What ATS Really Scans For — And How to Make Yours Pass
February 19, 2026 · SeaVitae Blog
You spent time on your CV. You are qualified for the role. You hit submit — and then nothing. No email, no call, not even an automated rejection for weeks.
This is the ATS problem. Your CV never reached a human. It was filtered out by software before any recruiter had a chance to read it.
Understanding how Applicant Tracking Systems work is no longer optional for serious job seekers. It is essential. Here is a clear, honest breakdown of what these systems actually scan for — and how to make sure your CV passes.
What Is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System is software that companies use to receive, sort, and filter job applications. When you apply for a role online, your CV goes directly into the ATS — not into a recruiter's inbox.
The ATS reads your CV, extracts your information, scores your application based on how well it matches the job description, and then ranks you against all other applicants. Only the highest-scoring CVs are passed on to a human reviewer.
Studies suggest that as many as 75% of CVs are rejected by ATS systems before a person ever sees them. The majority of these rejections are not because the candidate is unqualified. They are because the CV was not formatted or written in a way the ATS could process correctly.
What ATS Systems Actually Look For
1. Keywords That Match the Job Description
This is the single most important factor in ATS scoring. The system compares the words in your CV against the words in the job description and gives you a match score.
If the job description says "project management" and your CV says "managing projects," many ATS systems will not count this as a match. You need to use the exact phrases the employer used.
Before applying for any role, read the job description carefully. Identify the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities listed. Then check whether those exact terms appear in your CV. If they apply to you and they are missing, add them.
Want a CV that passes every ATS automatically? Create your free ATS-friendly CV on SeaVitae →
2. Standard Section Headings
ATS software is trained to recognise specific section labels: "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," "Certifications." When you use creative section titles like "My Journey" or "What I Bring," the ATS often cannot categorise that content correctly — and your experience ends up unread.
Always use standard, widely recognised section headings. SeaVitae structures your CV with exactly these headings by default, so you never have to think about this.
3. Clean, Parseable Formatting
ATS systems read text. They cannot reliably read text that is inside a table, a text box, a graphic, or a multi-column layout. When your CV uses these design elements, the ATS may extract your content in the wrong order, miss key information entirely, or fail to parse the file at all.
The safest and most effective CV format for ATS is a single-column layout with clear headings and standard fonts. No images. No icons. No fancy borders. Plain, readable text.
4. Correct File Format
Most ATS systems accept PDF and Word documents (.docx). However, some older ATS platforms parse Word documents more reliably than PDFs. Unless the job posting specifies a format, a standard PDF is usually the right choice — provided it is a text-based PDF, not a scanned image.
A scanned PDF is an image of your CV. The ATS cannot read images. Your entire application becomes invisible. Always save and export your CV as a proper text PDF, not a scan.
5. Contact Information in the Right Place
Some ATS systems skip over headers and footers entirely when parsing a document. If your name, email, and phone number are placed in the document header — as many CV templates put them — the ATS may not capture your contact details at all.
Place your contact information in the main body of the CV, not in a header or footer field.
6. Job Titles That Match What Employers Search For
When a recruiter searches the ATS database for candidates, they typically search by job title. If your title was "Customer Happiness Specialist" but employers search for "Customer Service Representative," your profile may never appear.
You do not need to misrepresent your role. You can include both — for example: "Customer Service Representative (Customer Happiness Specialist)." This ensures you appear in searches while remaining honest.
7. Dates in a Consistent Format
ATS systems use your employment dates to calculate total years of experience and to understand career progression. If your dates are inconsistent — some in MM/YYYY format, others written out, some with only a year — the ATS may misread your career timeline.
Pick one format and use it throughout. "Month Year — Month Year" is the most reliably parsed format across different ATS systems.
You can create your ATS-friendly CV here — structured, clean, and free. See how SeaVitae builds ATS-ready CVs →
What ATS Cannot See
It is worth knowing what ATS systems cannot evaluate. They cannot assess your personality, your communication style, your cultural fit, or your genuine potential. They can only match text patterns.
This means passing the ATS filter is just the first step — not the whole game. Once your CV reaches a human reviewer, it still needs to be compelling, clear, and well-written. An ATS-friendly CV that is also poorly written will be discarded just as quickly.
How SeaVitae Solves the ATS Problem
SeaVitae's free CV builder structures your CV using exactly the format that ATS systems read correctly — clean sections, standard headings, no tables or graphics. Your downloadable CV is a proper text-based PDF that any ATS can parse without errors.
Beyond that, SeaVitae takes a fundamentally different approach to job searching. On our platform, employers search and discover professional profiles directly — there is no ATS filter between your CV and the people making hiring decisions. Your profile is visible as soon as you turn on your visibility.
For a deeper look at building the right CV, read our guides on ATS-friendly CV creation and professional CV templates. Also see our article on the ten CV mistakes that cost people jobs.
The Bottom Line
The ATS is not your enemy — it is just a tool that rewards preparation. Candidates who understand how it works and format their CVs accordingly consistently outperform those who do not, even when qualifications are similar.
Take thirty minutes to review your CV against the points in this article. Fix the formatting. Add the missing keywords. Move your contact details into the body. These small changes can be the difference between being invisible and getting called.
Build a CV That Passes Every ATS
SeaVitae structures your CV correctly from the start — free, clean, and ATS-ready.