CV parsing is software that reads a CV automatically and converts it into filled-in fields in an ATS: name, contact details, work experience, education and skills. Every candidate who comes in is then immediately available as a searchable profile in the system, without retyping.
CV parsing in practice
In recruitment, speed is a competitive advantage: the recruiter who calls first wins the placement more often. Parsing removes the backlog that builds up on busy days because CVs 'still need to be entered'. The second effect is data quality: structured fields make searching and matching within your database far better.
Parsing is good but not perfect — creative layouts, tables and scans sometimes produce messy fields. So set up a short check step and let the integration de-duplicate on email address or phone number, otherwise your database gets polluted faster instead. More in the recruitment automation playbook.
Related terms
- ATS — An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is the candidate-tracking system of a recruitment organisation: vacancies, candidates, matches and the progress per procedure in one system.
- Multiposting — Multiposting is entering a vacancy once and publishing it automatically to multiple job boards, social channels and your own website at the same time — including taking it down as soon as the vacancy is filled.
- Time-to-fill — Time-to-fill is the number of days between opening a vacancy and the moment it is filled — the candidate has signed.