As you prepare to apply for internships, graduate trainee
programs, and employment opportunities, it’s important to ensure that your CV
is ATS-friendly. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are widely used
by employers to filter and rank job applications, meaning that if your CV isn’t
optimized for ATS, it may never reach a recruiter’s desk.
What is an ATS-Friendly CV?
An ATS-friendly CV is a resume that is:
- Well-formatted
with clean, simple structure
- Free
from complex designs, tables, and graphics
- Uses
standard section headings (e.g., “Work Experience,” “Education,”
“Skills”)
- Includes
relevant keywords from the job description
Why It Matters:
- Increases
your chances of getting shortlisted
- Ensures
your skills and experience are properly captured by the software
- Makes
your CV compatible with modern hiring systems
We encourage every job seeker to take time to review and
revamp their CVs accordingly.
Here are some brief CV writing tips you
could use to make your CV stand out and increase the chances of you landing a
job/ internship/attachment. We have attached some
ATS-friendly CV templates you could use to format your CV
What to Include:
1. Contact Information: Full name, phone number,
email, LinkedIn profile (Optional).
2. Professional Summary: A brief statement
highlighting your key skills and career goals.
3. Work Experience: Job titles, company names,
dates, and key responsibilities and achievements.
4. Education: Degrees, institutions,
and graduation dates. Please do not include your K.C.P.E or K.C.S.E;
it is now outdated and applies to those who have not attended campus/college. However,
you are allowed to include certifications of the short courses you may have
studied apart from your degree/ masters/ PHD
5. Skills: Relevant skills tailored to the job
you're applying for.
6. Certifications/Awards: Relevant professional
certifications, awards, and recommendation letters.
What Not to Include:
1. Irrelevant Personal Information: Age, ID
number, marital status, hobbies, religion, or photo (unless required).
2. Long Descriptions: Keep descriptions clear,
brief, and focused on achievements.
3. Outdated Information: Exclude old jobs or
skills that no longer apply.
4. Difficult Vocabulary: Avoid unnecessary
vocabulary, be clear and precise.
5. "References available upon request": Please
include at least 2; the hiring manager does not have time to call and inquire
about your references.
NOTE: When applying for a job/
internship/attachment always send your CV/Cover Letter in PDF format.
Feel free to reach out for
guidance on the same.