Question 1

What is ATS?

Accepted Answer

Applicant Tracking System — software recruiters use to filter and rank CVs. There are legacy systems (Taleo, older SAP) that match literally on exact keywords, and modern systems (Workday 2024+, Ashby, SmartRecruiters) that understand semantic relationships. If your CV doesn't pass the filter, it never reaches a human.

Question 2

What does the score mean?

Accepted Answer

0–40 = serious issues, likely filtered out. 40–65 = passes legacy ATS but recruiters skip sections. 65–85 = solid across modern and legacy systems. 85–100 = very strong.

Question 3

What's the difference between this free check and the one in the app?

Accepted Answer

This free check looks at content only — we see the text from your file and evaluate headings, quantification, language, and keywords. The full analysis in the app visually inspects your PDF (columns, graphics, icons that trip up ATS parsers), tailors feedback to your target market (photo norms, sensitive data per country), and flags every generic phrase with a concrete rewrite.

Question 4

Is it true that 75% of CVs get filtered out by robots?

Accepted Answer

That number is exaggerated. Current industry research suggests 40–60% depending on role — and it's more often because candidates don't meet hard requirements (education, certifications, work authorization) than because of "robot errors." About 15% of rejections come from genuine parsing problems like bad layout. Those are the ones we help you avoid.

Question 5

Do I need to tailor my CV per country?

Accepted Answer

Yes — ATS norms vary dramatically. In the US/UK/Australia, photos are strictly forbidden (anti-discrimination) and date of birth must be removed. In Germany/France, photos are still standard. Japan has its own format entirely (Rirekisho). The full analysis in the app flags exactly what to adjust for your target market.

Question 6

Is my CV stored?

Accepted Answer

Your file is stored anonymously for up to 7 days so the analysis can be moved to your account if you sign up. After that it's automatically deleted. We also use de-identified aggregate data (e.g. score distribution across all uploads) for public statistics at vikkla.com/en/ats-stats — nothing in that output is traceable to an individual.

Is your CV getting past ATS?