According to research, 90% of Fortune 500 companies rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage the flood of applications they receive daily. That said, one formatting misstep can cause your resume to be rejected before a human ever sees it.
To ensure your application gets past filters and makes it to recruiters, follow our nine data-driven resume tips for 2025. By implementing these, you can increase your chances of landing an interview by up to 10.6 times.
Key Takeaways
The job market is competitive, but most applicants are not even in the running because their resumes are not ATS-ready. No wonder since 72-75% of resumes get filtered out by the ATS.
To get past ATS filters, you need to match the job title in your header, weave in role keywords and synonyms, and submit your resume as a .docx for clean parsing.
A job-winning resume includes measurable impact, benchmarked achievements to provide context, and quantified transferable soft skills.
Recruiters skim resumes in under 8 seconds, so you need to make yours scannable with a hybrid layout, clear sections, front-loaded wins, and zero extraneous words.
How to Get Past ATS Filters
To get past ATS filters, you will first need to understand what an applicant tracking system is and why optimizing for it matters. ATS is a software that uses algorithms and natural language processing (NLP) in its reviewing process.
This includes analyzing the structure, extracting relevant details, and assigning compatibility scores to determine whether a candidate can advance.
To improve your resume quickly, use these three ATS optimization strategies:
#1. Match the Job Title in Your Header
Matching the job title in the header is a simple resume tip that increases interview rates by 10.6 times. This is because ATS prioritizes candidates whose stated roles align precisely with posted positions. For instance:
Job Title Example
Before ATS optimization: SEO Specialist
After ATS optimization: Technical SEO Specialist - Fintech
Make sure you use the job title exactly as it is written in the posting, including any punctuation, hyphens, abbreviations, or seniority levels.
For example, if it:
Job Title Example
Specifies "Jr. HR Manager," use "Jr." and not "Junior."
Uses industry qualifiers, like "SaaS" or "B2B," keep them the same.
To avoid confusing algorithms and diluting keyword relevance, don’t include multiple job titles. Instead, select the single closest match to maximize ATS compatibility.
#2. Include Role Keywords and Synonyms
Including role keywords makes it easy for modern ATS using NLP to recognize that you are a fit for the role.
Even if you can’t use the exact same terms, most systems are able to identify synonyms and phrases that convey similar meaning.
Exact Keyword | Recognized Synonyms | Where to Place the Keyword in the Resume? |
Project coordination, project leadership | Resume summary, skills, experience | |
Data analysis | Analytics, statistical analysis | Resume skills, experience |
Budgeting | Cost control, expense management | Resume achievements, skills |
Salesforce | CRM administration, customer management | Resume tools, skills, experience |
Pro Tip
Sprinkle each key term 2 to 3 times across summary sections, skills lists, and bullet points to achieve optimal keyword density without triggering spam filters.
#3. Submit Your Resume as a .Docx File
Submitting your resume as a .docx file is another important ATS resume tip to keep in mind.
Compared to PDFs, .docx files are generally more ATS-compatible because they are text-based. Their underlying extensible markup language (XML) clearly defines elements like headings, and they ensure spacing and formatting can be reliably retained and interpreted.
Common PDF parsing errors confuse ATS algorithms and usually include:
Common PDF Errors
Lost headers
Garbled tables
Lost bullet symbols
These technical failures can cause ATS to miss skills, qualifications, and other critical details while screening. Therefore, it is best to submit your resume as a .docx, unless employers explicitly request PDF files in their application instructions.
How to Quantify Achievements in Your Resume
Quantifying achievements is among the best resume tips for job seekers because it can set you apart as a high-performing candidate. It allows you to perform data-driven storytelling, which cements your value creation and resonates with both ATS algorithms and hiring managers.
Here’s how to write a resume with impact in more detail:
#1. Use Lead Bullet Points With Action Verbs and Metrics
Using lead bullet points with action verbs and metrics immediately communicates what you accomplished and how it ties back to business goals.
This approach involves using the formula: Verb + Metric + Outcome, e.g., “Lifted website traffic by 53%, increasing conversions by 28%.”
Here are high-impact action verbs to include on your resume and make it stand out:
Action Verbs
Accelerated
Exceeded
Expanded
Overhauled
Reduced
Streamlined
Strong action verbs alongside specific numbers will help you leave a memorable impression. Be sure to feature a number in every third bullet to maintain credibility while demonstrating consistent results across different responsibilities.
#2. Benchmark Achievements Against Industry Data
Industry benchmarking puts your individual accomplishments into context and makes them more compelling.
Good Example
"Reduced employee onboarding time to 3 days, versus the 7-day SaaS industry average."
According to research, 36% of resumes contain zero measurable metrics, and just 26% include five or more. This means that over one third of applicants fail to present any quantifiable benchmarks.
To emphasize your individual accomplishments, source benchmarks from established organizations like Gartner, McKinsey, SHRM, or industry-specific associations, and include hyperlinks to the original reports.
