Improve Your ATS Score: Complete Guide for 2025

Your CV is polished. You are qualified. But you hear nothing back. Sound familiar? The culprit might be an ATS.

What Is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that companies use to automatically process and filter job applications. More than 70% of mid-sized and large companies use one.

The system scans your CV for keywords, formatting, and other factors. CVs that do not meet the criteria are automatically rejected — often without a human ever looking at them.

How Does an ATS Work?

1. Scanning: The system scans your CV for text content
2. Parsing: Text is structured into categories (name, experience, skills)
3. Matching: Keywords are compared against the job description
4. Scoring: A score determines your ranking among all applicants
5. Filtering: Only the highest-scoring CVs are forwarded to a recruiter

Why Do CVs Fail at ATS?

The most common reasons fall into two categories:

Technical Issues:

• •Use of tables and columns (ATS sometimes cannot read these properly)
• •PDFs with images instead of selectable text
• •Non-standard or decorative fonts
• •Contact details placed in headers or footers

Content Issues:

• •Missing keywords from the job description
• •Overly generic job descriptions
• •No specific skills listed
• •Unusual or creative section headings

8 Ways to Improve Your ATS Score

1. Use the Right Keywords

Read the job description carefully and identify the core terms:

• •Job titles (exactly as they appear in the posting)
• •Required skills and tools
• •Certifications and qualifications
• •Industry-specific terminology

Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your CV.

2. Use Standard Section Headings

ATS systems expect standard headings:

• •"Work Experience" or "Experience"
• •"Education"
• •"Skills"
• •"Certifications"

Avoid creative alternatives like "My Journey" or "Professional Adventures."

3. Choose Simple Formatting

• •Use a single-column layout
• •Stick to standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• •Avoid images, charts, or icons within the document
• •Do not use tables to structure content

4. Place Contact Information at the Top

Name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn at the top of the document. Never in headers or footers — many ATS systems cannot read those areas.

5. Mirror Job Titles Exactly

If the posting asks for a "Digital Marketing Manager," use that exact title — not "Online Marketing Specialist" or "Growth Hacker."

6. Include Both Abbreviations and Full Terms

Write "SEO (Search Engine Optimization)" so you match on both the acronym and the full phrase.

7. List Relevant Skills Clearly

Create a dedicated "Skills" section with specific tools, technologies, and competencies relevant to the role.

8. Keep Date Formats Consistent

Always use the same format throughout: "Jan 2020 – Present" or "01/2020 – Present." Inconsistency can confuse parsing algorithms.

Test Your ATS Score

With JobButler AI, you can see your ATS score instantly:

1. Upload your CV
2. Paste the job description
3. See your score (0-100)
4. Receive specific, actionable improvement suggestions

What Is a Good ATS Score?

• •85-100: Excellent — strong chance of getting through to a recruiter
• •70-84: Good — some room for improvement, but you have a fair chance
• •50-69: Average — significant risk of being filtered out
• •Below 50: Poor — very low chance with companies that use ATS

Conclusion

Improving your ATS score is not rocket science. With the right adjustments, you can go from a score of 50 to 90. Download JobButler AI to check your score instantly and get concrete, actionable feedback.