For those in between jobs, you might have come across the term “ATS CV” or  “ATS friendly CV” as you’re sending out your emails and wondered what it stood for or what it is exactly. 

You might also already be aware that human resource departments in companies or institutions go through thousands of emails every day to sort out potential employees using the ATS. 

The ATS or Applicant Tracking System is software that is used to assist the process of screening or selecting prospective employees or scholarship recipients. ATS can simplify the recruitment process because this system can recognize and scan each applicant's CV, both students and workers.

This is where the “ATS-friendly CV” comes in. ATS Friendly CV is a resume format that can be sorted by ATS, which can give you an advantage when applying for that dream job. 

Here are some pointers on how to make your resume ATS-friendly.

• Write your CV in English. This can make it easier for ATS to read resume content such as your skills or experience.
• Preferably no more than 2 sheets. The number of pages also affects the readability of your CV.
• Use standard fonts. The goal is to be read by the system as well. You can use fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, or other standard fonts. Font size cannot be less than 11. Include your contacts. Personal data is also a mandatory part of the CV, which contains name, address, email, and phone number.
• Simple CV design. Readability is also affected by the color choice of your resume. ATS Friendly CV usually only uses black and white.
• Understand the position you are applying for. You need to do research before applying for a job. Keywords are usually in the form of skills needed for the job. After writing down what's important, make sure you really master it and include it in the CV that you make.
• Choose a cv template that is ats friendly. Not all templates are well-read by ATS. For that, you need to find a template that is ATS Friendly.
• Make the titles of the cv sections clear Separate the cv sections by using headings to make them clearer and more readable by ATS. Apart from that, you can also use English to make the title of each section on your cv.
• It is also important to avoid using tables in making an ATS Friendly CV. Replace the font with the ATS standard. So that your CV can be more easily read with ATS, you can use several recommended fonts. Like Calibri, Cambria, Helvetica and Arial.
• Save files in the correct format. Compared to PDF, ATS will find it easier to read files in .doc format. But you also need to pay attention to instructions from the recruiter regarding the file format requested.