ATS Resume Tips 2026: Beat Applicant Tracking Systems

You sent your resume to 73 companies over two months. Your experience was strong. Your accomplishments were impressive. Yet you received only 2 interview requests.

The problem was not your qualifications. The problem was that applicant tracking systems rejected your resume before any human saw it.

Your resume used a two-column layout. It had graphics and icons. It included a decorative header. The ATS resume software parsed none of it correctly. Your skills appeared as gibberish. Your job titles vanished. Recruiters saw a jumbled mess.

You also optimized your LinkedIn profile and built a portfolio website to complement her resume.

After reformatting your resume with an ATS-friendly structure, simple formatting, and proper keywords, your interview rate jumped to 28 percent. You accepted a marketing manager role at a tech startup within 5 weeks.

Over 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems, according to Jobscan research. Your resume must pass ATS screening before reaching human reviewers.

This guide shows you exactly how to create ATS-friendly resumes that beat the bots and get your application to hiring managers.

What Is an Applicant Tracking System

An applicant tracking system is software that screens resumes before humans review them. Companies use ATS to manage hundreds or thousands of applications for each job posting.

The system scans your resume, extracts information, and ranks candidates based on how well they match the job requirements. Resumes that score too low get rejected automatically.

How ATS Software Works

When you submit your resume, the ATS processes it in four steps.

Step 1 Parsing: The system converts your resume into plain text and attempts to identify sections like work experience, education, and skills.

Step 2 Keyword Matching: The software searches for specific words and phrases from the job description.

Step 3 Scoring: The system assigns a score based on keyword matches, relevant experience, and qualifications.

Step 4 Ranking: candidates are ranked by score, and only the top scorers move to human review.

Most companies set a minimum score threshold. Resumes below this threshold get rejected without human review.

Why ATS Rejection Happens

Resumes fail ATS screening for three main reasons.

Poor formatting confuses the parser. Tables, columns, text boxes, headers, and footers prevent accurate text extraction. The system reads sections in the wrong order or misses information entirely.

Missing keywords mean low scores. If your resume lacks the specific terms from the job description, the ATS ranks you lower than candidates who include those keywords.

File format issues cause parsing errors. Some systems struggle with PDFs. Others reject images or unusual fonts. Wrong file formats lead to garbled text.

Understanding these failure points lets you optimize your resume to pass ATS screening.

ATS-Friendly Resume Format Rules

Follow these formatting rules to ensure ATS software reads your resume correctly.

Font and Typography Requirements

Use standard fonts that ATS systems recognize. Safe choices include Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Helvetica, Times New Roman, and Verdana.

Avoid decorative fonts, script fonts, or custom fonts. The system reads these incorrectly or rejects them entirely.

Font size should be 10 to 12 points for body text and 14 to 16 points for headers. Smaller text becomes unreadable. Larger text wastes space.

Do not use fancy text effects like shadows, outlines, or color gradients. Plain black text on a white background works best.

You can download free professional fonts from Font Squirrel.

Section Headers and Structure

Use standard section headers that ATS software recognizes. Common headers include Professional Summary or Summary, Work Experience or Professional Experience, Education, Skills or Core Competencies, and Certifications.

Avoid creative headers like My Journey, What I Bring to the Table, or Where I Have Been. The system does not recognize these and misfiles your information.

Place headers on their own line. Use consistent formatting for all headers. Bold or slightly larger font works well.

List information in reverse chronological order. Most recent positions and education come first.

File Format Best Practices

Submit your resume as a .docx file unless the job posting specifically requests a PDF. Word documents parse more reliably across different ATS platforms.

If you must submit a PDF, create it from Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Do not scan a paper resume to PDF. Scanned documents are images, not text files, and ATS cannot read them.

Name your file professionally. Use FirstName LastName Resume.docx format. Avoid names like Resume Final Version 3.docx or My Resume.docx.

Keep file size under 2MB. Large files sometimes fail to upload or process correctly. Create high-quality PDFs using Adobe Acrobat or similar tools.

Keyword Optimization for ATS

Keywords determine your ATS score. Including the right keywords in the right places boosts your ranking significantly.

How to Find the Right Keywords

Extract keywords directly from the job description. Follow this process.

Step 1: Copy the entire job description into a document.

Step 2: Highlight repeated terms and required qualifications.

Step 3: Note specific skills, tools, certifications, and technologies mentioned.

Step 4: Identify industry-specific terminology and acronyms.

Step 5: Look for both spelled-out terms and abbreviations. For example, Certified Public Accountant (CPA.

Common keyword categories include hard skills like software proficiency or technical abilities, soft skills like leadership or communication, industry terms like agile methodology or GAAP, certifications like PMP or AWS Certified, and education requirements like a Bachelor’s degree or MBA.

Make a list of 15 to 25 keywords from each job description.

Apply these same keyword strategies to your LinkedIn profile for consistent messaging. Develop new skills through our recommended career courses to add fresh keywords to your resume.

Where to Place Keywords Naturally

Integrate keywords throughout your resume in these sections.

Professional Summary: Include 5 to 7 high-priority keywords in your opening paragraph. Focus on your most relevant skills and qualifications.

