ATS CV Checklist — 26 checks, instant download
Stop Your CV Being Rejected Before Anyone Reads It
26 checks. 6 sections. 10 minutes. Fix every common ATS failure point before your next application.
🔒 Secure checkout • Instant download • Use before every application
Your CV could be brilliant. ATS might never let anyone know.
Most UK employers now use Applicant Tracking System software — ATS — to scan every CV before a recruiter reads it. If your CV scores too low, it gets filtered out. The hiring manager never sees it. You get no response.
This checklist covers exactly what ATS looks for. Work through it before every application. Fix the issues it flags. Give your CV the best possible chance of reaching a real person.
What the checklist covers
26 checks across 6 sections. Every check comes with a brief explanation of why it matters and a specific fix.
Section A: File Format
The three checks that matter before ATS even starts reading your content.
Section B: CV Layout
Five layout checks that stop ATS misreading or skipping your best content.
Section C: Contact Details
Five checks to make sure recruiters can find and reach you after the scan.
Section D: Keywords
Five keyword checks — the section that has the biggest impact on your ATS score.
Section E: Language
Five language checks that replace vague filler with specific, searchable content.
Section F: Final Checks
Three checks to make before you hit send. Each one could save your application.
Sample checks from the list
Here are four of the 26 checks to give you a sense of what is covered:
The remaining 22 checks are in the full download, covering file naming, contact format, qualification abbreviations, employment gaps, and more.
ATS CV Checklist
26 checks • 6 sections • Instant PDF download
Work through it in 10 minutes before every application.
🔒 Secure checkout via Easy Digital Downloads • Instant download after payment • Personal use licence included
Written by someone who has been on the hiring side
Brian Berry is the founder of Leap Forward Careers. He has managed teams and recruited across multiple sectors. He has seen exactly how ATS scores CVs, what recruiters look for after the scan, and what causes good candidates to be filtered out before anyone reads their application.
This checklist is built from that experience — not generic advice found online, but the specific checks that matter in UK hiring processes right now.
Questions about the checklist
Read the full guide — free
The ATS article on the blog explains the five main reasons UK CVs fail the scan, with a free quiz to check your own CV.
Ready to fix your CV before the next application?
26 checks. Instant download. Use it before every application you send.
£4.99 — Get the Checklist Now
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