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ATS-friendly CV for jobs in Indonesia: a readable format that protects your data

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

An ATS-friendly CV uses a simple layout, standard headings and keywords from the vacancy. How to make one on a phone, with no experience, and what to omit.

Summary

  • An ATS is software many companies use to screen applications, so a CV must be easy for both machines and people to read.
  • The safest format is one column, a standard font, common section headings and a text-based PDF.
  • Do not put your NIK, bank account number or a photo of your ID card on a CV; such data can be misused if it reaches scammers.
  • Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 prohibits employers from discriminating on any basis during recruitment.
  • Employers can check BNSP competence certificates, so list one only if you actually hold it.
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On this page
  1. What is an ATS-friendly CV?
  2. Which CV format is easiest for an ATS to read?
  3. How do you use keywords from the vacancy without exaggerating?
  4. Which sections should a CV include?
  5. Which personal data does not belong on a CV?
  6. Should you include a photo, your age and marital status on a CV?
  7. How do you write a CV without work experience?
  8. How do you send your CV safely?

What is an ATS-friendly CV?

An ATS-friendly CV is written so that an applicant tracking system (ATS) can read it. An ATS is software that many companies and job portals use to store, search and screen applications. It reads the text of your CV and matches it with the vacancy's needs. If the layout is hard for the software to read, important details can be missed even when you meet the requirements. An ATS-friendly CV is also easier for human recruiters to read.

Which CV format is easiest for an ATS to read?

Use one column, a standard font such as Arial or Calibri at a readable size, and common section headings such as Work Experience, Education, Skills and Certificates. Avoid tables, double columns, icons, skill charts and text placed inside images. Save it as a text-based PDF (not a scan) or the format the vacancy asks for, with a clear file name such as Name-Position.pdf.

How do you use keywords from the vacancy without exaggerating?

Read the vacancy carefully and mark the skills, tools and terms it repeats. Add those terms to your CV only if you really have them, ideally in sentences that show evidence, such as the tools you used and the results you achieved. Do not paste hidden keyword lists or claim skills you lack; that is easy to spot in an interview or test.

Which sections should a CV include?

The basic CV sections are: name and contact details (e-mail and phone), a short two-to-three-sentence summary, work or internship experience with concrete results, education, skills, and certificates and training. For a BNSP competence certificate, write the scheme name and the issuing certification body; employers can check it on the BNSP website with its blank or certificate number. List experience from the most recent.

Which personal data does not belong on a CV?

Do not put your NIK (national ID number), bank account number, a photo of your ID card, passwords or health information on a CV. Law 27/2022 on Personal Data Protection classes health and personal financial data as specific personal data (Article 4), and the Ministry of Manpower warns that ID cards or account numbers sent to fake recruiters can be misused. Give your city rather than your full address unless an official portal asks for it.

Should you include a photo, your age and marital status on a CV?

Only if asked and relevant. Ministry of Manpower Circular M/6/HK.04/V/2025 of 28 May 2025 prohibits employers from discriminating on any basis during recruitment, and limits age requirements to jobs whose nature objectively affects a person's ability to do them. Many ATS-friendly CVs have no photo. If an official portal asks for certain data, enter it there, not in a CV file that circulates widely.

How do you write a CV without work experience?

Highlight other evidence of ability: internships, organisations, school or university projects, side jobs and training. Official training such as the National Vocational Training Programme on the Ministry of Manpower's Skillhub gives a training certificate, and participants who pass the test receive a BNSP competence certificate. New diploma and degree graduates can also join MagangHub, which gives a ministry certificate to those who complete the programme.

How do you send your CV safely?

Send your CV through the company's official careers site, official portals such as Karirhub, or an e-mail address on the company's domain. The Ministry of Manpower lists recruiters using free e-mail or website domains as a sign of a fake job. Do not send your CV to numbers that ask for fees, app files or bank details. Keep a list of the applications you sent so you can recognise genuine interview calls.

CV checklist before sending

  • One-column layout, standard font, no tables or text inside images.
  • Common section headings: Experience, Education, Skills, Certificates.
  • Keywords from the vacancy are used honestly and backed by evidence.
  • No NIK, bank account number, ID card photo or health information.
  • A text-based PDF with a clear file name.
  • Sent only to the company's official channels.

Frequently asked questions

Does a CV have to be one page?

There is no fixed rule. For new graduates, one page is usually enough and easier for recruiters. What matters more is content relevant to the vacancy, a clear order and a format an ATS can read.

Can I use a CV template full of graphics and columns?

You can for printing or for a human recruiter, but on application portals that use an ATS, templates with many columns, tables, icons and text inside images often come out jumbled. Keep a simple one-column version for online applications.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Surat Edaran Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor M/6/HK.04/V/2025 tentang Larangan Diskriminasi dalam Proses Rekrutmen Tenaga Kerja JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · SE Menaker M/6/HK.04/V/2025 · accessed
  2. Undang-Undang Nomor 27 Tahun 2022 tentang Pelindungan Data Pribadi Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 27/2022 · accessed
  3. 6 Ciri Lowongan Kerja Bodong yang Perlu Diwaspadai Kompas TV · official statement via media · accessed
  4. BNSP: Sistem Verifikasi Sertifikat Kompetensi Kerja Elektronik Badan Nasional Sertifikasi Profesi · accessed
  5. Skillhub Kemnaker: Program Pelatihan Vokasi Nasional (FAQ dan jadwal) Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (Skillhub) · accessed
  6. FAQ Program Pemagangan Nasional (MagangHub) Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (MagangHub) · accessed
  7. Karirhub Kemnaker Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (Karirhub) · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). ATS-friendly CV for jobs in Indonesia: a readable format that protects your data. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/guides/ats-friendly-cv/

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