AUTHOR
Tracie Close
Job Search & Career Strategist
Tracie Close is a job search and career strategist specialising in job search optimisation, CV writing, and employer branding. With more than 16 years of experience supporting recruiters, HR teams, and job seekers, she brings deep insights into hiring practices and applicant tracking systems (ATS). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Writing Arts from Rowan University and has led digital strategy projects for global tech firms.
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In 2025, a standout tech CV must meet modern ATS standards. Explore proven ATS CV formatting tips, ATS keywords strategies, and trends so you can land a top tech interview.
In 2025, landing a top tech role—whether in software engineering, DevOps, data science, or cybersecurity— requires more than experience—it demands a CV engineered to meet the dual standards of human recruiters and AI-driven applicant tracking systems (ATS). With hiring processes becoming increasingly data-driven and selective, CVs that once passed may now be filtered out before a human ever sees them.
The most effective tech CVs are streamlined, results-oriented, and keyword-optimised. They reflect the latest formatting standards, prioritise relevant experience, and avoid unnecessary sections or visual distractions. That means tailoring your CV content to the job description to ensure alignment with the key terms and keywords for applicant tracking systems that hiring managers seek.
Understanding current trends in CV structure, language, and recruiter expectations is essential to staying competitive in the increasingly demanding tech hiring landscape.
The global tech job market is expanding rapidly. According to the ManpowerGroup survey for Q2 2025, the IT sector leads global growth expectations with a 35% hiring outlook. This places it ahead of other key industries, including Financials and Real Estate (32%), Health Care and Life Sciences (28%), and Industrials and Materials (27%).
As a result, the expectations for tech CVs have shifted significantly. Recruiters no longer scan for long lists of responsibilities—they prioritise clear, measurable outcomes and immediately relevant experience. With more standardised hiring processes and higher applicant volumes, companies are raising the bar on what qualifies as a standout CV.
At the same time, ATS technology is more sophisticated than ever, scanning CVs for keywords and structure, clarity, and formatting consistency. CVs that rely on visual elements like columns, tables, or heavy styling often fail to make it past these filters.
Modern CV templates in 2025 are built for readability and machine parsing. That means clean headers, simple typography, logical section flow, and a concise, professionally worded summary that positions the candidate. In this landscape, clarity isn’t optional—it’s a competitive advantage.
In 2025, the most effective tech CVs will lead with clarity and impact. Recruiters and ATS platforms favour CVs focusing on quantifiable results, not just responsibilities. Bullet points that include metrics (e.g., “increased system efficiency by 25%”) make it easier to assess value at a glance.
Rather than listing soft skills as standalone points, candidates are expected to demonstrate them through outcomes, such as mentoring junior engineers, leading cross-functional sprints, or managing technical documentation across distributed teams.
Another key trend is an increased focus on the professional summary. Candidates with five or more years of experience should include a 2–4 line summary that positions their technical focus and strengths. This section should not list achievements—those belong in the experience section—but instead serve as a sharp, role-aligned introduction. Clean formatting and high-impact phrasing matter more than ever.
Tech hiring managers want proof of proficiency—not just project results. Use your CV to name specific tools, frameworks, and platforms you’ve used (e.g., React, Kubernetes, Django, AWS). Don’t just say “worked on backend systems”—specify what tech stack, scale, and performance metrics were involved.
“One of the fastest ways recruiters scan for fit is by skimming for tech stack alignment. The more specific you are—naming tools, frameworks, and platforms—the faster we can connect you to the right opportunities.”
— Marisa Goldberg, Senior Director of Recruiting at Toptal
Today’s recruiters are also scanning for formatting consistency and ATS compatibility. Layouts that include emojis, graphics, or unusual fonts are often filtered out or cause parsing issues. Trending CV templates for 2025 prioritise readability and simplicity, using clean fonts, aligned sections, and spacing designed for machine readability.
