Did you know your CV might be read by a robot before a human? More businesses are now using AI or Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan CVs before a recruiter or hiring manager even sees them. If your CV isn’t AI-friendly, it might be getting filtered out before you even get a chance.

At Nobul, we believe candidates deserve transparency and support, so we’ve pulled together some quick, practical tips to help your CV beat the bots and actually get seen.

Whether you’re actively looking for a new role or just updating your CV, these are things every candidate should know.

Keep formatting simple

AI systems struggle with complicated designs. While a graphic-heavy CV might look great, it can confuse screening software.

• Stick to clean, standard fonts such as Arial or Calibri.
• Avoid text boxes, tables, or images.
• Save your CV as a Word document or PDF to ensure readability.

Use clear section headings like Work Experience, Education, and Skills so the AI knows what it’s scanning.

Use relevant keywords

AI filters are designed to look for matches against the job description.

• Pick out key skills, certifications, or software mentioned in the advert.
• Integrate them naturally into your CV.
• Provide context: instead of simply writing “managed payroll” write something like; Managed payroll and employee records using Sage, ensuring compliance with employment law.

This ensures your CV reads well for both machines and humans.

3. Tailor your CV to every role

Generic CVs rarely make the cut. AI loves relevance.

• Identify 3–5 essential skills or experiences highlighted in the job advert.
• Showcase them in your work history and skills section.
• Align your achievements with the role’s requirements.
• Highlight real-life examples or specific projects you’ve worked on that demonstrate your suitability. This not only makes your CV stand out but also builds trust with employers.

Focus on achievements

AI systems give weight to measurable results.

• Use action-driven statements with outcomes.
• Example: “Increased client retention by 15% through targeted relationship management.”
• Numbers, percentages, and results help your CV stand out.

This also shows recruiters and hiring managers the impact you’ve made, not just the tasks you handled.

Don’t forget the human reader

Getting through AI screening is only the first hurdle, your CV still needs to impress a recruiter.

• Use bullet points for clarity.
• Keep sentences concise.
• Ensure it’s easy to skim in under 30 seconds.

Remember: AI gets you noticed, but people make hiring decisions.

AI screening is here to stay, but candidates who adapt their CVs will avoid being lost in the system. By keeping your formatting clean, tailoring to each role, focusing on achievements, highlighting real projects, and following practical AI-friendly tips, you’ll boost your chances of getting noticed.

Ready to take the next step in your job search? Get in touch!

The recruitment world often glorifies the idea of being a “subject matter expert” (SME). Build a niche, stick to it, and you’ll thrive. Easy. Recruitment, completed it. Except, the reality isn’t so straightforward. Specialising in one tiny area might help you speed up the process, but it limits your ability to adapt and truly recruit in the way a businesses business needs, adding real value to their talent strategies. Recruitment isn’t about staying in one narrow lane, it’s about knowing how to drive well, no matter the terrain.

The secret to winning in recruitment

Success doesn’t come from sticking to a niche. It comes from knowing how to recruit. Ask the right questions, dig deep into your client’s challenges, and offer talent strategies that genuinely help. “knowing what to do is not the major challenge faced by executives, it’s knowing who to do it” as Geoff Smart puts it in one of my favourite recruitment books! Mastering the craft of recruitment—understanding business goals, helping companies define what “good looks like” to enable their business to solve problems and grow, helping companies predicting on the job success and deciphering talent motivations—is what sets you apart.

When you can swiftly identify needs, frame a recruitment strategy, and add value, you’re not just filling roles—you’re transforming partnerships. That’s a skillset that can be applied across industries, functions, and markets.

Are subject matter experts really better for clients?

It’s easy to assume that an has an edge because they can access or deliver profiles quicker. But it’s important to note, those profiles are often being sent to multiple other clients simultaneously. If candidates are interviewing with four or five other businesses, how much of a partner is that SME, really?

True recruitment partnership is about more than speed. It’s about providing tailored advice, focusing on quality, and finding candidates who align closely with a client’s goals. That’s what businesses need—and it’s what generalists, or rather recruitment experts, excel at.

What can recruitment experts achieve?

Proof that being generalist works, we have grown every single year since 2019 and our “power stats” I believe would stand up against any business;

• 96% retention rate 12 months plus
• Fill rate of 1 in 1.12
• 21 working days average fill rate of roles
• 7 client interview to placement ratio

And this covers a variety of roles from CEOs, Marketing Directors, Customer Services Executives, Project Managers, Cyber Security Managers, Account Managers and Executive Assistants for a plethora of organisations from FTSE 100 companies, PE backed tech firms to government owned bodies.

These stats are not shared to boast (albeit Simon does like to call me a “boaster”). They’re shared because if you truly focus on being a recruitment partner (an actual partner, not the word used on 90% of recruitment company websites that means sod all) and focus on being great at recruitment not building a network.. you can really add value to clients and build long term relationships.

We’re Recruiters, not “generalists”

I dislike the word “generalist.” It implies a lack of focus or expertise when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. At Nobul, we aren’t generalists—we’re Recruiters, talent acquisition experts! We’ve honed our craft to work across fields, industries, and challenges. We know how to truly recruit and can help companies build business defining talent strategies; and that transcends any label or niche.

Stop obsessing over subject matter expertise and start focusing on recruitment expertise. That’s where the real magic lies.