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Free ATS CV Checker

Check whether your CV is ATS friendly before you apply — see what tracking software reads, what it misses, and how to fix it for UK employers.

Is your CV ATS friendly?

Upload your CV as PDF or DOCX. We read it the way applicant tracking systems do and show you exactly where it breaks.

Check my CV free
  • Built for UK-style CVs
  • Checks layout, headings and keywords
  • Clear fixes, not vague tips

How the ATS CV checker works

1. Upload your CV

PDF or DOCX, one or two pages. Nothing is shared with employers.

2. We read it like an ATS

We convert your CV to text and extract your personal statement, experience, education and skills as tracking software would.

3. Fix what is flagged

You get an ATS score plus a prioritised list of changes — from layout problems to missing keywords.

What the ATS CV checker looks at

UK recruiters, the NHS, the Civil Service and most large employers screen applications through an applicant tracking system. These are the checks that decide whether your CV is read properly.

Readable layout

Single-column text that converts cleanly. Tables, text boxes and sidebars are flagged.

UK CV headings

Personal Statement, Work Experience, Education, Skills — headings an ATS recognises.

Keywords for the role

Whether the skills and job titles in UK listings for your field appear in your CV.

Dates and employment history

Consistent month/year formats so your career history is counted correctly.

Contact details

Name, email, phone and town in the body of the CV — not hidden in the header.

Length and clarity

Two pages is the UK norm. We flag padding and weak bullet points.

Who the ATS CV checker is for

Graduates and career changers

Your first CVs are the most likely to use templates that ATS software struggles with.

Applying via job boards

Reed, Indeed, Totaljobs and company career sites typically route CVs into an ATS first.

No interviews yet

If applications disappear without a reply, check that the software can read your CV at all.

Not ATS friendly vs. ATS friendly

The same CV opening, written two ways.

Likely to be misread

Name and contact details in the page header, a photo, and a two-column layout with a “About Me” box and skill bars.

ATS friendly

Jane Smith · Manchester · jane.smith@email.com · 07700 900000 Personal Statement CIPD-qualified HR advisor with 4 years' experience in employee relations and recruitment…

Illustrative example.

What makes a CV ATS friendly?

An ATS friendly CV is one that software can turn into clean text without losing anything. That means one column, standard headings, a common font, no tables or text boxes, and contact details in the main body. Save it as a text-based PDF or DOCX — never a scanned image.

Once the CV parses cleanly, relevance matters: recruiters search the ATS for skills and job titles, so the terms from the job advert that genuinely match your experience should appear in your CV.

UK CV vs. US resume for ATS

ATS software treats a UK CV and a US resume the same way, but conventions differ. UK CVs usually run to two pages, open with a personal statement, and do not include a photo, date of birth or marital status. Using these conventions keeps your CV looking right to UK recruiters once it passes the software.

Do I need a different CV for each job?

Not a new CV, but a tailored one. Keep a clean master CV, then adjust your personal statement and skills for each role. Compare your CV with the job advert to see which keywords are missing before you apply.

Common ATS CV mistakes

  1. 1. Canva-style templates

    Graphic layouts often lose whole sections when converted to text.

  2. 2. Photos and personal details

    Not expected in the UK and can confuse parsing.

  3. 3. Headers and footers

    Many systems skip them, so contact details placed there can be lost.

  4. 4. Generic skills lists

    “Hard-working, team player” does not match what recruiters search for.

ATS CV checker FAQ

Is the ATS CV checker free?

Yes. Create a free account and upload your CV to see your ATS score and main issues.

How do I know if my CV is ATS friendly?

Upload it to the checker. We show what software extracts from your CV and flag anything it cannot read.

Do UK employers use ATS?

Yes. Most large employers and recruitment agencies in the UK screen applications through an applicant tracking system.

Should my CV be PDF or Word for ATS?

Either works if it is text-based. Follow the employer's instructions when they specify a format.

Should I include a photo on my UK CV?

No. Photos are not expected in the UK and can interfere with ATS parsing.

Can I check my CV against a job advert?

Yes — use the job match score to compare your CV with a specific advert.

Make sure your CV gets read

Check your CV with ATS software's eyes before your next application.

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