How to make a CV that gets read
A CV has two readers: software and a person. Most mid-size and large employers run applications through an applicant tracking system (ATS) that turns your file into text and sorts it. A person then skims whatever it surfaces, often for under a minute. This tool is built for both: a plain layout the software reads correctly, and a clear structure a person can scan.
What goes in an ATS-friendly CV
- Contact details at the top as plain text: name, city, phone, email and a LinkedIn or portfolio link.
- A short summary of two or three sentences with your field, experience and one result.
- Work experience in reverse order, each job with title, company, dates and three to five bullet points that start with a verb and show a result.
- Education with the course, institution and years.
- Skills written the way the job post writes them.
What to avoid
- Tables, columns, text boxes, icons and skill-level bars. Many systems read them out of order or skip them.
- Contact details in the page header or footer. Some systems ignore those areas.
- Creative headings such as “My story”. Use Work Experience, Education and Skills.
- Putting your name or skills inside an image.
With a photo or without?
In the US, UK, Canada and Australia, employers are usually advised not to ask for a photo, and many applicants leave it off. In Bangladesh, India, the Middle East and parts of Europe, a passport-style photo is still common. If you add one, use a recent, plain-background, head-and-shoulders photo. This maker places it beside your name so the text order stays correct. You can prepare a suitable one with our passport photo maker.
After you save it
Run the finished file through the ATS resume checker with the job post pasted in. It shows which key terms are missing. For more help, read our guides on writing an ATS-friendly resume and writing a cover letter.