What is an ATS and Why Does It Matter?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by 98% of Fortune 500 companies to screen resumes before they ever reach a human recruiter. These systems scan, sort, and rank resumes based on keywords, formatting, and relevance to the job description.
If your resume isn't ATS-friendly, it will likely be rejected before anyone sees it—no matter how qualified you are. But don't worry! With the right approach, you can create a resume that both ATS and human recruiters will love.
📘 Info
📊 ATS Statistics You Need to Know
- 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before reaching a human
- Only 2% of applicants make it to the interview stage
- ATS spends an average of 6-8 seconds scanning each resume
- 80% of recruiters use ATS to filter candidates
Top ATS-Friendly Resume Tips
1. Use Standard Section Headings
ATS systems look for standard headings like "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," and "Professional Summary." Avoid creative headings like "My Journey" or "What I Do." Keep it simple so the parser matches it correctly.
2. Include Relevant Keywords
Carefully read the job description and identify keywords related to skills, qualifications, and responsibilities. Naturally incorporate these throughout your resume. Do not keyword stuff, as a human will eventually read it.
🎨 Tip
💡 Pro Tip:
Create a "Core Competencies" section at the top of your resume with 10-15 keywords relevant to your target role. This makes parsing extremely easy for the algorithm.
3. Avoid Tables and Columns
While tables and columns look nice, they confuse ATS software. Stick to a simple, single-column layout that's easy for ATS to parse. Multicolumn layouts often cause the parsing engine to read text out of order.
4. Use Standard Fonts
Stick to Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. Avoid decorative fonts that may not render properly or fail to parse in older applicant tracking systems.
5. Save as PDF (Correctly)
Save your PDF as "PDF/A" or use a standard word processor to create it. Some older tracking systems cannot parse PDF files and prefer DOCX, but standard PDFs work well with modern systems.
6. Don't Use Headers or Footers
Many ATS systems cannot read information in headers and footers. Place all important information, like your email and phone number, in the main body of your resume.
7. Use Bullet Points
Bullet points are easier for both ATS and humans to scan. Use them to list achievements and responsibilities rather than writing long blocks of text.
ATS-Friendly Resume Template
Here is a basic structure of a resume that applicant tracking systems can parse with 100% accuracy:
[Your Full Name]
[Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn] | [Location]
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
[3-4 sentences highlighting your experience, skills, and value proposition]
CORE COMPETENCIES
• Skill 1 • Skill 2 • Skill 3 • Skill 4 • Skill 5
WORK EXPERIENCE
[Company Name] | [Location]
[Job Title] | [Dates]
• Achievement with metric (e.g. Increased revenue by 25%)
• Achievement with metric (e.g. Speared project that saved 10 hours weekly)
• Core responsibility related to the job description
EDUCATION
[Degree] in [Field of Study]
[University Name], [Year]
Common ATS Mistakes to Avoid
Watch out for these frequent errors that lead to automatic rejection:
- ❌ Using images, logos, or graphics (which the parser turns to blank characters)
- ❌ Fancy formatting with nested text boxes
- ❌ Uncommon section headings (e.g., "My Professional Passion")
- ❌ Spelling and grammar errors (ATS won't recognize misspelled keywords)
- ❌ Overly long paragraphs with no bullet points
📘 Info
🎯 Key Takeaway
Your resume needs to be optimized for both ATS and human readers. Use our AI Resume Builder to automatically check your resume against ATS requirements and get instant improvement suggestions!
