How to Create an ATS friendly Remote Job CV for South African Job Search

An ATS compliant CV is a CV that can be scanned and interpreted by the ATS software used by South African companies during CV selection. The ATS software picks on specific keywords that are related to the job you are applying for. This means that the CV should be formatted clearly, in a structure that is easy to assess your relevance for the job. Creating an Applicant Tracking System(ATS) friendly CV for a remote job in South Africa or anywhere else in the world requires skill and a strategic approach. Here’s how to create an effective, ATS-friendly CV for a remote job in South Africa.

1. The Layout Of An ATS Friendly CV

Use a Clean and Simple Layout

• Avoid complex formatting that will confuse the ATS, stay away from adding any extra layouts and designs like tables, text boxes, pictures or graphics.
• Stick to formal and standard formats that are mainly used in offices like Times New Roman, Ariel, Calibri etc.
• No need for extra designs and decorating fonts when it comes to section headings, just make it clear and visible
• Make sure CV is always saved in PDF format or .docx format because they are compatible with ATS

2. How To Use Keywords On Your CV

Incorporate Keywords

• Tailor your CV according to the job description you are applying for. Make sure to use the exact keywords and phrases that were used in the job application when they were highlighting the skills needed, requirements, Tools and the industry jargon related to the remote job you are applying for in South Africa.
• Use both names and abbreviations of the technical terms on your job application for example Search Engine Optimisation(SEO)
• Avoid overcrowding the CV with keywords, keep it subtle and natural but good enough to be picked when scanned by the ATS

3. Highlight Remote Work Skills and Experience

• Include your soft skills and essential skills that are relevant to the remote job you are applying to in South Africa, skills like time management, self-motivation and good communication skills are necessary.
• If you have worked with remote collaboration tools like Slack and zoom then you should also highlight that
• If you have worked a remote job before then include it in your job description no matter how non related it is to the one you are applying for.

4. Optimize the CV Structure to make it ATS friendly

Name and Contact Information

• Use your full name at the top, write it in clear format with a larger font
• Use your professional email on your contacts, phone number and a LinkedIn profile. 
• If you have experience in the job add links to your online portfolio or personal website.
• Include your exact location e.g Pretoria, South Africa to show that you are in the country or available for the relevant time zone.

Professional Summary

• Be short and precise but not excluding the important information
• Write 2 to 3 sentences summarizing thoroughly explaining your remote work experience, your skills that are relevant to the job and your career objectives.
• For example, “ Experience Graphic Designer with over 5 years of remote work experience, skilled in Adobe, Illustrator, cloudset and Dreamweaver. Proficient in using management tools like Trello and meet deadlines effectively”

Key Skills

• List 5-10 key skills that are aligned with the job you are applying for, making sure that they match the keywords in the remote job posted.
  Example:
  • Project Management
  • SEO Optimization
  • Google Analytics
  • Time Management
  • Team Collaboration Tools (Slack, Zoom)

Work Experience

• For each job, include a:

• Job title 
• company name
• Dates of employment in a monthly or yearly format
• The exact location even the location you remotely worked from
• Use bullet points to list all your strength and skills  and include results under key responsibilities and achievements e.g managed a social media account resulting in 30 percent growth within a month

Education

• Start with the name of your degree or qualification Include the institution name
• Then lastly dates of attendance
• Start with your latest qualification to your earliest
• (e.g BA Hons in Broadcasting and journalism/ University of Cape Town/ 20009-2013)

Certifications (Optional)

• Include relevant certifications, and short courses you have done that are related to the remote work you are applying for. especially ones related to remote work (e.g “Google Analytics Certified)

Additional Sections

• Languages: If you are multilingual then you should list your languages and how fluent you are with them
• Include any relevant remote or online volunteering experiences.

5. Focus on Achievements

• Highlight your quantifiable achievements and how you improved results in your previous job
• Make action verbs like led, managed, implemented and improved to highlight the input you will be bringing to the company.

6. Proofread and Edit

• Make sure your CV is clear of mistakes, no spelling or grammatical errors as ATS systems may lower your ranking if they detect errors. 
• After proofreading and editing, have a fresh new pair of eyes to look at your CV as someone else may detect the errors you missed.

7. Optimize for Remote Job Requirements

• Showcase how you have adapted to working remotely and experience with different time zones and proficiency in technology. (e.g experience with cloud based tools.)

Example ATS-Friendly CV Layout Below