#3. Quantify Transferable Soft Skills
Quantifying transferable soft skills helps translate your qualities into outcomes hiring managers care about. Instead of simply listing traits like "communicator" and "team player," numbers show the impact of those characteristics in action.
Soft Skill | Quantifiable Proxies | Example |
Leadership | Team turnover rate reduction, number of direct reports promoted, project delivery time | Trained 5 junior members; 3 were promoted within a quarter. |
Presentation attendance growth, open rates on internal updates, stakeholder satisfaction | Presented weekly reports to 10+ stakeholders, cutting cross-functional delays by 20%. | |
Number of cross-functional projects led, team efficiency improvements, project completion rate | Led a task across 3 departments to deliver a project 2 weeks ahead of the deadline. | |
Adaptability | Time to onboard new tools or systems, crisis response time, continuity of delivery | Transitioned to a remote workflow within 48 hours during an outage, maintaining 100% client delivery. |
Quantifying transferable skills is particularly valuable for career changers who need to present their experience across different industries or functions. The key is to connect directly to key performance indicators (KPIs) in the target role.
For instance, if you are making a career change from HR to project management, you might highlight that you “onboarded 25+ new hires per quarter, reducing 30% of ramp-up time,” which means efficient project execution.
Here are some other tips for career changers to tailor their resumes:
Tips for Career Changers
Avoid jargon from the previous industry.
Use testimonials or quotes to strengthen credibility.
Add metrics that demonstrate learning speed.
How to Capture a Recruiter’s Attention
To capture a recruiter’s attention, scannability is a must. Recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds on initial resume reviews.
Here are three resume tips to make your document more scannable:
#1. Use a Hybrid Layout With Clear Sections
A hybrid layout puts chronological experience and skills above the fold, which is where ATS algorithms and hiring managers look first.
Combined with clear sections, you can create a structured, skimmable resume that surfaces your strengths early, even if you follow a non-linear career path.
Here is a sample of what hiring managers look for in a resume:
That said, these are essential sections to include in your resume format:
Essential Resume Sections
Summary
Core skills
Experience
Education
Extras, such as languages, publications, volunteer work
#2. Prioritize Key Achievements in the Upper-Left Quadrant
One of the most crucial resume tips is to place your impressive accomplishments in the top third area. According to eye-tracking studies, this is "prime real estate” on a resume layout because F-pattern reading behavior prioritizes the upper-left quadrant.
Include a 3-line summary that combines your quantified results with hard skills in line with the job requirements. In addition, you should bold one standout metric, such as $5M revenue growth or 70% client retention rate, to create visual anchor points that instantly draw attention.
#3. Trim Unnecessary Words to Fit into Two Pages
Trimming unnecessary words forces you to focus on the most important achievements, skills, and results instead of going off on a tangent.
For example, 77% of recruiters prefer two pages for candidates with 10 or more years of experience, and the optimal resume length is between 475 and 600 words per page. For one-page resumes, up to 500 words is recommended to maintain keyword density and readability.
So, how to keep a resume concise? You can leave out:
Unnecessary Details
Personal pronouns ("I," "my," "our")
Weak phrases ("responsible for," "duties included")
Generic adjectives ("excellent," "outstanding," "great")
Repetitive descriptions
Outdated or irrelevant early career details
Writing excessively is one of the most common resume mistakes to avoid; you should prioritize role-relevant keywords and use active voice.
Build Your Resume and Beat the ATS
Use our AI-powered resume builder!Final Thoughts
The current job market is, without a doubt, competitive. By following the nine research-backed resume tips above, you can increase your chances of landing an interview by 10.6 times. So, don't wait; implement these to craft an ATS-optimized and targeted resume that sets you apart.
Resume Tips FAQs
#1. How many keywords does an ATS-safe resume need?
An ATS-safe resume needs 25 to 35 relevant, role-specific keywords. These should naturally appear in the headings, bullet points, and skills blocks to help your resume score above the 80% ATS threshold.
#2. Is a PDF ever acceptable for online applications?
A PDF is acceptable for online applications if the employer or job portal requests it for formatting consistency across devices. Otherwise, use .docx to avoid parsing errors.
#3. How should career changers highlight transferable skills?
Career changers can highlight transferable skills by showcasing accomplishments that directly tie to their target role’s KPIs. Furthermore, quantifying results helps demonstrate their professional competency, even if they are looking to enter a completely new field.
#4. Will using ChatGPT lower my ATS score?
ChatGPT will not lower your ATS score unless you copy and paste AI text that sounds generic. If you leverage ChatGPT’s help when creating your resume, personalize prompts and edit the output to craft an authentic voice.
#5. What is the ideal word count for a single-page resume?
The ideal word count for a single-page resume is between 400 and 600 words. This range allows you to provide enough details for ATS optimization without overwhelming hiring managers during screening.
