In today’s competitive job market, the sheer volume of CVs submitted for each position has led to a significant shift in how applications are processed. It’s no longer just human eyes sifting through every detail; instead, “robots” are playing an increasingly crucial role in the initial screening phase.
These “robots” are essentially Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), sophisticated software designed to help recruiters manage the high volume of applications. Their primary function is to spot specific keywords within CVs, acting much like a search engine’s “crawlers” that index website content to understand its relevance. If your CV doesn’t contain the necessary keywords, it might not even reach a human recruiter’s desk, regardless of your qualifications.
Yes, recruiters still view your CVs to read through. Once your CV has passed the initial automated screening, a human recruiter will indeed read it in detail. However, to stand out or to let your CVs pop, you need all the necessary keywords strategically placed. Just as effective SEO helps a website rank higher and attract “organic traffic”, keyword optimisation in your CV is vital for making it discoverable and appealing in the recruiter’s “search results”.
How to Optimise Your CV for “Robots” and Humans
To navigate this new landscape, consider your CV as a piece of content that needs to be optimised for both machine readability and human engagement.
- Conduct “Keyword Research” for Job Descriptions Just as content creators identify “keywords” and “keyword phrases” their target audience uses, you need to analyse the job descriptions for the roles you’re applying for.
- Identify relevant terms: Look for specific skills, qualifications, tools, and responsibilities mentioned repeatedly. These are your “target keywords” and “secondary keywords”.
- Strategically Place Keywords (Avoid “Stuffing”) Once you have your keywords, integrate them naturally throughout your CV.
- Early placement: Ensure key terms are in your CV’s summary/profile, section headings, and the beginning of your experience descriptions.
- Vary your phrasing: Instead of repeating the exact same keyword, use synonyms and related phrases to improve readability. This avoids “keyword stuffing,” which search engines (and ATS) can penalise, making your content “awkward and unpleasant to read”.
- Be Descriptive in Your Experiences: Make Your CV Rich with Relevant Experiences. While keywords get your foot in the door, the depth and quality of your content keep the recruiter interested.
- Optimise Structure and Readability A clear, organised CV is easier for both robots to parse and humans to read.
- Use clear headings: Employ distinct headings for sections like “Summary,” “Experience,” “Skills,” and “Education”. This helps ATS understand the hierarchy of your information and makes it “easier for search engines to understand the structure and importance of different sections”.
- “Chunk” your content: Use bullet points and short paragraphs to make your CV “super easy to skim”. Recruiters, like online readers, appreciate content that is quickly digestible.
By applying these principles, you can create a CV that speaks the language of both automated screening systems and human recruiters. This dual approach ensures your application gets noticed, gets read, and effectively showcases your qualifications to maximise your opportunities in the job market.