Software reads your CV first

What's going on

There are usually up to three readers between you and an interview:

1. The parser. An applicant tracking system (ATS) turns your CV into data: name, jobs, dates, skills. Columns, tables, text boxes and graphics can come out jumbled.
2. The ranker. Many systems now score or sort applicants against the job, and recruiters say AI-powered screening is one of the main ways they cope with the volume ^[1]. Over 90% of employers in one large study used their systems to filter or rank candidates ^[2].
3. A person. A recruiter or hiring manager reads the top of the list. With hundreds of applications, that's often only the top.

The myth worth retiring

You'll often read that "75% of CVs are rejected by an ATS before a human sees them". There's no credible evidence for it. The figure has been traced to a 2012 sales pitch from a company that no longer exists ^[3].

The real risk is quieter. Systems are set up by people, with filters people choose. The Harvard Business School study found employers commonly filter out candidates for things like employment gaps or missing degrees, and that this excludes many who could do the job ^[2].

Why it's happening

With hundreds of applications per role and smaller teams, employers lean on software to cope. It's a reasonable response to an unreasonable volume. The tools aren't perfect, and regulators have noticed: the UK Information Commissioner's Office audited AI recruitment tools and found some let recruiters filter out people with protected characteristics, leading to almost 300 recommendations ^[4]. The EU AI Act classes AI used to screen or filter job applications as high-risk ^[5].

What you can do

1. Use a plain, single-column layout. Standard headings (Experience, Education, Skills), no tables, text boxes or images. Put key information in the body, not the header or footer.
2. Check what the machine sees. Copy all the text from your CV and paste it into a plain text editor. If it comes out in the wrong order or with missing bits, a parser may struggle too.
3. Save as the format they ask for. If unsure, a text-based PDF or Word file both usually work. Never upload a scanned image of your CV.
4. Use the advert's words, truthfully. If you have the skill, name it the way the advert does.
5. Explain gaps briefly. A single line ("Career break: caring responsibilities, 2022 to 2023") gives a person the context a filter can't.
6. Don't try to trick the software. Hidden white text and "ignore previous instructions" lines get spotted: 91% of recruiters say they've caught candidate deception ^[6], and it ends the application.
7. Know your rights. In the UK and EU you can ask whether a decision about you was made solely by automated means, and ask for a human to review it. UK rules have recently changed, so check the ICO's latest guidance for the public ^[7].
8. Get a free CV check. In England, the National Careers Service offers free advice from careers advisers ^[8].