An ATS resume is a precisely written, structured, and formatted document to be easily read and scanned by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Having such a resume is essential in today’s job market, as many companies use these software solutions for initial candidate screening. If your resume doesn’t pass this stage, it may get discarded before it ever reaches human eyes.
This article explores in-depth what ATS is and how it works to teach you why your resume needs to be compatible with it, and how you can achieve that. We’ll give you the rules, actionable steps, and examples that you can follow.
Key Takeaways
An ATS resume is a document meticulously designed and structured to pass applicant tracking software screening with the highest score.
Applicant tracking systems work by analyzing resumes, their sections, and keywords, and extracting information about a candidate’s skills and qualifications.
Some of the best ATS tips for your resume include using a DOCX or PDF file format, the chronological structure, a standard font, and not adding complex visuals.
To create an ATS resume, read the job description to discover the relevant keywords, then implement those keywords strategically and organically throughout your resume.
What Is ATS and How Does It Work?
ATS stands for applicant tracking system, and it’s a recruitment software that companies use to scan, score, and rank job applications. Around 98% of Fortune 500 companies are confirmed to use ATS; while the rest don’t use a detectable system, they may still use proprietary software.
When you submit your resume to a company that uses ATS, it typically goes straight into the software database instead of the recruiter’s inbox. ATS then parses the document, ignoring the non-essentials (like colors and graphics) and focusing on raw text from which it extracts information.
Text is usually sorted into distinct fields like contact information, work experience, or skills, to allow applicant tracking systems to work with data efficiently. At this point, ATS compares your resume to the job description by looking for specific keywords (e.g., your job title, tools, skills, certifications).
Based on all this, ATS then scores and ranks resumes of all job applicants. If the resume layout is confusing (making it difficult to parse) or if there are not enough keywords that match the job description (making it less relevant), it will likely be ranked lower in dashboards.
Additionally, recruiters may also use specific filters (e.g., years of experience or location) to automatically discard resumes of candidates who don’t meet these criteria.
2 ATS-Friendly Resume Examples
Before we teach you how to write ATS-friendly documents, here are two resume examples to show you what they look like, starting with a software engineer resume:
Here’s another example, this time of an architect's resume:
Why You Should Make Your Resume ATS-Friendly
You should make your resume ATS-friendly to make sure that recruiters get to see it. Since most medium and large companies use ATS software, unoptimized resumes may get discarded even if candidates are perfectly qualified for the roles for which they are applying.
Here are the key benefits of making your resume ATS-friendly:
Minimized rejection risk. The biggest risk of submitting an unoptimized resume when applying for a job is having it outright rejected, regardless of your skills and qualifications. A resume that’s compatible with applicant tracking systems helps you progress to the next stage in the hiring process, giving you a fighting chance.
Better ranking. Even if an ATS doesn’t discard a resume, it will often grade and compare it with others. ATS CVs and resumes score higher than unoptimized documents, which puts them at the top of a recruiter’s list. This further increases the chances of a human reviewing your application with care and focus.
Improved human readability. While an ATS-friendly resume is primarily designed with software screening in mind, the process also makes the document easier to read for humans. ATS resumes require clear headings, distinct sections, sufficient white space, and standard fonts that are easy to read.
Sped up application processes. Many online application portals allow you to upload your resume to automatically fill out the digital form. If your resume is ATS optimized, this automated process is almost guaranteed to succeed. Otherwise, you may have to manually input all the information, which can take a lot of time and effort.
Easier resume tailoring. A well-structured resume with clear sections and straightforward content organization is easy to adjust and modify. This allows you to quickly change the necessary details when applying for different jobs, without having to go through the entire document every time.
ATS Resume Format: 4 Rules You Must Follow
Here are the key ATS resume format rules to follow if you want to ensure your document passes the screening process.
Format File Type
The best file types to use, that are almost universally accepted by applicant tracking systems, are DOCX and PDF.
PDF is renowned for its ability to preserve the document’s structure and formatting regardless of the device that’s used to view the file. On the other hand, DOCX is text-based, which makes it much more easily parsed.
When you’re in doubt or there are no specific instructions, it’s typically safer to use the DOCX file type. If you have to use a PDF for your resume, it’s usually better to pick PDF Standard over PDF Print, and not to have graphics inside your resume.
