Most mid-size and large companies now use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to collect and filter resumes before a recruiter ever sees them. If your resume isn't structured the way these systems expect, it can be misread or filtered out entirely — even if you're a strong fit for the role.
Here's what to check before you hit submit.
1. Use standard section headings
ATS software looks for common headings like "Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Creative headings like "Where I've Been" or "My Toolbox" can confuse the parser, even though a human would understand them instantly.
2. Avoid tables, text boxes, and columns
Multi-column layouts and text boxes look great visually, but many ATS parsers read left to right, top to bottom — they can scramble a two-column resume into nonsense. Stick to a single-column layout for the safest results.
3. Skip headers and footers for key info
Some ATS parsers skip header/footer regions entirely. Never put your contact details, name, or key sections inside a document header or footer — keep them in the main body.
4. Save as a text-based PDF or DOCX
A scanned image of your resume, or a PDF exported from a design tool as a flattened image, contains no extractable text. If an ATS can't extract text, it can't parse your resume at all. Export directly from Word, Google Docs, or a true PDF generator.
5. Spell out acronyms at least once
If the job description says "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" and your resume only says "SEO," some keyword matching can miss it. Use the full term at least once, then the acronym is fine afterward.
6. Use standard bullet characters
Stick to simple bullets (•, -, or *). Decorative bullets, icon fonts, or emoji used as bullets can render as broken characters or get dropped during parsing.
7. List dates consistently
Use a consistent format like "Jan 2023 – Mar 2025" throughout. Inconsistent or missing dates make it harder for both ATS systems and recruiters to build a timeline of your experience.
8. Match keywords from the job description
Many ATS platforms rank or filter resumes based on keyword overlap with the job posting. If the listing specifically asks for "project management" and your resume only says "managed projects," consider including the exact phrase somewhere, naturally.
9. Name your file sensibly
"Resume_Final_v3_edited.pdf" looks unprofessional and occasionally trips up file-name parsing rules. Use something like "FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf".
If you want a faster way to check several of these at once, run your resume through our free checker — it scans for most of these issues automatically and tells you exactly what to fix.