The CV That Gets Past the ATS

What an ATS is and why it matters to you

An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is the software most mid-sized and large companies use to manage applications. It reads every CV, pulls out the information and matches it against the job requirements. If your CV isn't read correctly, or doesn't contain the right words, it gets rejected before a person ever lays eyes on it.

Formatting rules that get you read

• No tables, columns or text boxes: the ATS reads them out of order.
• Standard headings: "Experience", "Education", "Skills".
• Simple fonts and black text on a white background.
• Contact details in the body, not in the document header.
• A text-based PDF (not a scanned image).

The 10-second test

Copy all the text from your PDF and paste it into a blank text editor. If it comes out tidy and complete, the ATS will read it fine. If it comes out jumbled or pieces are missing, simplify the layout.

Keywords: where the real score is

The ATS assigns a score based on how closely your CV matches the job ad. Echo the terms from the posting — skills, tools, the job title — and place them where they're true, right next to a result. "Excel" on its own counts for little; "automated reporting in Excel, saving 6 hours/week" counts for a lot.

Tailoring to each ad is the real work

There's no single ATS-friendly CV: there's one for every job. Rewriting the keywords by hand for each application is slow. EuroCV Pro analyses the job ad and optimises your CV in real time, suggesting the missing terms and fine-tuning the match — so you clear the screening and land the interview.