Ideal Resume Structure
An ideal resume structure accounts for the fact that applicant tracking systems typically read resumes top-to-bottom, left-to-right. As a result, the chronological resume is the best structure you can have for your document in the vast majority of cases.
This structure organizes your work experience in reverse-chronological order, listing your most recent jobs and accomplishments first and going backward from there.
Apart from that, it’s important to have all the mandatory resume sections put in the right order and titled appropriately. The list goes as follows:
Mandatory Sections
Contact information
Resume summary
Work experience
Education
Skills
ATS-Friendly Fonts
Fonts play a big role in whether ATS can parse your resume. The best fonts for a resume are commonly used, simple, and easy to read.
If you want a modern look, you can go with one of the sans-serif ATS-friendly fonts, like:
Calibri
Arial
Helvetica
Verdana
Tahoma
For a more traditional approach, you can use one of the serif fonts, such as :
Times New Roman
Garamond
Cambria
Georgia
You should avoid decorative or script fonts, as well as typefaces with icons and graphical elements, as ATS may not recognize them correctly.
Avoid Complex Visuals
ATS can run into issues trying to parse complex visuals since it’s text-focused software. Adding anything from tables and text boxes to multiple columns and vector graphics may render content within or around them unscannable.
That’s why it’s not recommended to use “progress bars” or a star rating for your skills. ATS usually can’t understand these elements and will likely ignore them. Your layout should be simple, using one column of continuous text, with bullet points to list your accomplishments.
How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume in 4 Steps
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create an ATS-friendly resume with ease:
#1. Read the Job Description
The process begins before you even start writing your resume, since you need to read the job description and understand what ATS will be looking for. Employers set up applicant tracking systems to look for the exact phrasing they used when writing job descriptions.
That’s why you need to carefully read through the parts about your duties and role requirements. Look for the skills, tools, and qualifications that are being mentioned, and note the terminology.
When you start writing your resume, you want to use the same resume keywords and phrases to ensure a perfect match and get a high score.
#2. Add ATS Keywords Naturally
Once you have a list of keywords that you need to add to your resume, you need to do so naturally to ensure seamless and organic integration.
You need to avoid “keyword stuffing,” which is the practice of adding as many keywords as you can without thinking about the context. Instead, you want to implement the right keywords in the correct places.
For instance, when listing an achievement, you can naturally include a skill or tool proficiency that helped you attain a result. Here’s an example:
Good Example
Leveraged Agile to direct software updates and reduce release time by 21%.
#3. Include Standard Section Headings
Applicant tracking systems look at section headings as guidelines to navigate your resume. By having standardized names for your sections, you allow software to accurately parse and categorize data.
That’s why you should avoid trying to be creative with section headings. For instance, having a heading titled “My Professional Journey” or “My Career Path” risks ATS not recognizing the section that should be titled “Work Experience” on a resume.
Strict adherence to the established titles for both mandatory and optional sections guarantees that the software will be able to compartmentalize your resume into the correct fields and extract the necessary data.
#4. Use a Resume Builder
Using a dedicated resume builder that has built-in ATS compatibility features is the best and easiest way to get a compliant resume. It allows you to create your resume without thinking about all the rules and guidelines that you need to follow to make your resume compatible with ATS.
For instance, our resume builder features ATS resume templates and an AI-powered writing assistant with a keyword optimizer. We even have an ATS resume checker, which you can use to see your document’s score and know whether you’re on the right track.
ATS Keywords: How To Add Them Effectively
Effectively adding ATS keywords to your resume involves strategic placement and balanced density. Here are the essential strategies to help you achieve that:
Where to Add Keywords
There are three key locations in which you need to add ATS keywords, and they are:
Resume summary or objective. This brief section should contain 2–3 core keywords, such as your most prominent skills or results.
Work experience. In this section, you need to use keywords in context by linking them with your relevant accomplishments.
Skills section. Here, you should list your skills in the same way that they are mentioned in the job description.
How Many Keywords to Use
There is no exact number of keywords you should use in your resume. In general, you should aim to have between 10 and 20 relevant keywords organically placed throughout the document.
For maximum effect, you should avoid meaningless repetition and keywords without context. Make sure to include as many unique ones as possible without going into the keyword stuffing territory.