Example: Results-driven project manager with PMP certification and 7 years leading cross-functional teams. Expertise in agile methodology, stakeholder management, and budget oversight for projects up to $5 million.

This summary mirrors the structure of an effective LinkedIn headline and summary.

Skills Section: List 12 to 20 relevant skills using exact terminology from the job posting. Group related skills together.Consider earning certifications in your top skills to stand out further.

Example: Project Management: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Risk Management, Budget Planning. Technical Skills: JIRA, Microsoft Project, Salesforce, Tableau, SQL.

Work Experience: Weave keywords naturally into your job descriptions and achievement bullets.

Before: Managed team projects and met deadlines.

After: Led cross-functional team of 8 using agile methodology to deliver software projects 15 percent ahead of schedule.

Education and Certifications: Include full names and acronyms for degrees and certifications.

Example: Project Management Professional (PMP), Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (B.S.).

Here’s how proper keyword placement looks in context:

Keyword Density Guidelines

Use keywords naturally, not repetitively. Keyword stuffing makes your resume unreadable to humans, and some ATS systems detect and penalize it.

Aim for each important keyword to appear 2 to 4 times throughout your resume. Critical skills might appear more often if relevant to multiple roles.

Use variations of keywords. If the job mentions project management, also include project manager, managed projects, and project leadership where appropriate.

Match the exact phrasing from the job description when possible. If they say customer relationship management, use that phrase rather than paraphrasing as client relations.

Formatting Elements to Avoid

Certain formatting choices confuse ATS parsers. Avoid these elements entirely.

Tables and Columns

Do not use tables to organize your resume layout. ATS software reads tables left to right, top to bottom, which scrambles your information.

Do not use multiple columns. The system reads across both columns before moving down, mixing unrelated information.

Use a simple single-column layout. Stack sections vertically.

Headers and Footers

Do not place important information in headers or footers. Many ATS systems skip these areas entirely.

Do not put your contact information, page numbers, or any content in the header or footer.

Place all contact information in the main body at the top of the first page.

Graphics and Images

Do not include photos, logos, or headshots. ATS cannot read images, and they take up valuable space.

Do not use charts, graphs, or infographics. These appear as blank spaces to the system.

Do not add decorative borders, lines, or design elements. Keep formatting minimal and clean.

Use text only. If you want to show data, write it out in bullet points.

Before: Chart showing 40 percent revenue growth.

After: Increased revenue by 40 percent year over year, from 2.5M to 3.5M dollars.

Writing ATS-Optimized Content

Beyond formatting, your resume content must align with ATS scoring algorithms.

Professional Summary

Your summary should be 3 to 5 sentences highlighting your most relevant qualifications, key achievements with numbers, and top skills matching the job description.

Start with your professional title or area of expertise. Include years of experience. Add 2 to 3 specific achievements. List your core competencies.

Example for Marketing Role: Digital marketing specialist with 6 years of experience driving growth for B2B SaaS companies. Increased qualified leads by 127 percent through SEO, content marketing, and marketing automation. Expert in Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, and data-driven campaign optimization. Proven track record in managing budgets up to 500K dollars and leading cross-functional teams.

This summary includes keywords like digital marketing, B2B SaaS, SEO, content marketing, marketing automation, specific tools, budget management, and cross-functional teams.

Work Experience Section

Structure each job entry with company name and location, job title, dates of employment in month/year format, and 4 to 6 bullet points describing achievements and responsibilities.

Start each bullet with a strong action verb. Include quantified results. Weave in keywords naturally.

Action verbs ATS recognizes include achieved, analyzed, coordinated, created, designed, developed, directed, implemented, improved, increased, led, managed, optimized, reduced, and streamlined.

Before: Responsible for social media.

After: Developed social media strategy across 4 platforms, increasing engagement by 85 percent and generating 12K monthly website visits.

Before: Worked with the sales team.

After: Collaborated with a 15-person sales team to implement Salesforce CRM, reducing sales cycle by 22 percent and improving lead conversion by 18 percent.

These quantified achievements also work well in portfolio case studies.

Skills Section

Create a dedicated skills section with clear categories. List 15 to 25 skills relevant to your target role.

Use a simple format.

Example: Technical Skills: Python, SQL, Tableau, Power BI, Excel, and Google Analytics. Marketing Skills: SEO, SEM, Content Strategy, Email Marketing, Marketing Automation. Soft Skills: Project Management, Team Leadership, Stakeholder Communication, Problem Solving.

Include both technical and soft skills. Use exact terms from job postings. Separate skills with commas or use a simple bulleted list.

Testing Your Resume for ATS Compatibility

Before submitting your resume, test how ATS systems will read it.

Free ATS Resume Checkers

Several free tools analyze your resume against job descriptions.

Jobscan.co: Upload your resume and paste the job description. Jobscan shows your match rate, missing keywords, and formatting issues. The free version allows 5 scans per month.

Resume Worded: Provides instant feedback on ATS compatibility, keyword optimization, and writing quality. The free version includes basic scan features.

SkillSyncer: Compares your resume to job descriptions and highlights gaps. A free account allows limited scans.

