You can have the right experience, strong qualifications and an impressive career history, yet still struggle to get your CV in front of a recruiter.

One reason is the Applicant Tracking System, commonly known as an ATS.

Many employers and recruitment teams use applicant tracking software to organise applications, search CVs and manage recruitment processes. An ATS can help recruiters handle a large number of applications, but it also means that the way your CV is written and formatted can affect how easily relevant information is identified.

This does not mean you need to write your CV for a machine. Your CV still needs to make sense to a person.

The best approach is to create a document that is easy for both an ATS and a recruiter to understand.

Whether you are applying for your first professional role or looking to move into a more senior position, a few practical changes can make your CV clearer, more relevant and easier to process.

What Is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System is software used by employers and recruitment teams to manage job applications.

Different systems have different features, but an ATS can typically help with tasks such as storing applications, organising candidates and searching CVs for relevant information.

Recruiters may use keywords or other criteria to identify candidates whose experience appears relevant to a vacancy.

This is why tailoring your CV matters.

If a job description repeatedly refers to financial reporting, budgeting, Excel and forecasting, for example, a CV that clearly demonstrates those skills is more likely to communicate its relevance than a generic CV that simply says the applicant has "strong finance experience".

Why Does ATS-Friendly Formatting Matter?

An ATS needs to interpret the information contained in your CV.

Highly complicated layouts can make that more difficult.

Multiple text boxes, unusual columns, graphics, decorative elements and images may look attractive to a person but can sometimes interfere with how information is extracted or displayed by recruitment software.

A straightforward CV is therefore often the safer option.

Think about the person reading it as well. Recruiters are usually reviewing applications quickly. Clear headings, sensible spacing and concise descriptions make it easier for them to find the information they need.

An ATS-friendly CV is not necessarily plain or unattractive. It is simply structured around clarity rather than decoration.

Start With the Job Description

One of the most effective ways to improve your CV is also one of the simplest: read the job description carefully before you start editing.

Look at the skills, responsibilities and qualifications the employer considers important.

If the vacancy asks for experience in budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting, consider whether your CV clearly demonstrates those areas.

Do not copy the entire job description into your CV. Instead, use relevant terminology naturally when it accurately reflects your own experience.

For example, if you have genuinely worked on monthly management accounts, use that terminology rather than replacing it with a vague phrase such as "prepared financial information".

The objective is relevance, not keyword stuffing.

Use Clear Section Headings

A well-structured CV should allow the reader to understand your career history quickly.

Common headings include:

Professional Profile

Work Experience

Education

Professional Qualifications

Skills

Additional Information

You do not need to use all of these sections.

Choose the ones that are relevant to your experience and the position you are applying for.

Avoid creating overly creative headings that may make the document harder to interpret.

For example, "My Professional Journey" may sound distinctive, but "Work Experience" is immediately clear.

Simple language generally works better.

Keep Your Formatting Simple

When creating an ATS-friendly CV, avoid unnecessary design features.

A clean layout is usually preferable to a highly stylised template.

Be cautious with:

• Large graphics
• Logos
• Photographs
• Decorative icons
• Text embedded inside images
• Complex tables
• Multiple text boxes
• Excessive columns
• Unusual fonts

This does not mean every ATS will reject these elements. Different systems work differently.

The point is to minimise unnecessary complications.

Your CV should communicate your experience, not make the recruiter work to find it.

Choose a Professional Font

Your font should be easy to read on both a screen and a printed page.

Common professional fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman and similar readable typefaces can work well.

Avoid fonts that are highly decorative or difficult to read.

Font size matters too. Your main text should be comfortable to read without making the document unnecessarily long.

Consistency is more important than trying to make every section look different.

Use the same basic font throughout and create hierarchy through sensible differences in size and bold formatting.

Use Keywords Naturally

Keywords are one of the most discussed aspects of ATS optimisation.

There is some truth behind the idea that keywords matter, but stuffing your CV with phrases is not a good strategy.

Instead, focus on using relevant terminology naturally.

Suppose you are applying for a financial analyst role and the employer asks for:

• Financial modelling
• Forecasting
• Budgeting
• Variance analysis
• Excel
• Management reporting

If you have genuinely used these skills, make sure they are clearly visible in your CV.

For example:

"Prepared monthly management reports, analysed budget variances and supported financial forecasting using advanced Excel models."

This is more effective than creating a long list of keywords with no context.

Tailor Your Professional Profile

Your professional profile is often one of the first sections a recruiter reads.

Avoid vague statements such as:

"Hard-working professional with excellent communication skills who is looking for a challenging opportunity."

This could describe almost anyone.

Instead, explain who you are, what you specialise in and what relevant experience you bring.

For example:

"Finance professional with experience in management reporting, budgeting and financial analysis, with a strong focus on supporting commercial decision-making."

