HACKING YOUR RESUME: BEAT THE ROBOTS & WIN THE JOB

 If a computer cannot read your CV, it will not be read by a person. That is the quiet reality of hiring in 2025. This article explains what ATS is, why design trends have shifted, and how to build a CV that works for software and humans alike.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the software most organisations use to collect, parse, and rank applications. Think digital librarian. It files your details, scans for skills and keywords, and compares them with the job description. If your CV is not machine-readable, key information can be missed, and your application can stall before a recruiter ever sees it.

Two-column designs, icons, graphics, and heavy formatting became popular because they look modern. Unfortunately, many ATS tools read from left to right and top to bottom. Columns, text boxes, and decorative elements can scramble the order of your content, split dates from jobs, or hide skills entirely. Clean, linear structure wins.

ATS looks for evidence. A Core Competencies section gives it exactly that, in one quick snapshot. Tailor it to each role and mirror the language from the job post.

Example: Core Competencies: Project Coordination, Stakeholder Management, Resource Planning, Risk Mitigation, Process Improvement, Vendor Management, Budget Tracking, KPI Reporting

Tips:

• Use the employer’s wording where it fits your background.
• Keep it focused. Ten to twelve targeted items are plenty.
• Refresh per application. One size rarely fits all.

Simple choices improve both parsing and readability.

• Layout: Single column. No text boxes, tables for body text, or graphics.
• Headings: Standard labels such as Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
• Fonts: Universal families like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Helvetica.
• File type: Unless the advert says otherwise, submit .docx or a clean PDF exported from Word or Google Docs.
• Dates and locations: Use consistent formats, for example, Mar 2022 to Jul 2024, London, UK.
• Bullets: Start with strong verbs and add outcomes or metrics where possible.
• Links: Include LinkedIn and portfolio links as plain URLs or standard hyperlinks, not QR codes only.

Modern CVs balance clarity with proof of impact.

• Personal brand: Open with a concise, employer-facing summary that states your value proposition.
• Skills evidence: Weave priority skills into your bullets with results, not just a list at the end.
• Skills-first options: If you are changing careers, a hybrid or skills-based CV can highlight transferable strengths without hiding your timeline.
• Remote readiness: Reference collaboration tools and async ways of working where relevant.
• Learning signals: Add certifications and micro-credentials in a short section with the issuing body and year.

• Single column layout
• Universal font in 10.5–12 pt
• Clear headings and consistent dates
• Core Competencies tailored to the role
• Keywords echoed from the job description
• Evidence of impact in each role
• Submitted as .docx or clean PDF

At Talent Atlas Career Consulting, we design CVs that pass ATS checks and earn human attention. We map the role’s language, align your Core Competencies, and structure every section for clarity, credibility, and speed of reading. The result is simple on the surface, powerful under the hood.

Contact us at: info@talentatlas.co.za