How to write a CV that gets past ATS scanners (for experienced expats)?

Writing a CV is a job, per se, but no one ever told you it would be so complicated. And even after you feel confident enough to apply for jobs with the latest version you (and AI) wrote together, you keep on getting rejections.

So what do you do now? You spend HOURS tweaking the keywords some more, because everyone is sharing tips on how to pass the ATS system scanners. 

But what’s an ATS system, anyway? An awful program used by hiring teams, also known as “Applicant Tracking System”, the kind of tool that seems able to take hiring decisions before the human eye even acknowledges your existence (I know, so frustrating!).

But let me challenge you, and I’ll be your double agent, like in a spy movie: sharing my insider knowledge as a former recruiter (who used 8 different ATS systems over 9+ years) and career coach for expats (having these types of conversations every other day with international clients!).

Read only if you’re open to investing your time taking a NEW perspective instead of continuing to do more of what isn’t working, just because you’re used to it. 

Let's reveal the reasons behind why you’re hearing nothing back to begin with…so that you know what to change in your CV to break this cycle once and for all.

How does an ATS really work anyway?

An Applicant Tracking System software:

• Collects and stores your data, CV, cover letter, or any other attachment or link for a fixed time according to data protection laws

• Copies the information contained in your resume (years of experience, roles, companies etc.)

• Stores answers to knockout questions (visa/ languages, specific competences)

• Has a function to rank your profile relevance against the job description (more on this later)

• Has plenty of filters like location, languages spoken, etc., so recruiters can find you also later in time, for other job opportunities

• Uses a dashboard to move you through different stages of the interview process

• Collects feedback written from the whole hiring team after each interview, tags, and decisions taken

• Helps with scheduling interviews, posting jobs on several channels, automating rejections, and other comms between the candidate and the hiring team.

How recruiters actually use an ATS - what they trust and what they don’t (say what: a human, might actually read your CV??)

So let’s play a scenario: you apply for a job with your resume and cover letter. I am the recruiter at the receiving end. 

As soon as you apply, I receive a notification on my email, and in the ATS, I can navigate to the dashboard where your CV, cover letter, and all the others are stored. 

I see with my own eyes: your full resume, a column summarizing your years of experience, contact data, and the history of your past applications (if any). 

There might be tags: perhaps you were a finalist for another job 3 months ago, or maybe you sent an angry email to the recruiter calling them names (well, I also have access to all of this). 

From here, I can choose whether to send you an invite for a call or reject your application, based on the job requirements. 

And what if you answered specific questions such as languages you speak, visa situation, motivation to apply for the role…? I can see all your answers as well. 

But, if, for example, you need a native level of German and that was a minimum requirement, what happens? You might get automatically rejected before I examine your resume. But your resume doesn’t leave the ATS system: it simply gets into the rejected folder, which I can still go through at any time (see, I can still go through your resume and answers?!).

And most importantly, because you are in the ATS system, and it has plenty of filters for me to find candidates at any time, for any roles available, I might insert in my filters some parameters that will show me your profile when I am working on a new role for which your skillset is perfect, as it is. And I have your contact details, so I can call you and share them with you.

I’m always reading these career influencers and owners of magical tools to make your resume “ATS proof”: they are saying that you get rejected because the ATS ranks candidates based on the keyword on their profiles. So funny to hear that certain graphic elements in your resume or formatting are not recognized and are the main cause why no one sees your resume (another nonsensical lie).

But what about the ranking systems, then? Aren’t keywords important AT ALL in my CV? What’s the real problem here?

Well, in reality, yes:

ATS systems have some ranking systems based on keywords, but NO REAL RECRUITER would EVER trust them. 

Those are part of the shittiest features of any ATS systems. Totally unreliable and incapable of understanding your experience, giving it a proper value, or making any hiring decisions. When I was still a recruiter, I tested that feature myself out of curiosity and decided NEVER to trust it again. Sorry, AI or not AI, a human is still smarter.

So, when recruiters actually see your resume, keywords are not the real problem, and graphics are not costing you any opportunities. 

What’s wrong, then? What do you actually need to change in your CV?

Well, if you’re serious about landing a well-paying and fulfilling role from a top global company, your CV shouldn’t look like a shopping list (like most of them do): it must read like a narrative that positions you as the best possible candidate for that specific job (even if your past ones are completely different).

So let’s say this louder for the ones in the back: it’s a story problem, not an ATS/ keyword/ graphics problem. 

Your CV should be written for the (often, non-technical) person who is going to read it: instead of being too buzzword-heavy and populated with generic information, it should clearly show the thread that goes through your entire experience. 

It has to position you as the person able to solve the specific challenges that pop up more frequently in the job ads of the role you TRULY want to occupy. 

Mirroring the specific wording and keywords of every job advertisement is not your pass to landing the role: you need to use your resume as the place where your story clearly says, either: “I have solved this before, in this context and with these results” or “because I have these diverse experiences, I am able to connect the dots in a way a standard profile wouldn’t, and this is how I did it in relatively similar contexts and relatively similar problems”. 

A real-life example of what’s possible when you write a narrative-first CV that actually gets you past ATS scanners, instead of obsessing over keywords

My client H. and how she went from scarce replies and hours spent adjusting multiple versions of her CV to please the ATS, to  having several interviews in a matter of weeks:

My client H. was exhausted because she was spending hours, sometimes entire evenings and weekends, on every single job application. Like many very experienced professionals, she used to follow the advice of random career influencers online: you must tailor your CV 100% for every role, you must “beat” the ATS with perfectly matched keywords, and if you are not rewriting everything each time, you are not strategic enough.

So she kept adjusting bullet points, reshuffling sentences, and wasting 2-3 hours per application, convinced that more optimisation would eventually lead to better results. I explained to her that instead of exhausting herself with endless tweaks, she needed a manageable plan to conduct an effective job search within her limited time and clear guidance on how to present herself as the best possible candidate to hiring teams at top global companies, at every stage of the process.

This meant shifting the focus from keywords to narrative: shining a light on her rich professional story, highlighting concrete achievements, allowing her personality to come through, and, as a natural consequence, rebuilding her confidence in the value she brings.

The new strategy and narrative on her CV led to numerous interesting interviews across Europe, and multiple hiring processes in which she has advanced to the finalist stage (with compliments from the hiring team and even referrals from the CEO for better roles!).

Time to work on a CV that gets past ATS scanners and helps you land that fulfilling, high-paying job faster

See? Keywords are not the problem.

So, you can redirect your energy to the real value you are able to offer, leaving generic advice such as the BS about ATS systems behind, gaining back self-belief, and landing the right job for you. 

Don’t know where to start?  We can resolve this together with my career coaching packages.

As a career coach (and former recruiter, and fellow expat), I’ve guided 100+ experienced professionals like you to land fulfilling, high-income jobs in new roles, industries, or countries faster and more confidently - even if you lack direction or your current job search feels chaotic and fruitless.

Want to apply less and get more interviews out of it? Book your right-fit check call and tell me about your biggest job search challenges and goals to see if I can help you bridge that gap!