How To Create An ATS-Friendly Resume (With Examples)

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are a way for recruiters to weed out unqualified candidates. Unfortunately, that has the effect that a lot of applications never even get read by an actual person. With how much easier it is to apply for jobs online, recruiters have opted to use ATS to make the most of their time.

If you want to make sure that your resume isn’t rejected out of hand by an ATS, then you should keep reading. Roughly 75% of resumes aren’t never seen by a human, meaning that the applicant has no chance to make their case. But with the right edits and formatting, you can make sure that your resume makes it past the first barrier.

Key Takeaways:

• An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications they receive.

• Make sure to use the right keywords, format, file type, and layout when writing a ATS-friendly resume.

• Simple, professional font, bullet points, and chronological employment experience are very helpful to make your resume ATS-friendly.

• Do not put your contact information in the header of your resume.

• Around 75% of large companies use ATS, and 98% of Fortune 500 companies use them.

What is an applicant tracking system?

An applicant tracking system is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications they receive. ATS allow employers to quickly evaluate the pool of candidates based on how closely their resumes match the job description.

Larger companies that receive thousands of applications each day rely on ATS to rapidly deliver a shortlist of candidates. Think of the ATS as an employer’s first line of defense against unqualified applicants.

Around 75% of large companies use ATS, and 98% of Fortune 500 companies use them. If you’re applying to a smaller company, chances are they won’t bother using an ATS, but it never hurts to make your resume ATS-friendly anyway.

Applicant tracking systems were developed to streamline the recruitment process for employers, but you can turn them to your advantage once you know how they work.

10 tips to make your resume ATS-friendly

The main ways to make your resume ATS friendly is to use the right keywords, pick the right format, and to not use headers or footers. Tailoring your resume is also an important aspect, as each ATS is set to look for specific keywords and qualifications. Here are some general tricks to make sure your resume will make it past the ATS.

1. Use the right keywords. ATS allow employers to search for keywords and automatically rate applicants based on their resume’s keywords.

   • Write out job titles in full. That doesn’t mean that you should never use acronyms, but the system may be looking for the full description. For instance, if you were an HR manager, make sure to fully spell out “Human Resources Manager” at least once.

   • Create a list of keywords. The best way to do this is by reading the job description and highlighting the most commonly used words. Then, alter your resume to include those keywords in your resume.

   • Be specific with your keywords. If a posting explicitly mentions experience with Google Analytics, don’t just put the word “analytics” and call it a day. Actually spell out “Google Analytics,” preferably more than once.

   • Put the most important keywords in your resume more than once. ATS will determine your skills‘ strengths by using each keyword’s frequency, so it’s good practice to incorporate the most important ones two to three times throughout your resume.

     If you mention a skill, make sure to include it in your work experience section as well. The ATS will determine your years of experience with a given skill based on when and for how long you leveraged it in a formal position.

   • Customize each resume. Make sure to put specific keywords in each resume, and alter your skills and experience accordingly.

     If you’re applying for several different jobs and don’t want to edit your resume each time, look for common ground between each job posting. However, we always recommend fully customizing each resume you send out to maximize your chances of success.

2. Don’t try to trick the ATS. Some will advise the rather cheeky tip of spamming keywords in the white text within your resume’s white space to get picked up by ATS. Do not do this. While it might beat the ATS, it certainly won’t beat the human reader who can clearly see you just pasted the word “sales” 78 times into your resume.

3. Choose the right format. ATS software is designed to scan your work experience in chronological order. With that in mind, it’s usually best to stick with a chronological resume format since it emphasizes work experience the most.

   A combination resume can also work well. A functional resume, which emphasizes skills over work experience, is the least ATS compatible.

4. Keep your layout simple. While you may be tempted to include fancy designs and impressive charts or graphics, note that it may completely ruin the ATS’ attempt to parse your resume’s content.

   An easy way to test if your resume is ATS compliant is by copy/pasting it into a plain text document (like Notepad). Whatever you see is exactly what the ATS is going to see.

5. Don’t use headers or footers. It’s especially critical that you don’t put contact info in the header because most ATS programs will be unable to parse this information (immediately disqualifying you). Any other formatting gimmicks you include in your resume to make it look unique will be completely stripped by an ATS.

6. Use standard section headings and bullet points. Don’t get fancy with labeling your resume sections. For example, don’t label your skills section “the wonderful talents of Amy Baker;” just put “skills section.” If you need help labeling your sections appropriately, check out this article.

   Additionally, don’t try to use unique bullet point designs, or the ATS may become confused. Stick to the traditional solid circle or square bullet points.

7. Use the right file type. While most recommend saving your resume as a PDF to ensure that formatting stays the same across devices, some ATS are unable to read PDF documents. If the application page doesn’t explicitly request or allow PDF documents, play it safe, and send it as a .doc or .docx.

8. Stick to basic fonts. If you have to download your font, chances are the ATS won’t be able to parse it. ATS are programmed to read common fonts like Times New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, Georgia, etc.

9. Don’t apply if you’re not qualified. Look, we get that it’s tempting to cast a wide net and see what sticks. But you’re more liable to become discouraged if it feels like your resumes are being flung into a black hole. ATS programs exist to save recruiters time by screening out unqualified candidates.

