The ATS CV Checklist: 20 Things to Check Before You Apply

Use this twenty-point checklist on the exact CV you plan to submit. It covers accuracy, relevance, document usability and the application itself.

Do not interpret a completed checklist as a guaranteed interview. Its purpose is to catch avoidable errors before the employer receives your file.

Confirm the facts

1. Your name is written consistently across application materials.
2. Your phone number includes an appropriate country code for overseas contact.
3. Your email address is current and typed correctly.
4. Employment titles and dates match your actual history.
5. Qualifications clearly distinguish completed and ongoing study.

Correct factual errors before adjusting wording. A polished summary does not compensate for a missing digit in a phone number or an inaccurate qualification claim.

Check relevance

1. The opening identifies the role or professional direction you are targeting.
2. Essential requirements have been reviewed for genuine eligibility.
3. Relevant tools and responsibilities use accurate, recognisable terms.
4. Recent experience includes specific evidence of your contribution.
5. Unsupported claims and invented numerical results have been removed.

Keep a note of where each major achievement came from. You should be able to explain the context and your role if an interviewer asks.

Inspect the document

1. Section headings clearly identify experience, education and skills.
2. Employers, titles and dates remain connected in the reading order.
3. Important details appear as text rather than only images or icons.
4. The exported file opens without missing text or clipped content.
5. Portfolio and LinkedIn links lead to the intended pages.

A text-copy check can reveal scrambled information, while a visual review catches awkward spacing and page breaks. Use both rather than assuming one proves everything.

Complete the application carefully

1. The file type matches the employer's instructions.
2. The file meets any stated upload-size limit.
3. Automatically populated fields have been reviewed and corrected where possible.
4. Required statements, forms and cover letters are included.
5. The filename and saved version identify the correct application.

Turn the checklist into a routine

Create a small application folder containing the vacancy, submitted CV and any substantive answers. Record the submission date and confirmation. This makes follow-up and interview preparation easier without repeatedly reconstructing what you sent.

When a check fails, fix the underlying issue. Do not simply hide an unsupported claim or rename a file to imitate a requested format. If several problems involve unclear writing, a CV review can help prioritise the work. The ATS audit tool can provide additional observations, but your factual review remains essential.