How to Write an ATS-Friendly CV That Still Reads Well

You have spent hours perfecting your CV, sent it off for a role you would be brilliant at, and heard nothing back. It is one of the most demoralising parts of the modern job hunt — and often it is not your experience that let you down. It is the software. Before a recruiter ever lays eyes on your application, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) may have already sorted, scored or sidelined it. Building an ATS-friendly CV is how you make sure your application reaches a human in the first place.

The good news is that making your CV ATS-friendly is not about gaming the system or stuffing it with buzzwords. It is about clear formatting, sensible headings and the right keywords — changes that make your CV easier for both software and people to read. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it, with practical steps tailored to the UK and Irish job market.

What is an ATS, and why do CVs get filtered out?

An Applicant Tracking System is software that employers use to collect, organise and screen job applications. When you upload your CV through an online portal, the ATS parses it — pulling your details into a structured database that recruiters can search, sort and filter.

These systems are everywhere. Around 70% of large UK enterprise employers use an ATS, alongside roughly 20% of small and medium-sized businesses. Common platforms you will run into include Workday, Taleo and Greenhouse. If you are applying to any sizeable company, there is a strong chance your CV passes through one before a person sees it.

The problem is that CVs get filtered out at this stage more often than you might think. It is commonly cited that only around 15% of CVs pass the initial ATS screening. That is not always because the candidate is unqualified — frequently it is because the software could not read the CV properly, or could not find the keywords it was told to look for. Decorative formatting, missing headings and language that does not match the job advert all quietly work against you.

Why an ATS-friendly CV matters in the UK and Ireland

If you are job hunting across the UK and Ireland, an ATS-friendly CV is no longer optional — it is the baseline. Larger employers, recruitment agencies and graduate schemes almost all run applications through tracking software, and even smaller firms increasingly use it to manage volume.

Getting this right matters for two reasons. First, it gets you past the initial filter so a recruiter actually reads your CV. Second, a clean, well-structured CV tends to read better to humans too, so you are not sacrificing impact for compatibility. When you learn to beat applicant tracking systems the sensible way, you end up with a CV that works for both audiences at once.

This is not about tricking the software. It is about removing the obstacles that stop it understanding who you are.

How to make your CV ATS-friendly: formatting first

Most CVs fail the scan because of how they look, not what they say. If you only change one thing, make it the formatting. Here is how to make a CV ATS-friendly from the ground up.

• Use a single-column layout. Multi-column designs often get scrambled, because the software reads left to right and can jumble the order of your content. One clean column is the safest choice.
• Stick to standard headings. Label your sections plainly: Work Experience, Education, Skills. Creative headings like "Where I've Made an Impact" may confuse the parser, which is scanning for recognised section names.
• Avoid tables, columns and text boxes. Information tucked inside a table cell or text box can be skipped entirely or read out of sequence.
• Cut the graphics. Logos, icons, photos, progress bars and charts carry no readable text. Skills shown as little rating dots are invisible to an ATS — write them out instead.
• Keep details out of headers and footers. Many systems ignore the header and footer area, so never put your phone number, email or name only up there. Place contact details in the main body of the document.
• Use a common font. Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman and similar standard fonts render reliably. Unusual decorative fonts can come through as gibberish.

A simple, single-column CV may feel less impressive than a beautifully designed one, but it is far more likely to survive the scan. Clarity beats decoration every time.

Get your ATS resume keywords right

Once your formatting is sound, keywords are what move you up the pile. An ATS often scores CVs on how closely they match the job description, so the words you choose genuinely matter.

The single most effective habit is to mirror the exact wording from the job advert. If the listing asks for "project management", write project management — not "managing projects" or "ran projects". The software is frequently looking for specific phrases, and a near-match is not always counted as a match. Pulling CV keywords from the job description, and using them in your own words where they honestly apply, is the core of good ATS resume keywords.

Here is a quick, practical approach:

• Read the job description and highlight the skills, tools and qualifications that come up repeatedly.
• Note the exact phrasing — including whether they say "customer service", "client relations" or "stakeholder management".
• Weave those terms naturally into your Skills section and, more powerfully, into your work experience bullet points where you have genuinely done them.
• Spell out acronyms at least once, for example "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)", so you match whichever version the ATS is searching for.