   Don’t get us wrong; there’s no harm trying to land a job when you don’t quite meet every single requirement listed in the job posting. But if a truthful accounting of your skill set and experience reveals that you don’t meet most of the job posting’s requirements, then chances are the ATS did precisely what it was designed to do by removing you from the candidate pool.

   Finally, don’t take this as advice to lie, embellish, or exaggerate claims on your resume. You might fool the ATS, and you might even fool the human auditor, but when it comes time to check up on your professional history or interview you, your lies will come to light. Don’t waste the employer’s time or your time.

10. Online applications aren’t everything. Applying for jobs online is easier than ever. You can easily incorporate the tips above to make a resume that’s perfect for both ATS and human readers. But remember the reason ATS were developed in the first place – to address an ever-increasing candidate pool.

    Think of other ways to cut through the noise, like using people in your network to find a job. If you’re referred for a position, you’ll likely bypass the ATS screening altogether.

ATS resume mistakes

It’s equally as important to know what might make an ATS unable to read your resume, resulting in an automatic rejection. While it may be tempting to do a number of these things to either save time or make your resume stand out, it’s best put in the time and follow the rules when it comes to applying for jobs.

• Contact information in header. This tragic mistake could be the reason why 100% of your resumes sent to big companies garner no responses. Make sure that the contact information in your resume header isn’t in an actual header in your document.

• Generic resumes. Omitting keywords from the job description is a surefire way to displease an ATS. We know it takes a little extra effort to tailor your resume for each specific job, but you’re better off sending one well-optimized resume than ten generic ones.

• Incompatible file type. Another painfully common mistake that will get your application tossed out immediately is sending your resume as the incorrect file type. Follow all of the directions in the job posting, and when in doubt, send as a .doc or .docx instead of a PDF.

  While PDFs are great for keeping the original formatting across devices and operating systems, not all ATS can read PDFs well. Most, however, can read Word documents without issue.

• Graphics and charts. Save this stuff for your portfolio or other supporting materials. The ATS resume can’t credit any information you include here and, frankly, the human reader isn’t going to be “wowed” by a couple of graphical elements, either.

How do applicant tracking systems work?

Applicant tracking systems work by scanning a resume and through a set of predetermined filters, ranks the candidate’s resume against the job description and other candidates. Some ways an ATS filters a resume include:

• Keywords. Applicant tracking systems work by parsing a resume’s content into categories, then scanning it for keywords relevant to the job. An ATS’s job is to throw out the least-qualified applicants and leave employers with only the best candidates to review the old-fashioned way (i.e., six seconds of skimming).

  The keyword to keep in mind here is, well, keywords. Generally, an ATS will do whatever the recruiter tells it to do, which typically means identifying the resumes that best match the job description.

  The software doesn’t have intuition; it just follows a relatively simple set of rules, determining how many of your skills and how much of your experience aligns with the keywords and required experience listed in the job description.

• Knockout questions. Some ATS programs also have a feature called “knockout questions.” These are questions where a recruiter or hiring manager can tell the program to ask in order to eliminate candidates or lower their score based on the responses.

  For instance, a knockout question could be, “how many years of marketing experience do you have?” The employer can then set their desired answer to “three years,” and if the ATS asks this question and spits out a response of fewer than three years, the candidate will be removed from the pool, or it will hurt their overall score.

  Most ATS will assign six months’ experience to any skill or job that does not explicitly state duration.

• Additional rules. The final score (usually represented as a percentage match) is determined by preset rules the employer establishes beforehand. So a recruiter could set their ATS up to give education more weight than skills, but less than work experience, for example.

Before you get gloomy about robots determining your future, remember that these bots are just following guidelines assigned by humans. And these guidelines are based on what a human recruiter would be doing anyway – scanning your resume for information relevant to the job description.

ATS resume example

ATS resume example #2:

ATS resume frequently asked questions

1. What is an ATS-friendly resume?

An ATS-friendly resume is any resume properly formatted for ATS. An ATS-friendly resume can be easily scanned and scored by the ATS because of how the information is organized. This includes the use proper headings, fonts, and file types.

A great ATS-friendly resume is one uses the ATS filters to its advantage. It focuses on the job description requirements and provide keywords, professional experiences, and other qualifications to give the resume a high ranking.

2. Are PDF resumes ATS friendly?

Most ATS accept PDF resumes. The general rule of thumb is to make your resume a PDF unless otherwise specified. Word documents are also accepted by ATS and are fair alternatives to PDF. Each process can be a little different, so it is important for you to know what file types are accepted before you submit your application.

3. Which resume format is the most ATS-friendly?

The chronological resume format is the most ATS-friendly. This is because an ATS usually starts with filtering through your resume’s work experience section. A chronological resume format is easily understood by the ATS. Remember that chronological resumes are actually in reverse chronological order.

Final Thoughts

Applicant tracking systems might seem like another annoying hurdle to consider when you’re on the job hunt. However, with the above advice in mind, you can turn ATS resume screening to your advantage to ensure your application doesn’t slip between the cracks.

Author

Matthew Zane

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

Expert

Don Pippin, MHRM, CPRW, CDCS

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.