Applying for a Data Analyst role?

Let's get you past the first filter.

Is your CV speaking the ATS's language?

Here's what an ATS scans for in a Data Analyst CV, and how to use it without gaming the system.

Check your CV's match Free. No registration required.

Before you hit apply

What the ATS is actually scanning for.

An applicant tracking system can use your CV's content and structure to help match, filter, or surface candidates. For a Data Analyst role, these are the terms worth checking against the job description, drawn from the work itself and the language that commonly appears in postings.

Skills & responsibilities

Data analysisSQLData cleaningStatistical analysisData visualisationBusiness intelligenceReportingDashboarding

Tools & platforms

SQLExcelPythonRTableauPower BIBigQuery

Drawn from the role's skills and the tools that commonly appear in postings.

The honest way to use them

Match the language. Don't fake it.

Keywords get you read. They don't get you hired. Here's how to use them so the ATS and the human behind it both come away convinced.

Use only what you can back up

“Python” on your CV invites a Python question. List only the tools and methods you'd be happy to be tested on.

Put them in context, not a list

Work the terms into real bullets about what you analysed and what changed. “SQL, Python, Tableau” as a bare list is what a recruiter skims straight past.

Mirror the exact posting

Use the wording the specific ad uses, where it's true for you. “Data visualisation” and “dashboarding” can be scored differently by the same system.

Keep the format clean

Odd columns, tables, and graphics can confuse older parsers. A plain structure reads cleanly to both the ATS and the human after it.

The ATS isn't judging your worth. It's a keyword-and-formatting filter. Match the role's real language, lead with what you found, and never claim a tool you couldn't open in the interview.

See your match

How many of these does your CV already have?

Drop your CV, add the job you're targeting, and see an honest, ATS-style match: which terms you've got and which are missing. Free, no account, and your CV carries straight over.

Illustrative example · not your result

64%

A decent keyword match. You're strong on querying and reporting terms; a couple of high-value analytical ones are missing.

SQL

Data visualisation

Statistical analysis · missing

Business intelligence · missing

Straight answers

Data Analyst ATS questions people usually ask.

How do I get my Data Analyst CV past the ATS?

Mirror the language of the specific posting where it's genuinely true of you, keep the formatting simple, and lead each bullet with what your analysis found or changed. There's no trick beyond honestly matching what the role asks for.

What keywords should a Data Analyst CV include?

Terms like data analysis, SQL, data cleaning, statistical analysis, and data visualisation, plus tools such as Excel, Python, and Tableau where you've used them. Only the ones you can back up.

Do I need SQL and Python on my Data Analyst CV?

SQL, for most roles, yes; it's the one nearly every posting expects. Python helps and many ads list it, but plenty of analyst jobs run on SQL, Excel, and a BI tool. Put on only what you actually use.

Does the ATS reject Data Analyst CVs automatically?

Many hiring workflows use software to rank, filter, or surface candidates rather than making a simple yes/no call on a CV alone. A weak match can still make you harder to find, which is why clear, relevant wording matters.

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