What an ATS actually does
Most ATS tools parse your CV, store searchable fields (name, role, dates, skills), and let recruiters filter by keywords. The "AI screening that rejects 75% of CVs" headline is mostly myth — humans still make the call. But a CV that's hard to parse or missing key terms simply never surfaces in the recruiter's search.
The short list of things that matter
- Use a simple, single-column layout. Sidebars, multi-column CVs, headers, and footers confuse parsers.
- Use the job's exact terms. If they say "SQL", say "SQL" — not "relational query languages".
- Real job titles in your headings. "Senior Product Manager", not "Product Wizard".
- Clean dates. "Jan 2021 – Present" beats "2021 onward" for parsing.
- PDF or DOCX, no scans. Both work fine; images of text don't.
Things that don't matter (much)
- Hiding white keywords on white background — flagged, often deal-breaking
- "Optimised" templates with infographics and progress bars
- Cramming every keyword from the JD whether or not it's true
- Fancy fonts — pick a clean one and move on
Frequently asked questions
Does CVio support common ATS platforms?+
Yes — the tailored output is parser-friendly for Greenhouse, Lever, Workable, Ashby, Workday, and most others.
Should I use a CV template?+
A clean single-column template is fine. Avoid anything with sidebars or icons next to skills.
Is the ATS score I see elsewhere reliable?+
Most "ATS scoring" tools are basically keyword counters. CVio scores fit using the actual job requirements, not just word matches.