When applying for competitive professional roles, your CV must pass two critical screening evaluations: automated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parsing software and the 6-second scan by human recruiters.
### Formatting for Automated ATS Systems
ATS software parses your document to extract contact details, job titles, competencies, and employment dates. Heavy graphic elements, multi-column text boxes, and non-standard fonts often scramble parsed data.
* **Keep Formatting Clean:** Use single-column layouts with standard headings.
* **Use Clear Job Titles:** Match target industry role titles rather than internal company jargon.
* **Standard File Formats:** Submit clean Microsoft Word (.docx) or unencrypted PDF files.
### Formatting for Human Recruiter Readability
Human screeners scan for achievement metrics and relevant competencies. Focus on quantifiable outcomes (e.g. ‘Increased team efficiency by 25%’) rather than listing basic job descriptions.