If you've ever done App Store Optimization (ASO) to rank a mobile app, you already understand how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) work. An ATS is basically a search engine for candidates, and just like you optimize play store release notes with specific language tags, you need to optimize your resume with exact-match keywords.
When a recruiter searches for a "Frontend Engineer," the ATS parser runs a query against its database. If your resume says "UI Developer" instead of "Frontend", or "JS" instead of "ES6 JavaScript," you might not rank.
Formatting is just as critical as the keywords. Complex layouts confuse text parsers. If you want to see exactly how your technical skills should be structured to survive the parsing algorithms, take a look at these [ATS resume examples].
Notice how they avoid tables, columns, and graphics. They use standard HTML-like heading hierarchy (H1 for Name, H2 for Experience) translated into document format. Stop over-designing your CV and start treating it like a search engine optimization project.
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