From algorithm to interview: The two-step CV
How can you make your CV AI-friendly?
Today's reality is that your CV has to get through a digital portcullis before it can even think about peacocking to a hiring manager.
30% of companies worldwide now use AI in their hiring process. For large organisations, that figure rises to as high as 90% and will continue to do so.
I'm asked less these days "How can I make my CV stand out?" and more "How can I make my CV AI-friendly?"
The fact is, it has to do both:
Step 1: Get through the AI gate
Step 2: Impress the humans
But the balance has to be perfect; too AI-optimised will make it dry and boring but too nuanced will mean it may never even be read by human eyes.
So how can you make your CV say "Open Sesame"?
And what are the bots even looking for?
The bots are not hungry for buzzword soup. They are smacking their lips for a full skillset tasting menu with metrics pairings.
What this means in reality:
Most companies use sophisticated Applicant Tracking Systems, which use:
CV parsing software to extract skills
Keyword-matching algorithms to analyse patterns in text
Ranking and scoring tools to detect measurable outcomes in the context of the role
What these systems can't do (yet) is:
Interpret nuance
Recognise leadership judgement
Appreciate cultural intelligence
Read the story behind your career
All of this is your armoury for level 2, when you're through the AI gate and into the human realm.
So what does this mean in practice?
1. Intelligent keyword alignment (to signal relevance in language that the system is trained to recognise)
Mirror the language of the job description
Use industry- and role-specific terminology
Build a clear skill architecture to translate leadership and behavioural strengths into searchable terms
2. Structured, clean formatting (ATS systems analyse text, they don't 'see' design)
Avoid text boxes, columns and graphics-heavy layouts that can confuse parsing software
Use clear headings and standard, machine-recognisable section titles
3. Measurable outcomes (AI systems heavily reward quantified results... as do human hiring managers!)
Include numbers, percentages, timeframes, scale
The CV that gets you in the room will be the one that makes you discoverable by systems AND compelling for humans.
If you're hiring in the marketing or media world and want a search partner who understands both the tech and the talent, I'd love to help.
Get in touch today to find out more.
