ATS-friendly CV: how to pass the robot screening
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) reads your CV as plain text and ranks it against the job ad before a recruiter even opens it. Here's how to make sure your CV gets through.
What an ATS actually reads
The system extracts text — headings, words and structure. It can't read text inside images, and it gets confused by complex tables and columns. So use clear text headings and a clean layout.
Match the ad's keywords
The ATS compares your CV with the keywords in the ad. Weave the relevant terms naturally into your summary and experience — but never lie. Rosecut's ATS check instantly shows how well your CV matches a pasted ad and which words are missing.
Formats that get through
Save as PDF or Word with selectable text (not a scanned image). Avoid putting your name, contact details or headings only in the header, footer or images. Every Rosecut template is built to be read correctly by ATS software.