Is Your CV Actually Getting Through to Recruiters?
97% of UK employers use ATS software to filter CVs before a human reads them. Check yours free in 30 seconds — no account required.
Scan your CV
How It Works
Three steps to a better CV — takes less than a minute.
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Upload Your CV
Drag and drop or browse for your CV in PDF or Word format. Your file is processed entirely in memory and never saved to any server.
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Paste the Job Description
Copy the full job description from the job advert and paste it into the box. The more detail you include, the more accurate your keyword match score.
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Get Your ATS Report
Receive a detailed compatibility report covering formatting, keywords, structure, and UK-specific conventions — with actionable recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about CV ATS scanning in the UK.
What is an ATS and why does it matter?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by UK employers to automatically sort, filter, and rank job applications before a human recruiter ever sees them. Studies suggest that up to 97% of FTSE 250 companies use some form of ATS.
If your CV isn't formatted correctly or doesn't contain the right keywords, it may be automatically rejected — regardless of how qualified you are. Our scanner checks your CV against the most common ATS filters so you can fix any issues before applying.
Why is my CV being rejected before anyone reads it?
The most common reasons UK CVs are rejected by ATS software include: using tables or multi-column layouts (which scramble the parsed text), missing keywords from the job description, using graphics or images instead of text, and having a CV that is too long (UK standard is 1–2 pages).
Our scanner checks for all of these issues and provides specific, actionable recommendations to fix them.
How is this different from US-focused ATS checkers?
Most ATS checkers are built for the American job market and give advice that is wrong or irrelevant for UK job seekers. For example, they may suggest adding a "resume objective" (UK employers expect a "personal statement"), advise on GPA (not used in the UK), or fail to flag American spelling variants that would look unprofessional to a British recruiter.
CheckMyCV is built specifically for the UK market. It checks for British spelling, UK date formats, A-Levels and GCSE qualifications, the 1–2 page CV convention, and flags photo inclusion (common in some countries but not appropriate for UK CVs).
Is my CV data stored or shared?
No. Your CV is processed entirely in memory on our server and is permanently deleted the moment your results are returned. We never write your CV to disk, never store it in a database, and never share it with third parties.
We log only anonymous metadata (your score, processing time, and file type) to help us improve the service. No personally identifiable information is ever logged.
What makes a CV ATS-friendly in the UK?
A UK ATS-friendly CV uses a clean single-column layout with no tables, no images, and no graphical elements. It is saved as a PDF or .docx file, is 1–2 pages long, uses British English spelling, and contains a clear personal statement, work experience, education, and skills section.
Crucially, it also mirrors the language used in the specific job description you are applying for. ATS systems match on exact keyword phrases, so tailoring your CV for each application is essential.