The second version gives the reader a much clearer understanding of your professional background.

It also naturally includes relevant terminology.

Focus on Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities

A common CV mistake is listing everything you were responsible for without explaining what you actually achieved.

Compare these two examples.

Weak:

"Responsible for preparing monthly financial reports."

Stronger:

"Prepared monthly financial reports for senior management, highlighting key variances and supporting more informed budget decisions."

The second example gives the reader more context.

Where possible, include measurable outcomes if they are accurate and genuinely relevant.

For example, you might mention the size of a portfolio, number of clients supported, reporting frequency or a measurable improvement you contributed to.

Do not invent figures simply to make your CV sound impressive.

Make Your Work Experience Easy to Scan

Recruiters should be able to understand your career history without reading every word.

A useful structure is:

Job Title

Company Name | Location | Dates

Then use concise bullet points describing your main achievements and responsibilities.

Start bullet points with clear action verbs such as:

• Analysed
• Managed
• Prepared
• Developed
• Reviewed
• Coordinated
• Improved
• Supported
• Monitored
• Delivered

Avoid writing long paragraphs under every position.

Your most recent and relevant experience deserves the most attention.

Include Relevant Qualifications

If a professional qualification is relevant to the position, make it easy to find.

For finance roles, this might include accounting, investment, risk, compliance or other professional qualifications.

Do not assume the recruiter will notice a qualification hidden in a paragraph.

Create a dedicated section where appropriate.

For example:

Professional Qualifications

ACCA
CFA
CIMA
Relevant specialist certifications

Only include qualifications you actually hold or clearly identify those currently in progress.

Accuracy is essential.

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Once people learn that keywords can matter, there is a temptation to repeat them as often as possible.

This can quickly make a CV unnatural.

If "financial analysis" appears in every sentence, the document becomes difficult to read and may actually weaken your application.

Use relevant keywords where they genuinely describe your skills and experience.

The best CV sounds like it was written for a professional reader, not generated for a search box.

Use the Correct File Format

Always check the employer's instructions before submitting your CV.

If the vacancy specifically requests a PDF, Word document or another format, follow those instructions.

If no format is specified, a professionally formatted PDF can often preserve your layout consistently across devices, although some recruitment systems may request Word documents.

Do not assume one format is universally better.

The employer's instructions should take priority.

Keep Your CV Focused

An ATS-friendly CV is not simply one that contains as many keywords as possible.

It should contain information that is relevant to the position.

For most professionals, a CV should be concise enough that a recruiter can quickly identify the most important information.

Older experience may not need the same level of detail as recent positions.

Likewise, irrelevant responsibilities should not take up valuable space.

Ask yourself whether each section helps demonstrate why you are suitable for the job.

If it does not, consider removing or reducing it.

Review Your CV Before Applying

Before submitting your CV, read it as if you were the recruiter.

Can you immediately identify your current or most recent role?

Are your most relevant skills easy to find?

Does your professional profile match the position?

Have you included terminology that genuinely reflects the job description?

Are your dates consistent?

Are there spelling or grammatical errors?

Have you accidentally left information from another application?

A final review can prevent small mistakes from undermining an otherwise strong application.

Remember That an ATS Is Not the Final Decision-Maker

It is important not to become too focused on beating the software.

An ATS is part of the recruitment process, but human judgement remains important.

A recruiter ultimately wants to understand whether your experience, skills and career background fit the position.

This is why readability should remain your priority.

Your CV needs to work on two levels: it should contain relevant information that recruitment software can identify, while also presenting your experience in a clear and convincing way to a person.

Where to Find Roles to Apply For

Once your CV is ready, the next step is to apply strategically rather than sending exactly the same document to every employer.

Look for roles that genuinely match your experience and tailor your CV accordingly.

If you are exploring opportunities within finance and professional careers, you can browse current finance jobs and use the requirements of relevant vacancies to identify the skills and experience employers are seeking.

This can also help you recognise gaps in your CV and decide which areas of professional development may be worth prioritising.

Final Thoughts

Creating an ATS-friendly CV does not require complicated tricks.

The strongest approach is straightforward: use clear formatting, relevant keywords, professional language and evidence of genuine achievements.

Start with the job description, identify what the employer is actually looking for and tailor your CV around your most relevant experience.

Avoid unnecessary graphics and complicated layouts. Keep headings clear, use readable formatting and make important information easy to find.

Most importantly, remember that your CV is ultimately written for people.

An Applicant Tracking System may help an employer organise applications, but a recruiter needs to understand your experience, your capabilities and the value you could bring to the organisation.

A clear, relevant and well-structured CV gives you a better chance of communicating all three.

For professionals looking to strengthen their applications and explore suitable career opportunities, building a focused CV is a worthwhile investment of time. The aim is not simply to get through an ATS. It is to create a professional document that makes a recruiter want to know more about you.