VMock: Offers resume review with scoring for structure, impact, and presentation. Free for some university students.

Use at least two different checkers. Each uses slightly different algorithms, giving you broader feedback.

What to Look For

When reviewing test results, check these elements.

Parsing Accuracy: Does the tool correctly identify your work experience, education, and skills? If sections appear in the wrong order or information is missing, your formatting needs adjustment.

Keyword Match Rate: Aim for 75 to 85 percent match with the job description. Higher is not always better if you add irrelevant keywords. Lower than 70 percent means you need more relevant terms.

Skills Extraction: Verify that the tool identifies all your listed skills. If skills are missing, try reformatting that section.

Contact Information: Ensure your name, phone, email, and location parse correctly.

Make adjustments based on test results, then retest. Repeat until your resume scores well.

Common ATS Resume Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors that cause ATS rejection.

Using Resume Templates with Complex Formatting: Many Microsoft Word and Canva templates use tables, text boxes, and columns that ATS cannot parse. Start with a blank document instead.

Listing Skills in Graphics or Charts: ATS reads text only. Skill bars, proficiency meters, and rating systems do not register.

Abbreviating Without Spelling Out: Include both versions of important terms. Write Project Management Professional (PMP), not just PMP.

Using Unusual Job Titles: If your actual title was Growth Ninja, but you are applying for Marketing Manager roles, use Marketing Manager or Growth Marketing Manager in your resume. You worked as a Growth Ninja at Company is accurate and ATS-friendly.

Ignoring Exact Job Description Phrasing: If the posting says customer success, do not write client relations. Match their terminology.

Overusing PDFs: Unless specifically requested, submit .docx files for better parsing.

Including Irrelevant Keywords: Do not add keywords for skills you lack. Humans will discover this in interviews. Focus on genuine qualifications.

Neglecting to Customize: Sending the same resume to every job results in low keyword match rates. Customize your resume for each application.

ATS Resume Template Structure

Use this simple structure for maximum ATS compatibility.

Contact Information: Full name in larger font, phone number, professional email address, city and state, and LinkedIn URL.

Professional Summary: 3 to 5 sentence paragraph with key qualifications and achievements.

Core Competencies or Skills: 15 to 25 relevant skills in a simple list format.

Professional Experience: Company Name, Location, Job Title, Dates (Month/Year to Month/Year), 4 to 6 achievement bullets with quantified results.

Education: Degree, Major, University Name, Graduation Year, relevant coursework or honors if a recent graduate.

Certifications: Full certification name (Acronym), Issuing Organization, Date Earned.

Additional Sections if relevant: Publications, Professional Affiliations, Languages, Volunteer Work, Awards.

Keep this order. ATS systems expect information in this sequence.

After You Beat the ATS

Passing ATS screening gets your resume to human reviewers. Now focus on making it compelling for actual people.

Once your resume is ATS-optimized, have a human review it for readability, impact, and persuasiveness. Your resume should excel on two levels. Machine-readable for ATS and compelling for hiring managers.

Balance is key. Do not sacrifice readability for keyword stuffing. Do not make your resume so sparse that it fails to impress humans.

Your optimized resume should pass ATS screening while still telling a compelling story of your professional achievements and value.

Once your resume passes ATS, focus on your job search strategy. Use our job board strategies guide to maximize your applications.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Should I submit PDF or Word documents?

Submit .docx unless the job posting specifically requests PDF. Word documents parse more reliably across ATS platforms.

Q: Do all companies use ATS?

98 percent of Fortune 500 companies and about 66 percent of large organizations use ATS. Most companies with over 50 employees use some form of applicant tracking software.

Q: How many keywords should I include?

Focus on quality over quantity. Include 15 to 25 relevant keywords that genuinely describe your skills and experience. Each important keyword should appear 2 to 4 times naturally throughout your resume.

Q: Will ATS reject my resume if the formatting is not perfect?

Not necessarily, but poor formatting reduces your score. The goal is to make your resume as easy as possible for ATS to parse accurately. Better parsing leads to higher scores.

Q: Should I use a resume builder?

Use simple resume builders that create ATS-friendly formats. Avoid builders with fancy templates, graphics, or complex layouts. Test the output with an ATS checker before submitting.

Q: Do I need a different resume for every job?

Customize your resume for each application by adjusting keywords, reordering skills, and emphasizing relevant experience. The core content stays similar, but keyword optimization should match each specific job.

Q: How long should my resume be for ATS?

One page for under 5 years of experience, two pages for more extensive careers. ATS can read multiple pages, but hiring managers prefer concise resumes. Quality beats length.For a complete job search approach, follow our 30-day job search plan.

Your resume must work for robots and humans. ATS-friendly formatting gets you past the initial screening. Compelling content gets you the interview.

Start by reformatting your current resume using the guidelines in this article. Test it with a free ATS checker. Adjust based on feedback. Customize keywords for each application.

These steps take an extra 30 minutes per application. Those 30 minutes determine whether your resume reaches human eyes or gets auto-rejected.

Your next job offer starts with beating the ATS. Make the changes today.

For more career advancement strategies, explore our LinkedIn optimization guide, portfolio building tips, and complete career transition resources.