Recruitee is a popular ATS for in-house recruitment teams across Europe. It handles everything from job postings to candidate management, with a CV parser at its core. But if you're working with Recruitee, you'll know that CV import isn't always straightforward. Formatting quirks, unsupported file types, and parsing errors can slow you down.
TL;DR: Recruitee's CV parser works best with clean, simple Word or PDF files without complex layouts. Common parsing errors come from tables, images, and unusual fonts. Fixes usually mean reformatting before upload. Using a tested workflow reduces manual fixes and speeds your pipeline.
What is Recruitee and who uses it
Recruitee is an applicant tracking system designed primarily for in-house recruitment teams across the UK and Europe. It's popular with HR departments and hiring managers who want an all-in-one platform to post jobs, track applicants, and collaborate internally.
While smaller agencies sometimes use it, Recruitee's feature set and pricing model mainly suit corporate recruitment teams. Its interface balances ease of use with enough configurability for company-specific workflows.
The key attraction for recruiters is its CV parser, which extracts candidate information automatically. But users often find that the parser struggles with anything other than straightforward CVs. That's where understanding how the parser works helps.
How its CV parser actually works
Recruitee's CV parser uses a combination of layout analysis and keyword matching to extract candidate details like name, contact info, employment history, and education. It's optimised for CVs formatted in a traditional, chronological style.
The parser scans the file's text layer and relies heavily on consistent headings and simple formatting. It isn't designed to interpret complex tables, columns, or embedded images. Any deviation from plain text or standard headings increases the chance of errors.
Behind the scenes, it converts the CV to plain text and applies pattern matching to identify fields. This works well for Word DOCX and clean PDFs but can scramble data in scanned PDFs or heavily styled documents.
If the parser fails, fields may be misplaced, merged incorrectly, or omitted entirely. Recruiters then spend time manually correcting details—a drain on productivity.
Supported file formats and limits
Recruitee accepts the following CV file formats:
- DOCX (Microsoft Word)
- PDF (text-based, not scanned images)
- RTF (Rich Text Format)
- TXT (plain text)
DOCX is the preferred format for best parser accuracy. PDFs must have a selectable text layer; scanned or image-only PDFs won't parse correctly.
File size limits are around 10MB per CV. Larger files may upload but cause timeouts or partial parsing.
Recruitee doesn't support:
- Older DOC (Word 97-2003) files reliably
- CVs with embedded macros or unusual fonts
- Non-Latin alphabets without proper Unicode encoding
For best results, keep CVs under 3MB and use DOCX or text-based PDFs.
The 5 most common CV failures and how to fix them
1. Tables scramble candidate details
Recruitee's parser can't read tables properly. If you use tables to organise employment history or skills, the parser will merge cells or lose data.
Fix: Replace tables with simple line breaks and bullet points. Use plain lists for dates and roles. Avoid multi-column layouts.
2. Images and logos block parsing
Embedded photos, logos, or icons confuse the parser. It often skips sections or outputs gibberish where images appear.
Fix: Remove all images before upload. Candidate photos should be separate files, not embedded in the CV.
3. Unusual fonts cause character errors
Non-standard fonts or special characters may display incorrectly after parsing. This often affects accents or symbols.
Fix: Use standard system fonts like Arial or Calibri. Convert special characters to Unicode.
4. Scanned PDFs produce no text
Image-only PDFs from scanners have no text layer, so the parser reads nothing.
Fix: Ask candidates to submit Word or text-based PDFs. Use OCR software if you must accept scans, but expect errors.
5. Overly complex formatting breaks fields
Fancy layouts with columns, coloured text, or multiple sections confuse the parser's pattern matching.
Fix: Simplify formatting to one column, black text on white background, and consistent headings like "Employment history" or "Education."
Brand-kit + ATS-safe formatting workflow
To reduce manual fixes and improve Recruitee parsing:
- Start with a clean DOCX template using Arial or Calibri, size 11 or 12.
- Use single-column layout with standard headings (Employment history, Education, Skills).
- Use bullet points, not tables, for lists.
- Remove photos, logos, and graphics.
- Save as DOCX or export as a text-based PDF.
- Avoid headers, footers, and page numbers.
- Check file size stays below 3MB.
For branding, keep colours and fonts out of the CV itself. Instead, add logos or branding to your email signature or cover letter separately.
If you're sending batches of CVs to Recruitee clients, a formatting tool can save time. Distill reformats CVs to this spec automatically, removing photos, tables, and incompatible fonts before submission.
FAQ
Why does Recruitee miss some contact details?
The parser looks for standard labels like "Email" or "Phone". If CVs use unusual terms or place info in headers/footers, it might skip them. Keep contact info in the main body under clear headings.
Can I upload scanned CVs?
Technically yes, but scanned PDFs have no text layer, so parsing fails. OCR tools help but don't guarantee accuracy.
Does Recruitee support non-English CVs?
Recruitee can parse CVs in Latin alphabets if formatted clearly. Non-Latin scripts or mixed languages reduce accuracy.
How do I fix parsing errors after upload?
You must manually correct fields in Recruitee's candidate profile. It's quicker to fix formatting before upload.
Can CV formatting affect candidate ranking?
Yes. Misparsed dates or roles can cause candidates to be ranked incorrectly or filtered out.
If you're sending 20+ CVs a week to Recruitee clients, Distill formats them to the spec above automatically, stripping photos, tables, and incompatible fonts in seconds. Try Distill with your ATS export.