If your resume doesn’t pass the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), a human may never see it. This guide shows you the exact format, keywords, and structure recruiters (and ATS) prefer—plus a copy-paste template and a 2-minute pre-submit checklist.
- What ATS Is (and Why It Rejects Good Resumes)
- The Formatting Rules that ATS Can’t Misread
- Keyword Strategy: Matching the Job Description
- The Ideal Resume Structure (Section by Section)
- Write Impactful, Quantified Bullets
- Common ATS Failures to Avoid
- The 2-Minute ATS Checklist
- Copy-Paste ATS-Friendly Template
1) What ATS Is (and Why It Rejects Good Resumes)
ATS software scans resumes to extract contact info, experience, skills, and education. It then compares your content against the job description and ranks you. A resume can fail due to unreadable layouts (tables, text boxes), missing keywords, or inconsistent dates/job titles.
2) The Formatting Rules that ATS Can’t Misread
File Type
- Prefer .docx unless the job explicitly allows PDF.
- Avoid images, logos, and decorative icons.
Layout
- Single column, left-aligned; no tables or text boxes.
- Standard margins (0.5–1"). Font size 10.5–12pt.
Headings
- Use standard labels: Summary Skills Experience Education Certifications
- Put contact info in body (not header/footer).
Dates & titles: Use one style consistently (e.g., Jan 2023 – Jul 2025). List Job Title first, then Company, then Location.
3) Keyword Strategy: Matching the Job Description
ATS scores resumes by how closely your skills and experience match the posting. Extract the top requirements and mirror their wording naturally.
How to do it quickly
- Highlight recurring nouns/skills in the job ad (tools, frameworks, certifications).
- Use both acronyms and full terms (e.g., SEO and Search Engine Optimization).
- Add the most important items to your Skills list and to relevant experience bullets.
- Keep context—don’t keyword-stuff; show outcomes.
4) The Ideal Resume Structure (Section by Section)
Contact
Name • Phone • Professional email • City/Country • LinkedIn/Portfolio URL (plain text).
Professional Summary (2–3 lines)
One sentence on your role + 1–2 top achievements + 1 line on tools or domains you specialize in.
Skills (Keyword-rich)
Group into Technical, Tools, and Soft Skills. Prioritize skills mentioned in the job ad.
Experience (Reverse-chronological)
- Job Title — Company, Location | Dates
- 3–5 bullets, each with an action verb + impact metric.
Education & Certifications
Degree, Institution, Year. Add relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, AWS, Google Analytics).
5) Write Impactful, Quantified Bullets
Numbers help both ATS and humans recognize impact.
- ❌ “Responsible for managing campaigns.”
- ✅ “Led 6 SEO campaigns, improving organic traffic by 48% YoY and reducing CPL by 22%.”
Formula to try: Action verb + what you did + tools + business impact.
6) Common ATS Failures to Avoid
- Tables, columns, or images for key text.
- Using a PDF when the employer requests .docx.
- Stuffing keywords with no context or results.
- Inconsistent date formats; job titles hidden in graphics.
- Critical information in headers/footers (often not parsed).
7) The 2-Minute ATS Checklist
- Single-column, no tables/graphics/icons.
- Standard headings: Summary, Skills, Experience, Education, Certifications.
- Keywords reflect the job description (acronyms + full terms).
- 3–5 quantified bullets per recent role.
- Contact info in body; dates/titles consistent.
- File as .docx (unless PDF is explicitly allowed).
8) Copy-Paste ATS-Friendly Template
FULL NAME
City, Country • Phone • Email • LinkedIn/Portfolio URL
SUMMARY
Role (e.g., Data Analyst) with X years in [domain]. Known for [top result].
Skilled in [tools/skills]. Seeking to [impact] at [target company/type].
SKILLS
Technical: [Skill], [Skill], [Skill]
Tools: [Tool], [Tool], [Tool]
Soft: [Skill], [Skill]
EXPERIENCE
Job Title — Company, City Jan 2023 – Jul 2025
• Verb + what + tool + metric (e.g., Improved X by Y%).
• …
• …
Job Title — Company, City Jun 2020 – Dec 2022
• …
• …
EDUCATION
Degree — Institution (Year)
CERTIFICATIONS
Certification — Issuer (Year)Build & manage resumes faster with Comfort HRM
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