Applying, step by step · 5 min read
What CV format works with applicant tracking systems?
One column, plain headings, real text rather than images, and the file type the post asks for. Fancy layouts can scramble when software reads them.
The short answer
Use a single-column layout with plain section headings like Experience, Education and Skills. Keep your name and contact details in the body of the page, not in a header or footer. Write job titles, employers and dates on their own lines in the same order each time. Avoid text inside images, charts, icons and text boxes, because some systems can't read them. Send the file type the post asks for; a text-based PDF or a Word document is usually safe.
On this page 4 sections
Do this
- One column, top to bottom.
- Standard headings: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
- Job title, employer, place and dates in a consistent pattern for every role.
- Common fonts like Arial, Calibri, Georgia or Helvetica.
- Dates written the same way throughout, for example 'Mar 2023 to Jun 2025'.
Avoid this
- Contact details in the page header or footer.
- Skill ratings as bars, dots or stars. They read as nothing, and the reader can't check them anyway.
- Text boxes, tables used for layout, and icons in place of words.
- Creative heading names like 'Where I've been' instead of 'Experience'.
What format can't fix
An employer's system may be set up to filter on screening questions, store CVs for keyword search, or simply pass everything to a person. You can't see which from outside. Formatting makes sure every version of that process gets a readable CV. Tailoring is what makes it relevant.
OffLadder CV is our free Chrome extension for this step. Open a job post and it lists the post's must-haves, shows which ones your CV already mentions, and rewrites your CV for that job. Every change is checked against the CV you gave it, so it never adds experience you don't have.
Questions people ask
- PDF or Word for an ATS?
- Follow the post. When it doesn't say, a PDF exported from a word processor (so the text can be selected) is read well by most current systems. A scanned PDF or one saved as an image is not.
- Are two-column CVs bad?
- They can be read in the wrong order by some parsers, mixing your skills column into your job history. One column is the safer choice when you can't check how the employer's system reads it.
- Can I use a designed template?
- For applications through a careers site, keep it simple. For a portfolio or a direct email to a person, a designed version can sit alongside the plain one.
- How do I check what an ATS sees?
- Copy all the text from your PDF and paste it into a plain text editor. If the order is jumbled, words are missing or your name has vanished, a parser may see the same.
- Does ATS formatting matter more than content?
- No. A clean format makes sure your content arrives intact. What gets you an interview is still whether the content shows the post's must-haves.
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