A word of caution: never paste in keywords you cannot back up, and never hide white text or keyword lists on the page. Modern systems flag this, and recruiters spot it instantly. The goal is honest alignment, not deception.

File types, headings and dates that pass the scan

Small technical choices can make a surprising difference to whether your CV parses cleanly.

• File type: A .docx Word document is the safest format for the widest range of systems. A text-based PDF (one where you can highlight the text) is usually acceptable too, but avoid PDFs exported as images, and avoid less common formats like .pages or .odt. If the application portal specifies a format, follow it exactly.
• Headings: Keep them conventional and consistent, as covered above. Consistency throughout the document helps the parser map your sections correctly.
• Dates: Use a single, consistent date format throughout, such as 01/2025 or "January 2025". Mixing styles — "Jan 2025" in one role and "2025-01" in another — can confuse the system when it tries to build your career timeline. Always include both start and end dates for each role.
• File name: Name the file clearly, for example Firstname-Surname-CV.docx, so it is easy for a recruiter to find later.

These are tiny details, but together they remove friction and help the software present your experience accurately.

Don't forget the human reader

It is easy to get so focused on the software that you forget a person reads your CV next. An ATS-friendly CV should never be a robotic keyword dump. Once it clears the scan, a recruiter typically gives it a quick skim — so it still needs to be persuasive.

Keep your bullet points results-focused, lead with strong action verbs, and quantify your achievements where you can ("cut reporting time by 30%" beats "responsible for reporting"). Tailor the top third of your CV to the role, since that is what gets read first. The same plain, single-column structure that pleases the ATS also makes your CV easy for a busy human to scan in seconds.

If you want your application to feel complete, pair your CV with a sharp, tailored cover letter — our guide to writing an AI-assisted cover letter shows you how to do it quickly without sounding generic.

Use an ATS CV checker before you apply

You do not have to guess whether your CV will pass. An ATS CV checker simulates how tracking software reads your document and flags issues — unreadable sections, missing keywords or risky formatting — before you hit submit.

You can also save yourself the formatting headache from the start. ApplicantGrid offers 180+ free ATS-friendly CV templates built around single-column layouts and standard headings, so you are working from a foundation that already passes the scan. From there you simply tailor the keywords to each role.

And because applying for jobs quickly turns into a juggling act, it helps to stay organised. Keeping a record of every role, deadline and follow-up makes the whole process calmer — our free job application tracker is built exactly for that, so nothing slips through the cracks.

Get the format right, mirror the keywords, check before you send, and you give your CV the best possible chance of reaching a real person.

Frequently asked questions

What does ATS-friendly actually mean?

An ATS-friendly CV is one that Applicant Tracking System software can read, parse and score accurately. In practice that means a single-column layout, standard section headings, no tables or graphics, a common font and keywords that match the job description. It makes sure your experience is captured correctly rather than scrambled or skipped.

Should I use a PDF or Word document for an ATS?

A .docx Word document is the safest choice across the widest range of systems. A text-based PDF — one where you can select and highlight the text — is usually fine too, but avoid image-based PDFs and unusual formats. If the application portal asks for a specific file type, always follow that instruction.

How many keywords should I put in my CV?

There is no magic number. Focus on the skills, tools and phrases that appear most often in the job description, and only include the ones you can genuinely back up. Mirror the advert's exact wording, weave the terms into your experience naturally, and never resort to hidden text or keyword stuffing — recruiters and modern systems both catch it.

Do small companies in the UK and Ireland use an ATS?

Many do. While around 70% of large UK enterprise employers use an ATS, roughly 20% of small and medium-sized businesses do too, and the figure is rising. If you are unsure, it is safest to assume your CV will be scanned and format it accordingly — an ATS-friendly CV reads well to humans anyway, so you lose nothing.

Will an ATS-friendly CV look boring to recruiters?

No. A clean, single-column CV is not boring — it is clear. The same structure that helps the software also helps a busy recruiter scan your CV quickly. You make it stand out through strong, quantified achievements and tailored content, not through decorative graphics or unusual layouts.

Ready to put this into practice? Try ApplicantGrid free and build a CV that gets past the filter and in front of a real person.