A well-structured CV helps recruiters and ATS software quickly understand your qualifications, experience, and technical strengths. While content should be tailored to each job application, the structure should follow a clear, familiar order, especially in the tech industry.
Here are the key sections every 2025 tech CV should include, based on current industry standards and best practices:
Forward-looking organisations are moving towards skills-based hiring models, as emphasised by Deloitte’s recent analysis of workforce trends. McKinsey reports that 87% of companies globally report a widening skills gap, particularly in digital and technical domains, fuelling a shift away from degree-based hiring towards skills-based evaluations.
For tech professionals, this section is non-negotiable. Recruiters and ATS systems rely on it to quickly assess technical fit. List specific tools, frameworks, programming languages, and environments you’re proficient in—e.g., React, Terraform, PostgreSQL—not general terms like “web development” or “software design.”
"Your skills section is prime real estate for both ATS software and human reviewers. I often decide in 10 seconds whether to keep reading based on how clearly the tech stack is presented."
— Marisa Goldberg, Senior Director of Recruiting at Toptal
How to structure it effectively:
Use these only if they add professional value:
The reverse-chronological format remains the gold standard for tech CVs in 2025—and for good reason. It’s familiar to recruiters, easy for ATS software to scan, and highlights recent, relevant experience first. Unlike hybrid or functional formats, which can obscure career progression or confuse parsing systems, a straightforward chronological layout offers structure without complexity.
Modern CV formats should eliminate unnecessary sections, such as objective statements or personal hobbies. Every section should contribute professional value, whether through measurable results, technical proficiencies, or certifications.
A tech CV should ideally be no more than two pages. While senior professionals may require additional space to showcase their experience, CV length alone isn’t what recruiters prioritise. Instead of trimming important content or adjusting formatting to fit space constraints, candidates should focus on clarity, removing general descriptions, consolidating older education entries, and refining bullet points to one line where possible.
Even minor issues can disrupt ATS parsing or distract hiring managers. Follow these CV ATS format best practices to make your CV as effective—and scannable—as possible.
According to a 2025 report from Gartner, hiring managers and recruiters prioritise candidates who list specific, in-demand tech skills using the same terminology as job postings. ATS platforms are designed to scan CVs for specific ATS keywords and patterns that match the job description. If your CV doesn’t include the correct language or buries it too deep in dense paragraphs, it may be filtered out before it ever reaches a hiring manager.
Keywords include technical skills, tools, frameworks, certifications, and job titles. For tech roles, this might include languages like Python or Go, tools like Docker or Jenkins, or platforms like GCP or Azure. ATS software isn’t just looking for whether a skill is mentioned—it also considers where it appears, how often it’s used, and whether it aligns with other parts of your CV.
The most efficient way to identify keywords is to review the job description closely and note repeated terms, required tools or platforms, and the way responsibilities are framed. Then, incorporate those keywords naturally into your CV, especially within the “Core Skills” section and throughout your bullet points and summary.
The “Core Skills and Certifications” section plays a vital role in keyword optimisation. It surfaces your most relevant capabilities in a concentrated, scannable format, making it easier for ATS software to pick up key qualifications quickly. Ideally, limit this list to 15–20 targeted skills that reflect your background and the role you’re applying for.
Pro Tip: For tech professionals—especially engineers and developers—highlight technical proficiency early. Include a dedicated “Core Skills” section before the “Work Experience” section so recruiters can quickly determine whether you meet the role’s technical requirements before reviewing your full background.
When it comes to tech CV trends and formatting, attention to detail and tailoring content to the role are no longer optional—they’re essential. Following proven formatting guidelines and applying the right keywords significantly improves a CV’s performance with both ATS systems and human reviewers.
Tools like Toptal Resume’s ATS score checker can help identify exactly where a CV falls short—from missing keywords to formatting inconsistencies—so candidates can make targeted improvements. These adjustments ultimately increase the CV’s chances of passing ATS filters and progressing in the tech hiring process.
