AMA crafting CV for UK job market : what is ATS and how does it help/hinder?
07 Jun 2026
In this moment:
Simon Tomes
ATS usually means Applicant Tracking System — the software companies use to collect, filter, and rank job applications before a recruiter or hiring manager reviews them.
How ATS helps testers/job seekers:
- Makes it easier to apply to multiple roles.
- Helps match resumes to relevant skills (e.g., Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, API testing, Jira, SQL).
- Can surface candidates whose experience closely aligns with the job requirements.
How ATS can hinder:
- Resumes with poor formatting, graphics, tables, or unusual layouts may be parsed incorrectly.
- Missing relevant keywords can cause a qualified candidate to rank lower.
- ATS may not fully recognize transferable skills or project context.
Madhuri Mittal
QA Engineer
She
I’m a QA Engineer, passionate about making quality a shared responsibility and testing a little more human.
I’m a speaker and writer, often exploring the human side of testing, career journeys and what we can learn beyond the test cases.
After a career break for full-time parenting, I returned to QA with a fresh perspective and an even stronger appreciation for people and collaboration.
I love meaningful conversations, community events and turning everyday experiences into stories and lessons worth sharing.
Always curious, always learning — and always happy to meet fellow testers!
Open To
Speak
Mentee
Hiring
Write
CV Reviews
Simon Tomes
Thanks for sharing, Madhuri. A follow up question, if I may.
How might someone use AI to support their efforts to help an ATS recognise keywords and to not miss transferable skills?
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