What Makes a CV Not ATS Friendly? Key Formatting Mistakes to Avoid
Learn what makes a CV ATS unfriendly and how to optimize formatting for Applicant Tracking Systems to improve your job application success.
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A CV becomes not ATS friendly when it contains heavy graphics, unusual fonts, or complex formatting—such as tables or columns—that can confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Including important details in the header or footer can also make a CV incompatible, as ATS may skip over this information. To make a CV ATS-friendly, stick to standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, avoid headers and footers for vital information, and use simple formatting to ensure all details are accurately parsed.
FAQs & Answers
- What is an ATS-friendly CV? An ATS-friendly CV is formatted in a simple, standard way that allows Applicant Tracking Systems to easily read and parse the information, increasing the chances of your application being selected.
- Why do graphics and complex formatting harm ATS compatibility? Graphics, unusual fonts, and complex layouts like tables can confuse ATS software, causing important information to be missed or misread, leading to your CV being rejected before a human sees it.
- Which fonts are best to use for an ATS-friendly CV? Standard, easy-to-read fonts like Arial and Times New Roman are best for ATS-friendly CVs because they ensure clear text parsing by the software.
- Should important details be placed in CV headers or footers? No, important details should be placed in the main body of the CV because many ATS systems skip over information in headers and footers, potentially missing key data.