Many companies, especially large employers and job sites that receive lots of applications, process CVs with software called an ATS (applicant tracking system) before a person reads them. These systems read and parse the information in your CV and help recruiters list applications against the criteria they're looking for. Even if your CV looks great to a human, if the system can't read it properly, your details may appear incomplete or jumbled.
Short answer: An ATS-friendly CV has a simple, single-column layout, standard section headings such as "Work Experience" and "Education", and the keywords from the job ad. Don't put important information in tables, text boxes, icons or images, and write your contact details in the body rather than the page header. Use a consistent date format, and send a PDF with selectable text, or a Word file if the ad asks for one.
How does an ATS work?
An ATS does three main things:
- Parsing: It reads the text of your CV and tries to place your name, contact details, experience, education and skills into separate fields.
- Searching and filtering: Recruiters can search and sort applications by specific skills, job titles or keywords.
- Tracking: It records which stage each application is at, such as under review, interview or offer.
A person usually still makes the decision, but if your CV is misread at the parsing stage, or the keywords a recruiter searches for can't be found, it may never reach them or may look incomplete.
What makes a CV ATS-friendly
- A simple, single-column layout: Information should flow from top to bottom. With two-column designs, some systems may read the text in the wrong order.
- Standard section headings: Use familiar headings like "Work Experience", "Education" and "Skills" instead of creative ones like "My Journey".
- Information as text: Don't put important details inside images, icons or graphics; an ATS may not be able to read them.
- Contact details in the body: Some systems skip page headers and footers, so put your phone number and email in the main text.
- A consistent date format: Pick one format, such as "Sep 2023 – Jun 2025" or "09/2023 – 06/2025", and use it everywhere.
- Common fonts: Readable, standard fonts reduce parsing problems.
Use keywords the right way
Recruiters usually search an ATS for the skills and job titles in the ad. So read the ad carefully and:
- Highlight the key terms: For example "SQL", "Power BI", "customer relationship management", "project planning".
- Use the same wording for skills you genuinely have: If the ad says "Power BI", write "Power BI"; "reporting tools" alone may not be enough.
- Spell out abbreviations too: For example "search engine optimisation (SEO)".
- Use keywords in context: Having them in your experience bullet points as well as your skills section shows you've actually used them.
PDF or Word?
Most modern ATS systems read PDFs with selectable text without any trouble. What matters is that the PDF contains text rather than an image: photographing a CV and converting it to PDF, or sending a scanned document, stops it from being parsed. If the ad or application system specifically asks for a Word file (.docx), use that format.
A simple test: Open your PDF, copy all the text and paste it into a blank text file. If the text comes through readable and in the right order, an ATS will very likely read it correctly too.
The most common ATS mistakes
- Putting information in tables or text boxes: Some systems skip these areas.
- Showing skill levels only as graphics: Stars or bars can't be read; write the level as text.
- Creative section headings: The system may not recognise the section.
- Writing job titles and company names inconsistently: Use the same order for every role.
- Sending the same CV to every ad: The keywords won't match.
Don't forget the human reader
ATS compatibility matters, but a person will eventually read your CV. Rather than repeating keywords mechanically, use them in bullet points that describe concrete achievements. A good CV should be organised enough for software to read and strong enough to impress a person. For effective content, see How to write an effective CV.
When can you use a designed CV?
In creative fields such as graphic design, or when you're emailing your CV directly to a person, a two-column, designed CV can work in your favour. When applying through large companies' careers pages or job sites, a simple single-column CV is the safer choice. Preparing two versions and choosing based on how you're applying is also a good approach.
The easy way
BUDDA CV includes a simple, single-column ATS-friendly template built for this purpose. It uses universal English section headings in every language so applicant tracking systems can recognise each section easily. Once you've entered your details, you can use "Change Template" to switch the same CV to one of the designed templates and download whichever suits the application as a PDF.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
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With BUDDA CV's ATS-friendly template, you can create a CV that passes both the software and the employer. Fast and easy; creating your CV and downloading it as a PDF are free.
