Is the creative CV a thing of the past? Employers often say they're searching for 鈥渁typical profiles.鈥� Recruiters emphasize the importance of highlighting soft skills and tailoring resumes to be personalized as key ways to stand out in today's highly competitive global job market. But with artificial intelligence reshaping recruitment, has the game changed? And how can expats, or those planning to move abroad, adapt their resumes to get past AI screening systems?
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The CV in the age of AI
First, let's reassure fans of creative CVs: originality still has a place in the job market, provided you adapt it to the local culture and technological expectations of the country you're targeting. The 鈥淎I revolution鈥� has radically transformed recruitment methods. Large companies now rely heavily on AI-powered systems to filter applications. In small and mid-sized companies, however, hiring still often follows a more traditional process, partly for budget reasons, but sometimes by choice.
Some organizations openly acknowledge their use of AI in the recruitment process. Others prefer not to mention it, as candidate-tracking software (ATS) has been criticized for reinforcing bias. For example, some ATS have been accused of automatically rejecting female candidates in specific fields like science or IT. Others may filter out resumes based on geographical origin. Studies confirm that poorly trained or badly configured AI can make flawed decisions. To mitigate this, many employers claim they carry out random manual checks.
How do you succeed in this new hiring environment?
Since your resume is the first point of contact with a potential employer, it's essential to adapt it for both AI screening and human recruiters. The keywords here: simplicity, clarity, and precision.
Stick to a simple layout
While creative profiles are sometimes valued (especially in certain industries), overly unconventional resumes鈥攙ideo CVs, illustrated resumes, or resume-book hybrids鈥攁re still rare. In most cases, employers prefer a straightforward document. This is especially true in countries where CV formats are standardized and strictly codified. To maximize your chances of passing AI filters, keep your layout simple. Avoid fancy graphics, logos, complex bullet points, multi-column formats, or decorative boxes. Even subtle design features can confuse applicant tracking systems and lead to your CV being discarded.
Use the right keywords
When responding to a job posting, make sure to integrate keywords directly from the job description. Applicant tracking systems are designed to pick up on these words, similar to how search engines work. The same applies to spontaneous applications: research the terminology the company uses and mirror it in your CV. Always choose terms that are relevant, concise, and precise.
Structure your resume clearly
ATS software favors resumes that are clean, coherent, and well-structured. Luckily, that's exactly what makes a resume appealing to a human recruiter too.
Think about readability: hiring managers often skim resumes quickly. A good CV should make it easy to distinguish your professional background, skills, and personal interests at a glance. If the information is cluttered or poorly organized, most recruiters won't take the time to figure it out. For AI, the result is even worse鈥攎essy resumes are often rejected outright.
Avoid logos, jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations
鈥淏2B expert, optimized new M2M model, achieved +20% ROI鈥︹�� In other words: business-to-business (B2B), machine-to-machine听(M2M), and return on investment (ROI). You may think industry jargon makes you sound more credible, but in reality, it can make your CV harder to read, even for AI.
The general rule: don't overload your resume with abbreviations, acronyms, or insider terminology. Your skills will shine through in clearer, simpler language. The same principle applies when adapting your CV for AI filters: clarity and precision always beat buzzwords and complexity.
Highlight your skills and achievements
Algorithms reward resumes that provide measurable, concrete information. Instead of vague statements about 鈥渟uccessful missions鈥� or 鈥渟ignificant contributions,鈥� use facts and figures, such as 鈥淚ncreased sales by 30%鈥� or 鈥淎cquired 3,500 new clients within one year鈥�.
The same applies to languages: avoid vague terms like 鈥渋ntermediate level.鈥� Instead, specify certifications or scores (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, DELF). Be equally specific about the software and tools you truly master. Recruiters and AI systems both prefer clear, verifiable skills over vague claims.
Choose a compatible file format
When sending your CV, PDF is your best friend. It preserves your formatting across devices and ensures the recruiter sees exactly what you intended. Avoid image files (unprofessional) and Word documents (your layout might be altered, and some ATS can't parse them correctly). Always send a simple, password-free PDF.
Test your CV with free tools
Want to check how well your CV performs against AI filters? Several free platforms can help. In English, you can use , , or . CVreader, CVdesignr, and CVcatcher are also quite popular. These tools simulate how an ATS scans your resume and highlight areas for improvement. Keep in mind that all the adjustments you make to pass AI filters will also benefit your interactions with human recruiters. In reality, these are common-sense tips. A clear, well-structured, precisely worded CV鈥攕ent in the right format鈥攊s far more effective than a cluttered or overly flashy document. For prospective expats, the golden rule is adaptation: apply these principles while tailoring your CV to the standards of the country where you plan to work.
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