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ATS check: will your CV parse?
A checklist for the two things an applicant tracking system does with your CV: read it, and let a recruiter search it.
In short
To check whether your CV is ATS-friendly, confirm it uses a single-column layout, standard section headings, real selectable text, no tables or text boxes holding key details, and contact information in the main body. Then test it: paste the whole CV into a plain text file. If text comes out jumbled or missing, a parser may struggle too.
By Chanuka Jeewantha · Updated
An applicant tracking system does two separate jobs. It turns your file into structured data, and it lets a recruiter search and filter that data. Most ATS problems are the first kind: a layout the parser cannot read in the right order. The second kind is missing the terms a recruiter searches for. This checklist covers both, and ends with tests you can run in a few minutes without paying for a scanner.
The file
- Saved as .docx or a text-based PDF, whichever the posting asks for
- The PDF was exported from a word processor, not scanned or saved as an image
- You can highlight and copy every word in the file
- The file name contains your name, not ‘final-v3’ or ‘CV new’
- No large embedded images that inflate the file size
Layout
- One column for the main content, reading from top to bottom
- No tables, text boxes or side columns holding job titles, dates or skills
- No icons standing in for words such as phone, email or location
- No skill bars, rating dots or charts; they carry no readable information
- Contact details in the body of the page, not in the header or footer
- Simple round bullets rather than custom symbols or emoji
Headings and structure
- Section headings use standard names: Profile, Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications
- Creative headings such as ‘Where I’ve made an impact’ have been replaced
- Every role follows the same order: job title, employer, location, dates
- Dates use one consistent format, such as Mar 2022 or 03/2022
- Internal or unusual job titles have the common market equivalent alongside them
Keywords
- The hard skills, tools and qualifications named in the advert appear in your CV where they are true
- Key terms appear in context in your experience, not only in a skills list
- Important acronyms are also written out once, for example SEO and search engine optimisation
- Tool and product names are spelled exactly as the vendor spells them
- The target job title appears in your profile
- No keyword stuffing, white text or hidden lists; a person reads the result
Test it yourself
- Copy all the text into a plain text editor and check the order still makes sense
- Check that your name, email and phone number survived the paste intact
- Open the file on a phone and a second computer to confirm fonts and layout hold
- When an application form offers to fill itself from your CV, note what it gets wrong; that is a parser's reading
- Search your CV for the advert's top five terms and confirm each one appears
- Fix anything that fails, then repeat the plain text test
Tips
- No one outside a vendor can tell you exactly how a specific system handles a CV, and many systems do not score CVs at all; recruiters search and filter. Treat any online ‘ATS score’ as a prompt, not a verdict.
- A plain design is not a weak design. Hierarchy built from spacing, bold and font size parses cleanly and still looks sharp to a human reader.
- If you are using a downloaded template, run it through this list before you fill it in. Many attractive templates are built on tables.
- Keywords get you found; achievements get you shortlisted. Do not let the first push out the second.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my CV is ATS-friendly?
Copy the whole CV and paste it into a plain text editor. If your name, job titles, dates and bullets come through in a sensible order with nothing missing, most parsers will read it too. Then check the structure: single column, standard headings, no tables or text boxes holding key details, and contact information in the main body rather than the header.
Is a PDF or Word CV better for ATS?
Either works in most modern systems, as long as the file contains real, selectable text. Follow the posting first: if it asks for Word, send Word. A PDF exported from a word processor is generally fine. A scanned PDF, or one built from images, is not, because there is no text in it for the system to read.
Do online ATS score checkers work?
They are useful for spotting missing keywords and obvious formatting problems, but the score is not what an employer's system produces. Each checker uses its own method, and many employer systems do not score CVs at all; recruiters search and filter them. Use a checker as a prompt to review your CV, not as a pass or fail result.
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