Most recruiters use applicant tracking systems to handle the first wave of CVs, so your application usually meets the software before it meets a human.

The system is looking for clear signals that your skills match the role, and if it cannot find them, it may not forward your CV. The upside is that getting this right is easier than it sounds; with a handful of small, deliberate changes, you can make your CV far more visible and give yourself a real advantage in the early stages.

 

1. Understand How Applicant Tracking Systems Work

Think of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) as a very literal robot that reads your CV with zero imagination.

They act like super‑efficient digital gatekeepers, scanning your CV for keywords, job titles, and experience that match the role. They’re not judging your brilliance; they’re simply checking whether your wording lines up with what’s in the job description. The closer your language mirrors the skills and terms the employer uses, the more likely you are to make it past the initial screen.

 

2. Use Keywords from the Job Description

Take a careful look at the job description and pay attention to the skills, qualifications, and phrases that appear more than once; these are usually the signals the employer wants the ATS to pick up. Try to weave these terms naturally into your CV, especially in your skills list and the bullet points under your work experience. You do not need to copy sentences word-for-word, but you should make sure your language clearly reflects what they are asking for.

For senior marketers, this often means echoing strategic phrases, campaign terminology, and leadership cues (e.g. ‘campaign strategy’, ‘brand leadership’, ‘multi‑channel planning’, or ‘commercial impact’) that the system is primed to spot. Think of it as speaking their language so both the ATS and the hiring manager instantly see the fit.

 

3. Use a Skills Section (Yes, Even at Senior Level)

Many experienced marketers skip a skills section because they assume their career history communicates everything for them. In reality, an ATS benefits from a quick, scannable snapshot of your expertise. Including a concise skills section helps the system identify core capabilities immediately. Try to cover the main marketing disciplines you work across, the leadership and commercial responsibilities you own, and the platforms, tools, and methodologies that are relevant in your sector. This section acts like a fast keyword map of your profile and improves your chances of being matched to the right roles.

 

4. Write Role Experience for Software First, Humans Second

When you set out your role experience, start by giving the ATS the key structure it needs. Use a clear job title, add a one‑line description of the company that includes its industry and scale, and then follow with bullet points that focus on outcomes and scope. Strong bullet points usually combine an action, an area of responsibility, and a commercial or organisational impact.
For example: 'Led multi‑channel demand generation strategy across Europe, managing a team of 12 and a seven‑figure annual budget to support double‑digit year on year revenue growth.'
This style works well for both ATS software and the hiring managers who read your CV afterwards.

 

5. What Not to Remove (But Often Gets Cut)

Senior candidates sometimes strip back information to keep their CV short and “executive level,” but removing too much detail can hurt your visibility. Be careful not to cut tactical channels you have owned or overseen, technology platforms you have used strategically, or the measurable outcomes that demonstrate accountability. ATS tools reward detail because it helps them understand your expertise accurately. Seniority is often shown through scale and impact rather than through broad or vague statements.

 

6. Choose a Simple and Clear Layout

ATS software can struggle with complicated designs, so keeping your CV clean and easy to navigate is key!

A straightforward structure with clear headings, such as personal profile, skills, work experience, and education, helps the system understand exactly where everything is. Try to avoid tables, text boxes, graphics, and multi‑column layouts because these often cause the software to misread or completely miss important information. A simple layout is not boring; it just makes sure both the ATS and the human on the other side can quickly follow your story. The cleaner and more intuitive it is, the easier it is for both the ATS and the hiring manager to quickly understand your value.

Additionally, most ATS tools read Word documents and simple PDF files with far fewer issues than more complex formats. It is always worth checking the application instructions because some employers specify exactly what they want, and following this avoids any chance of your CV being skipped. Using the correct file type helps the system scan your information cleanly, so nothing important gets missed.

 

7. Use Standard Job Titles

Unusual or overly creative job titles can make it harder for an ATS to understand what you actually did. Using clear, widely recognised titles helps the system match your experience to the role you are applying for. If your official job title was quirky or specific to your company, you can keep it, but add a more common equivalent in brackets so both the software and the hiring manager instantly get the context. This makes sure your experience is interpreted correctly rather than being lost in translation.

For example, this might mean turning something like ‘Growth Ninja’ into ‘Growth Manager’, or updating ‘Brand Guardian’ to ‘Brand Manager’. Similarly, if you had a company‑specific title like ‘Customer Engagement Lead’, you could clarify it as ‘CRM Manager’ in brackets so it aligns with what employers expect to see.”

 

8. Keep Language Clear and Professional

Use simple, professional wording that is easy for both the ATS and the recruiter to understand. Straightforward language helps the system recognise your skills and match them to the job description more accurately; try not to rely on abbreviations unless they are widely understood in the marketing world.

Clear phrasing improves keyword matching, boosts readability, and helps your experience land quickly with the person reviewing your CV.

 

9. One CV Is No Longer Enough

At the senior level, roles vary significantly depending on whether the focus is growth, brand, transformation, commercial leadership, or something more specialised. This is why having one static CV is rarely effective. The strongest candidates maintain a solid core CV and adjust keywords, skills emphasis, and their opening summary to match each opportunity.

This is not gaming the system. It is a clear and honest way of communicating relevance. In many ways, it is the same principle marketers use every day when they adapt messaging for different audiences.

 

10. Final Thought: Treat Your CV Like a Campaign

You would never launch a major campaign without understanding the audience, the platform, and the algorithm behind it. Your CV deserves the same level of thought. Optimising for ATS software is not about lowering your standards or diluting what you have achieved. It is about making sure your value is actually visible. Once you are through the early automated stage, that is when the real conversations and the real connection with employers can begin.

 

Best of luck as you put these tips into practice and take your next step!