Banks, consulting firms, offshoring centres and most multinationals in Morocco receive many applications for each opening. They sort them with an applicant tracking system, or ATS: software that reads your file, extracts your details and ranks you against the job. Here's how to make sure it reads you well.
What an ATS actually does
An ATS turns your file into plain text, looks for your contact details, your sections and your dates, then compares your words with the job ad. Recruiters then search and filter that text.
If the software can't read a part of your resume, for the recruiter that part doesn't exist.
The formatting that breaks it
Most problems come from the layout, not the content. Avoid:
- A scanned CV, or a CV saved as an image
- Text inside headers, footers or text boxes
- Tables and columns that mix up the reading order
- Icons instead of words (a phone icon instead of a number)
- Creative headings such as "My journey" instead of "Experience"
Speak the job ad's language
Read the ad twice and note the tools, skills and certifications it repeats. If you have them, use the same words in your summary, your skills and your bullet points: "Power BI", not just "dashboards".
Never add a skill you don't have: the interview will find it.
Check before you send
Export your CV as a PDF from Word, Google Docs or the Jobwatch builder, then run it through an ATS checker. It shows what the software reads, the sections it finds, and which of the ad's keywords are missing, so you fix them before a recruiter ever sees the file.
Check your resume against the job ad
See what an ATS reads, your score, and the keywords you're missing.
Check my resumeFrequently asked questions
Do all companies in Morocco use an ATS?
No. Large groups, banks, multinationals and offshoring centres usually do; small companies often read applications by hand. An ATS-friendly CV works for both.
Is a PDF or a Word file better?
A text PDF, unless the employer asks for Word. Both are read well as long as the text can be selected.
Can a two-column CV pass an ATS?
Often, when it's a real text PDF. A single column remains the safest choice for very large employers.