When I first heard the term ATS, I thought it was some kind of new design framework.
Turns out, it's a piece of software that decides whether your CV reaches a recruiter or goes straight into the digital void.
And yes, my first CV didn't make it through.
ATS = Applicant Tracking System.
It's software that recruiters and HR teams use to:
If your CV contains the right words, you have a chance of landing on a recruiter's desk.
If not, it often never gets seen by a human.
The job description asks for: Figma, prototyping, user testing.
Your CV only says: design tools, testing ideas.
For the ATS, that's not a match. The system doesn't guess—it just looks for exact keywords.
Because around 90% of medium and large companies use an ATS.
If your CV isn't optimized for it, you can lose the opportunity before the recruiter even sees your name.
I built an ATS-checker to help with this. It scans your CV against a job description and shows which keywords you're missing—so the next time, your CV gets through.