What Types of Keywords to Include
There are several important types of keywords that you should include in your resume:
Hard skills. These are job-specific skills that are a must on a resume.
Soft skills. Soft skills, like communication or time management, are transferable and interpersonal. They should be listed separately from hard skills, but are still highly sought-after by employers.
Certifications. Certifications like Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can be mandatory for some positions. This makes them invaluable keywords for a resume.
ATS Resume Checklist
Here’s a brief resume checklist you can use to verify that you haven’t made any of the ATS mistakes before submitting the document:
File format. DOCX or ATS-compatible, standard PDF.
Layout. Single column with no complex graphics, tables, text boxes, etc.
Font. Standard font (e.g., Arial or Times New Roman) with size between 10 and 12 pt.
Contact information. Placed in the resume header.
Section headings. Established titles (Resume Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills).
Keywords. Extracted from the job description to be exact matches and positioned organically throughout the document.
Structure. Past jobs and experiences are listed in reverse chronological order.
Proofreading. Ensure that your resume is error-free and easy to read.
Use this checklist as a quick reference for the most important ATS tips before submitting your resume.
4 Myths About ATS Resumes
Now, let’s dispel some of the biggest and most common myths surrounding ATS resumes:
ATS always discards resumes without human input. It’s a common misconception that ATS automatically discards resumes that don’t reach a certain score and that recruiters never look at those documents. In reality, many ATS solutions discard only the most incompatible resumes, and recruiters still review a lot of them.
The “white font” trick can ensure your success. Some candidates believe they can copy and paste the job description at the bottom of their resume and set the font color to white, making it invisible. The idea is to ensure keyword matching, but ATS will recognize the attempt to cheat the system.
ATS cannot read PDF resumes. While systems from a decade ago had issues parsing PDF file formats, most modern ATS solutions have no trouble with them. As long as the PDF is standard and text-based, applicant tracking systems should analyze it correctly and extract the required data from it.
Only large companies use ATS. Many mid-sized companies are using applicant tracking systems to streamline hiring processes. Even small companies began leveraging these solutions to make the process more optimized and cost-effective, so there’s always a chance that your resume will be scanned by an ATS.
ATS Resume vs. Non-ATS Resume
The table below outlines the main differences between an ATS-friendly resume and a non-ATS resume:
Feature | ATS Resume | Non-ATS Resume |
|---|---|---|
Layout | Single column | Multi-column |
Fonts | Standard fonts | Decorative fonts |
Graphics | None | Icons and visuals |
Keywords | Job description aligned | Generic |
Effortlessly Create an ATS Resume with Resume.co
As we’ve previously mentioned, Resume.co offers a professional and feature-packed resume builder that you can use to generate an ATS resume with ease. Our builder comes with ATS resume templates, an AI assistant, and intuitive customization features.
This way, you can implement the right keywords, polish your writing, and adjust everything from font to colors while maintaining full compatibility with applicant tracking systems. Plus, once you have your resume generated, you can quickly modify any of its parts while maintaining the core structure, which is essential when you need to tailor the document for a new position.
Ready to create your ATS-friendly resume?
Build my resumeClosing Thoughts
Submitting an ATS resume is essential in the modern job market, as you never know if a company will use the system to analyze your document. Fortunately, once you understand what ATS formatting is and how it works, you’ll know how to create resumes that aren’t just passing software screening but impressing recruiters, as well.
Be mindful of your resume’s structure, layout, and keywords, and don’t forget to submit the document as DOCX or PDF. Alternatively, you can use our resume builder and simply focus on making the best resume possible, while the tool ensures its compatibility with applicant tracking systems.
ATS Resume FAQs
#1. Does my resume always have to be ATS-friendly?
Yes, your resume always has to be ATS-friendly if you want to make sure that it passes software screening. You don’t have to have an ATS-compliant resume if you’re handing a physical copy to a hiring manager or sending a soft copy via email directly to them.
#2. What is a good ATS score?
A good ATS score is typically 80% or higher, which usually means that your resume is sufficiently aligned with the job description. Recruiters often won’t look at your score, but instead use ATS to filter out completely inadequate candidates.
#3. Can I use design elements in an ATS resume?
You can use minimal design elements in an ATS resume, but you should avoid complex graphics, layouts, and icons. By maintaining your resume clean, well-structured, and text-focused, you’ll ensure proper parsing.
