How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are software recruiters use to store, search, and rank resumes before a human ever opens them. If an ATS can't parse your resume correctly, a qualified candidate can be filtered out before anyone reads a word of it. Here's how to reduce that risk.

Use standard section headings

Stick to conventional headings like "Experience," "Education," and "Skills" rather than creative alternatives like "My Journey" or "Where I've Been." ATS parsers are typically trained to recognize standard terminology.

Avoid tables, text boxes, and columns for critical content

Multi-column layouts and text boxes can cause an ATS to read your content out of order, or skip it entirely. A single-column layout is the safest choice when you're unsure how a specific employer's ATS is configured.

Use a standard file format

PDF is widely supported by modern ATS software, but if a job posting specifically requests a .docx file, provide one -- some older systems still parse Word documents more reliably than PDFs.

Include your contact information as plain text

Your name, email, and phone number should be regular text, not embedded in a header/footer or an image, both of which some ATS parsers skip.

Match your language to the job posting -- honestly

If a job description says "CI/CD" and you know the concept as "continuous integration," consider using the same terminology the posting uses, but only for skills and experience you genuinely have.

Keep formatting simple

Standard fonts, minimal use of graphics, and consistent bullet points make your resume easier for both software and humans to scan quickly.

None of this guarantees a particular outcome -- ATS configurations vary widely between companies -- but these choices meaningfully reduce the risk of your resume being misread.