How to format your CV so applicant tracking systems can read it

If you've ever applied through a company's careers page — on platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, Lever or Workable — your CV almost certainly went through an applicant tracking system (ATS).

There's a lot of scary advice online about ATS "rejecting" most CVs. The reality is less dramatic, but formatting still matters. Here's what an ATS actually does and how to make sure yours reads cleanly.

What an ATS actually does

An ATS is the software companies use to collect and manage applications. Two things matter for you:

1. It reads (parses) your CV to pull out your name, contact details, job titles, dates, education and skills — often filling in the application form automatically.
2. Recruiters search and filter candidates in it, usually by keywords, job titles or answers to screening questions.

So the risks are simple: if the ATS can't read your CV properly, your details come out garbled. And if your CV doesn't contain the words a recruiter searches for, you're harder to find.

Most "rejections" come from people, knockout questions (like work authorisation or years of experience) or the sheer number of applicants — not from a robot deleting your CV. The often-quoted "75% of CVs are rejected by an ATS" traces back to a 2012 sales pitch, not a study (see our job search statistics). But a clean, readable CV helps at every step.

Formatting that trips up an ATS

• Tables and multiple columns. Text can be read in the wrong order, mixing your job titles with dates or skills.
• Text inside images, icons or graphics. Most systems can't read it, so it's simply lost.
• Headers and footers for important details. Some systems skip them — don't put your name or email only there.
• Unusual section titles. "Where I've been" instead of "Work experience" can confuse the parser.
• Skill bars and ratings. "Python ●●●●○" means nothing to software, and not much to people either.
• Fancy fonts or text boxes. Stick to standard fonts and normal paragraphs.

A layout that works

Use one column, standard headings, and this order:

1. Name and contact details — at the top of the page, in the main body (not the header). Phone, email, city, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link.
2. Headline — the role you're targeting, e.g. "Product Designer".
3. Summary — two or three lines matching the role.
4. Work experience — job title, company, location, dates, then bullet points with results.
5. Education
6. Skills — a plain, comma-separated list of relevant skills.
7. Certifications or projects — if relevant.

Use common fonts like Arial, Calibri or Inter at 10–12pt, with clear spacing between sections.

Dates and job titles

• Write dates consistently, for example "Mar 2022 – Present" or "03/2022 – 06/2024".
• Use standard job titles where you can. If your internal title was unusual ("Growth Ninja"), add the common equivalent: "Growth Marketing Manager (internally: Growth Ninja)".

PDF or Word?

Most modern ATS read text-based PDFs well, and PDFs keep your layout intact. A few older systems handle Word (.docx) files more reliably.

The simple rule: follow the instructions in the job post. If they ask for Word, send Word. If they don't say, a text-based PDF is a safe choice. Make sure it's created from a document — not a scan or a photo — so the text can be selected and copied.

Quick test: open your PDF, select all the text and paste it into a plain text editor. If it comes out in a sensible order, an ATS can probably read it too. Our free ATS CV checker does this for you and also flags columns, icons, missing contact details and non-standard headings.

Keywords: match the job honestly

Recruiters search their ATS for skills and titles from the job description. Use the same words the job uses — "stakeholder management", "Figma", "financial modelling" — wherever they're true for you. Our free CV keyword checker shows which of a job's keywords your CV is missing.

Don't hide keywords in white text or stuff in skills you don't have. Recruiters see the parsed text, and it will come out in an interview.

This is where tailoring matters most: see how to tailor your CV for a job for a step-by-step method.

ATS-friendly checklist

1. One column, no tables, text boxes or graphics.
2. Contact details in the main body, not the header.
3. Standard section headings.
4. Consistent dates and recognisable job titles.
5. Keywords from the job description, used honestly.
6. Text-based PDF (or Word if they ask), with a clear file name.
7. Passes the copy-and-paste test.

For a complete, ATS-friendly CV in your field, see our CV examples by role.

Let Litjob handle the format

Litjob's tailored CVs use clean, single-column templates designed to be read by both people and applicant tracking systems. Each one is rewritten for the specific job, so the right keywords are there — and you review it before you apply.

Applying with a cover letter too? See our cover letter examples for tech, product and finance roles.