ATS CV Tips: How to Optimise Your CV for Applicant Tracking Systems

What Is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers to receive, store, filter, and rank job applications. Over 95% of large companies — and a growing number of medium-sized businesses — use ATS software as the first stage of their hiring process. Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS, Taleo, and SmartRecruiters are among the most widely used platforms.

When you submit your CV online, it is parsed by the ATS. The system extracts your contact information, work history, education, and skills from the document text. It then scores your application against the job description using keyword matching and other signals. CVs that score below a threshold may never be seen by a human recruiter at all.

This isn't a hypothetical risk. For competitive roles at large companies, it's the norm. Understanding how ATS works — and how to work with it — is one of the most important things a job seeker can do in 2026.

How ATS Systems Score Your CV

Different ATS platforms use different algorithms, but the core logic is similar across most systems:

• Keyword matching — the system extracts keywords from the job description and looks for the same terms in your CV. Exact matches score higher than partial or inferred matches.
• Keyword placement — keywords found in your work experience section typically score higher than the same keywords appearing only in a skills list. This is because experience-section mentions suggest demonstrated competence rather than self-reported claims.
• Section detection — ATS parsers look for standard section headings to identify where your experience, education, and skills are. Non-standard headings ("Where I've Been" instead of "Work Experience") confuse parsers and can cause data to be misclassified or lost.
• Overall match score — many systems produce a percentage match score based on the overlap between your CV and the job description. Scores of 70%+ on required skills typically move you forward.

The 6 Most Important ATS Optimisation Tips

ATS Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

• Headers and footers — many ATS parsers cannot read text placed in document headers/footers. If your name and contact details are only in a header, the ATS may not capture them at all. Put all key information in the main body of the document.
• Tables and text boxes — text inside a table cell or text box may be skipped entirely by ATS parsers. This is a common mistake in heavily formatted CV templates.
• Custom fonts and graphics — logos, headshot photos, custom icons, and unusual fonts add visual interest but create parsing problems. ATS software reads text, not images.
• Two-column or infographic layouts — these look impressive as designed files but often produce garbled text when parsed. The ATS may read across columns rather than down them, creating nonsensical output that scores poorly.
• Abbreviations without the full term — if the JD says "Search Engine Optimisation" and you only write "SEO", you may miss the match. Where space permits, use both: "SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)".

Which Industries Use ATS Most?

Virtually all large employers use ATS, but the practice is most universal in:

• Technology companies (especially for software, data, and product roles)
• Financial services (investment banks, asset managers, insurers, Big Four accounting firms)
• Consulting firms (strategy, management, and IT consulting)
• Healthcare systems (hospital networks, NHS trusts, Kaiser Permanente, private hospital groups, pharmaceutical companies)
• Government and public sector organisations
• Retail and logistics at scale (any company receiving hundreds of applications per role)

Smaller businesses — especially startups with fewer than 50 employees — often review CVs manually. But once a company grows to a certain size, manual screening becomes impractical and ATS adoption follows quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all companies use ATS?

Most medium-to-large companies do. Research suggests 95%+ of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software. Startups and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees often review CVs manually, but this becomes increasingly rare as organisations scale. When in doubt, treat every application as though it will be ATS-screened first.

Will ATS reject my CV if I'm missing one keyword?

Not usually. ATS systems produce a score based on overall keyword coverage, not a binary pass/fail on each term. If you're missing one keyword from a long list of requirements, you'll score slightly lower but won't automatically be rejected. However, if you're missing several of the most frequently mentioned or explicitly "essential" keywords, you're likely to fall below the threshold. Aim to match 70%+ of the required skills listed in the job description.

Should I have a separate skills section for ATS?

Yes — a dedicated skills section helps ATS parsers explicitly catalogue your competencies. Some ATS platforms have a specific skills parser that scans a recognised "Skills" section. But don't rely on your skills section alone — also embed key skills in your experience bullets, where they carry more evidential weight.

Does ATS care about CV length?

Not directly. ATS scoring is based on keyword and content matching, not page count. However, a longer CV that covers more relevant experience and naturally uses more of the JD's keywords may score higher. Don't pad your CV to increase length — but don't artificially cut it either if you have genuinely relevant content.

Can I lie or exaggerate to beat ATS?

No. ATS is just the first filter. Human reviewers read every CV that passes ATS screening, and interviewers will probe and test every claim you make. Adding keywords for skills or experience you don't have is a strategy that may get you an interview but will unravel quickly once you're in the room. Only include keywords that reflect genuine, demonstrable experience.

Related Guides

Also see: CV examples by role • Free ATS checker • All CV guides