Offshore CV ATS Checklist: 18 checks before you apply
These are the checks we run on every CV before it goes to a North Sea agency. Work through them honestly. If more than four fail, your CV is being filtered out before a human ever reads it.
A UK offshore CV passes agency screening when it is a single column Word or text based PDF, carries a certificate matrix with expiry dates in the top third of page one, names the installation, operator and rotation for every contract, and uses the exact job title being advertised. Most rejected CVs fail on formatting or missing ticket dates, not experience.
1. File and formatting (checks 1 to 5)
- Saved as a single column .docx or a text based PDF, not a scan or image export.
- No tables, text boxes, columns, headers or footers holding critical information.
- One standard font throughout, 10 to 12pt, black text, no coloured infographics or skill bars.
- File named FirstName-Surname-Role-CV, not cv-final-v3.
- Two to three pages, with the newest role finishing on page one.
2. Certificates and compliance (checks 6 to 10)
- A certificate matrix in the top third of page one with expiry dates against every ticket.
- Each ticket named exactly as issued: BOSIET, CA-EBS, MIST, OGUK medical, GWO BST, STCW.
- Nothing expired left on the CV without a booked renewal date next to it.
- Vantage or trade body numbers included where you hold them.
- A one line availability statement: all tickets in date, available to mobilise immediately.
3. Content and keywords (checks 11 to 14)
- The exact job title you are applying for appears in your headline and profile.
- Every contract shows the installation or vessel, operator, and rotation pattern (2/2, 3/3, 3/4).
- Achievements carry numbers: lifts completed, shutdown days, defect rates, crew sizes.
- Equipment and systems named specifically, because those are the terms recruiters search for.
4. The details that lose interviews (checks 15 to 18)
- Phone number in full international format and a professional email address.
- Gaps between contracts explained in a single line rather than left blank.
- No personal statement longer than four lines, and no references section taking up space.
- Proofread out loud, because spelling errors in equipment names are the fastest rejection of all.
ATS and offshore CV questions
What is an ATS and do offshore agencies use one?
An applicant tracking system is the software agencies use to store and filter CVs. Almost every UK offshore agency uses one, so a CV that a machine cannot read reliably is filtered out before a recruiter opens it.
What format should an offshore CV be sent in?
A single column Word document or a text based PDF. Avoid tables, text boxes, headers, footers, columns, graphics and photos, because those are the parts ATS parsers most often drop or scramble.
How long should an offshore CV be?
Two to three pages for most offshore roles. Certificates and rotation history matter more than length, but anything past four pages usually means duties are being repeated for every contract.
Where should certificates go on an offshore CV?
In a certificate matrix in the top third of page one, with each ticket named exactly as issued (BOSIET, CA-EBS, MIST, OGUK medical, GWO BST) plus its expiry date.
Next: see the layout in our offshore CV example, or read the 2026 offshore certifications guide.