ATS Compatibility¶
What Is an ATS?¶
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is software used by recruiters and companies to manage job applications. When you upload your CV/resume to a job portal or company website, an ATS parses the document to extract structured data — your name, job titles, companies, dates, skills, and education. This data is then used for keyword matching, ranking, and filtering candidates.
If the ATS cannot parse your document correctly, your application may be discarded or key information may be lost — even if your qualifications are a perfect match.
Built-In ATS Optimization¶
CV Manager automatically generates ATS-friendly output on the public site:
- Schema.org markup — structured data that ATS systems can parse (Person, OrganizationRole, EducationalOccupationalCredential, etc.)
- Semantic HTML — proper heading hierarchy, article elements, and lists
- Hidden ATS block — a plain-text version of your CV is embedded in the page for parsers that don't process styled HTML
- Clean print output — no visual clutter, proper content hierarchy
No special configuration is needed — these features are always active.
ATS Document Export¶
In addition to the built-in web optimization, CV Manager can generate a dedicated ATS-friendly PDF designed specifically for uploading to job portals and ATS systems.
How to Use¶
- Click ATS Document in the admin toolbar
- Adjust the Scale slider to control content density (50%–150%)
- Choose your preferred Paper Size (A4 or Letter)
- If working in a non-English language, optionally check Section headers in English to render section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills, etc.) in English while keeping all other content in the active language
- Preview the document in the modal
- Click Download PDF to save the file
Section Headers in English¶
When your CV is in a non-English language, many ATS systems still expect English section headings to correctly categorize content. The Section headers in English checkbox (only visible when the active locale is not English) forces section headings to render in English while everything else — dates, content, skills — stays in the active language.
This is useful when applying to international companies or through English-language job portals with a CV written in another language.
What Makes It Different from Print / PDF?¶
| Feature | Print / PDF | ATS Document |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Visual presentation | Machine parsing |
| Layout | Full themed design with colors, icons, timeline | Clean structured text, minimal formatting |
| Content | All visible sections including timeline | All sections except timeline (not ATS-relevant) |
| Scale control | Browser print dialog | Built-in slider with live preview |
| Generation | Browser's print engine | Server-side (pdfmake) |
| Consistency | Varies by browser | Identical output everywhere |
Tips for ATS Success¶
Use the ATS Document for job applications
Always upload the ATS Document (not the Print/PDF version) when applying through job portals. The structured layout is designed to be parsed correctly by automated systems.
Keep your skills section complete
ATS systems rely heavily on keyword matching. Make sure your Skills section contains all relevant technologies, tools, and methodologies — the ATS export includes them as a flat keyword list for better matching.
Use the Print/PDF for human readers
When emailing your CV directly to a hiring manager or bringing it to an interview, use the Print/PDF version — it has the full visual design with your theme colors and timeline.
Scale for density
If your CV is long, try reducing the scale to 70–80% to fit more content per page. The preview updates in real-time so you can find the sweet spot.
English headers for international applications
If your CV content is in French, German, or another language, enable the English headers toggle when applying to companies that use English-language ATS systems. Most ATS parsers expect English section headings like "Work Experience" and "Education".