Glossary — job search, CVs, and ATS

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

Software recruiters use to filter and rank incoming CVs before a human reads them.

Two generations are in use in 2026. Legacy systems (Taleo, older SAP, older Workday) match literally on exact keywords — miss the word and you miss the match. Modern systems (Workday 2024+, Ashby, SmartRecruiters, Greenhouse) understand semantic relationships but still prefer correct formatting.

If your CV doesn't pass the ATS filter, it never reaches a human.

AIO (AI Optimization)

Adapting web content so AI engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Google AI Overviews — cite it accurately.

AIO is to SEO what SEO was to newspapers — a new distribution channel needs new adaptation work. Technically it involves structured data (JSON-LD), entity disambiguation, source transparency, and content AI engines can quote without hallucinating.

Kanban pipeline

Visual pipeline with columns mirroring stages in a process. For job hunting typically: Saved → To apply → Applied → Interview → Offer.

The method originated at Toyota and spread to software via Trello. For job hunting the value is seeing the whole pipeline at once — which reveals bottlenecks (e.g. many 'Saved' but few 'Applied' = you're under-selecting).

Application log

Structured log of which CV and cover letter was sent to which job, when, and what the response was.

Valuable in two modes: when you have many parallel applications and lose track of which version went where, and for retrospective analysis — which CV phrasings produced interviews and which produced rejections.

ATS score

Vikkla's 0-100 assessment of how well your CV is read by ATS systems, based on headings, quantification, language, and keyword usage.

Scale: 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.

Match score

Vikkla's assessment of how well your profile fits a specific job listing, based on overlap between the listing's requirements and your profile.

Genuineness (in CV context)

Measure of how authentic and personal your CV language is — the opposite of generic clichés, AI-stamped phrases, or corporate filler.

Vikkla flags low genuineness not to penalize AI-assisted CVs as a whole, but to help you see where your language has gone flat. Recruiters read hundreds of CVs and recognize the clichés ('hands-on', 'team player', 'detail-oriented') — we point them out so you can swap them for concrete examples.

Auto-apply

Tools that automatically submit job applications on your behalf, typically with a generic CV across all listings.

Vikkla doesn't auto-apply. Industry data and our own observations suggest auto-apply produces low response rates because submissions are generic and ATS systems often deprioritize them. We optimize for the opposite — fewer, well-tailored applications.

Cover letter (personal letter)

Application document explaining motivation, fit, and why you specifically — separate from the CV which lists experience.

Norms vary: in the US, cover letters are increasingly optional. In Sweden and much of Europe, they remain expected for white-collar roles and often weighted heavily in early screening.

Vikkla

Swedish SaaS tool for job search organization. The name derives from the Swedish verb 'utveckla' (to develop). Pronounced 'vee-kla'.