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How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume: 10 Rules That Work

Many employers use an applicant tracking system to collect and sort applications. It extracts text from your file, organises it into fields and lets recruiters search. If the extraction goes wrong, your experience can end up in the wrong place or missing. These ten rules reduce that risk.

·6 min read·ImprovedCV Team

The ten rules

  1. Use a single column. Multi-column layouts can be read line by line across both columns and produce jumbled text.
  2. Use standard section headings such as Experience, Education and Skills.
  3. Keep key details in the main body, not in headers, footers or text boxes.
  4. Use real text, not images or icons for words. Your PDF should let you select and copy text.
  5. Choose a common font and a normal size. Avoid fancy glyphs for bullets.
  6. Use simple bullet points and standard date formats like Jan 2022 to Mar 2024.
  7. Mirror the job description. Use its terms for tools, qualifications and responsibilities where they are true for you.
  8. Spell out acronyms once, then use the short form, for example search engine optimisation (SEO).
  9. Save as a text-based PDF unless the posting asks for Word.
  10. Keep it tidy: consistent formatting, no tables for layout, no unusual characters.

Does an ATS reject resumes automatically?

Most systems do not auto-reject on their own. Recruiters often search and filter by keywords, location and qualifications, so a resume that is easy to parse and uses the right terms is simply easier to find. Some employers also add knockout questions, such as work authorisation, that filter applications.

What about design?

You can still have a clean, attractive resume. Typography, spacing and a restrained accent colour do not affect parsing. What causes trouble is complex structure: tables, columns, text boxes and graphics. If you want more design, use a single-column modern template, and keep a plain version for portals.

How to test it

  • →Open your PDF and try selecting and copying all the text. Paste it into a plain text editor and check the order.
  • →Compare your keywords with the job description.
  • →Use an ATS score check to see how well your resume matches the posting.

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Frequently asked questions

Are PDFs ATS-friendly?

Text-based PDFs generally are. Scanned images are not. If you can select text in the PDF, it is likely to parse well.

Should I use keywords from the job description?

Yes, where they truthfully describe your experience. Do not stuff keywords or hide them in white text.

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