-based content
Submitting a creative or infographic-style CV — visually impressive but unparseable
Spelling keywords incorrectly — "Exel" instead of "Excel" means zero match on that skill
Using job titles that don't match the listing — if they say "Customer Success Manager," don't write "Client Happiness Lead"
Embedding content in headers, footers, or text boxes — many ATS skip these areas entirely
Overusing abbreviations without full terms — write "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)" before using "CRM" alone
Submitting a file the ATS cannot parse — some older systems reject PDFs; .docx is the safest format

How to get past ATS scanners: a quick checklist

Use this checklist before every application:

File format: .docx unless PDF is specifically requested
Layout: Single column, no tables or text boxes
Headings: Standard names (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
Keywords: Extracted from the job description, placed in summary, experience, and skills
Spelling: Every keyword and company name checked
Contact details: Plain text at the top of page one, not in a header
Font: Standard, readable, 10–12pt
Bullet points: Toolbar-generated, not symbols or dashes
File name: "FirstName-LastName-CV.docx" — clean and professional

Is a 70% ATS score good?

Some ATS platforms and third-party tools display a match score. A 70% score is generally considered a minimum threshold — your CV will likely be seen by a recruiter, but it will not rank highly against stronger matches.

Aim for 80% or above. To get there:

Ensure you match all required skills listed in the job description
Include preferred or bonus skills where you genuinely qualify
Use exact phrasing rather than synonyms
Cover the role's core responsibilities in your bullet points

A higher score does not guarantee an interview, but it significantly increases your chances of making the shortlist. Focus on quality matches, not gaming the number.

How to make your CV stand out after passing ATS

Getting past the ATS is only half the challenge. Once a recruiter opens your CV, you have roughly 7 seconds to make an impression. Here is how to write a CV that gets noticed by both software and humans:

Lead with a strong personal statement — two to three sentences covering your title, years of experience, one standout achievement, and what you are looking for
Front-load each bullet point — put the most impressive result or keyword at the start of the line
Quantify wherever possible — percentages, revenue, team size, and timeframes all stand out on a quick scan
Keep it to two pages maximum — recruiters and ATS both handle shorter documents better
Use consistent formatting — same date format, same bullet style, same tense throughout

Example personal statement:

"Digital marketing manager with 6 years of experience in B2B SaaS. Increased organic pipeline by £1.2M annually through SEO and content strategy. Seeking a senior role in a growth-stage company."

This gives the recruiter your title, sector, a measurable result, and your intent — all in three lines.

Using AI tools to optimise your CV for ATS

AI writing tools can help with keyword analysis, bullet point rewording, and identifying gaps between your CV and a job description. They are useful as a starting point, not a finished product.

What AI does well:

Identifying missing keywords from a job description
Suggesting stronger action verbs
Restructuring weak bullet points

What AI gets wrong:

Fabricating metrics — never use AI-generated numbers you cannot verify
Generic phrasing — AI defaults to broad, overused language that blends in rather than stands out
Tone mismatches — output may not match your industry's conventions

Rule of thumb: Use AI to draft and refine, but always review, edit, and personalise before submitting. Your CV should sound like you, not a template.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a CV for an applicant tracking system?

Use a single-column layout, standard section headings, and .docx format. Extract keywords from the job description and place them naturally in your summary, experience, and skills sections. Avoid tables, images, and creative formatting.

How do you pass your CV through ATS?

Match your CV's language to the job description. Use exact keywords, standard headings, and a clean layout. Save as .docx, proofread for spelling errors, and ensure all content is in the main body — not in headers, footers, or text boxes.

Why is ATS rejecting my CV?

The most common reasons are non-standard formatting (tables, columns, text boxes), missing keywords, incorrect file format, and spelling errors in key terms. Creative designs and infographic CVs are particularly prone to rejection.

How to make a 100% ATS friendly resume?

No tool guarantees a perfect score, but you can maximise compatibility: use a single-column .docx file, mirror the job description's exact phrasing, include a dedicated skills section, use standard headings, and avoid all images and graphics. Test your CV with a free ATS checker before submitting.

What are the 3 C's of a resume?

Clear — easy to scan with a logical structure
Concise — every word serves a purpose, no filler
Consistent — uniform formatting, tense, date style, and bullet structure throughout

What is the ATS tracking system for CV?

An applicant tracking system is recruitment software that automatically collects, parses, and ranks CVs submitted for a job. It filters applications by keyword relevance and formatting before a recruiter reviews them. Popular systems include Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, and iCIMS.