Quick Takeaway
An ATS-friendly resume uses a simple single-column layout, standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), real text rather than images, and the same keywords the job ad uses, where they are true for you. Lead each role with achievement bullets that start with an action verb and include a measurable result.
Key takeaways
- Applicant tracking systems read text in order, so single-column layouts with standard headings are safest.
- Mirror the job ad’s wording for skills and tools you really have.
- Write achievement bullets: action verb + what you did + the result, ideally with a number.
- Keep it to one page early in your career and two for experienced roles.
- Send a text-based PDF, and keep a plain-text version for application forms.
Many employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to collect, sort and search applications. A great candidate can be overlooked simply because the resume’s layout confused the system or it never used the words the recruiter searched for.
This guide shows you how to avoid both problems. Our free resume and CV builder applies these rules for you: ATS-friendly templates, a live resume check, a bullet coach and job-ad keyword matching.
- Applicant tracking system (ATS)
- An applicant tracking system is software employers use to receive, store, search and filter job applications, usually by reading the text of each resume.
How an ATS Reads Your Resume
Most systems extract the text from your file, split it into sections such as experience and education, and let recruiters search or filter by keywords, job titles and skills. Complex layouts can scramble that text: columns may be read in the wrong order, and text inside images or graphics may not be read at all.
Humans still decide
An ATS mostly organizes and filters; a recruiter makes the call. Your resume must work for both: easy for software to parse and persuasive for a person skimming it in seconds.
ATS Formatting Rules
- One column for the main content. Two-column designs look good but risk being read out of order.
- Standard headings: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
- Real text only: no text inside images, charts or icons.
- Common fonts and simple bullet points.
- Contact details in the body, not only in the page header or footer.
- Consistent dates, for example “Mar 2022 – Present”.
- Text-based PDF unless the employer asks for .docx.
The Best Section Order
| Career stage | Suggested order |
|---|---|
| Experienced professional | Contact → Summary → Experience → Skills → Education → Certifications |
| Recent graduate | Contact → Summary → Education → Projects → Experience → Skills |
| Career changer | Contact → Summary → Skills → Relevant projects → Experience → Education |
How to Write Achievement Bullets
Use a simple formula: action verb + what you did + the result. Duties describe the job; achievements show how well you did it.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Responsible for social media accounts | Managed 4 social accounts and grew LinkedIn followers from 2,000 to 11,500 in 12 months |
| Worked on the website redesign | Led the website redesign, cutting average page load time from 4.8s to 1.9s |
| Helped with customer support | Resolved about 40 support tickets a day while keeping satisfaction above 95% |
Use your own real numbers. If you don’t have exact figures, careful estimates (“about 40 a day”) are fine; invented ones are not.
How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Ad
Step 1: Read the ad twice
Highlight the skills, tools and responsibilities that appear more than once. Those are what the recruiter will search for.
Step 2: Match the wording
If the ad says “stakeholder management” and you do it, use those words rather than a synonym.
Step 3: Move the best evidence up
Reorder bullets so the most relevant achievements come first under each role.
Step 4: Adjust your headline and summary
Use the job title from the ad where it honestly describes you.
Step 5: Check the coverage
Paste the ad into our resume builder’s job match to see which keywords you cover and which are missing.
Don’t keyword-stuff
Only add skills you genuinely have. Recruiters check, and a keyword list with no evidence reads badly to a human.
Resume vs CV: What Is the Difference?
In the US and Canada, a resume is a short, tailored summary (one to two pages), while a CV is a longer academic record. In the UK, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and India, “CV” usually means the same short document. Use the word the job ad uses.
What to Leave Off Your Resume
- Photos, date of birth and marital status, unless local custom or the employer asks for them.
- Clichés such as “hard-working” and “team player”; show them with evidence instead.
- First-person pronouns: write “Managed a team of five”, not “I managed…”.
- Old or irrelevant jobs that don’t support this application.
- References (“available on request” is assumed).
Freelancing? The Same Rules Win Upwork Proposals
On Upwork and similar platforms, your proposal plays the role of the resume. Open with the client’s goal (clients see only the first couple of lines in the list), prove it with one relevant result, outline a short plan, answer their questions, and follow any instruction such as “start your proposal with the word…”. Our free Upwork proposal generator detects those instructions and builds a client-first draft from your real experience. For a full template and two worked examples, see Upwork proposal examples and a simple template.
Looking for a remote role in AI, automation or growth? See our open positions. Hiring rather than applying? We build AI automation that screens applications, schedules interviews and keeps candidates updated. And if you invoice clients, our guide to making an invoice covers the essentials.
What makes a resume ATS-friendly?
A single-column layout, standard section headings, real text instead of images, consistent dates, and keywords from the job ad that honestly describe your skills.
Should my resume be one page or two?
One page for early careers; up to two for experienced professionals. Cut anything that doesn’t support the job you are applying for.
Is a PDF or Word file better for ATS?
Most modern systems read text-based PDFs well. If the employer asks for .docx, send that. Never send a scanned image.
Do two-column resumes work with ATS?
Some systems read them correctly, but others read the columns out of order. A single column is the safest choice for online applications.
How do I find keywords for my resume?
Look for skills, tools and phrases that appear repeatedly in the job ad, then use them where they are true for you. Our free resume builder can compare your resume with a job ad.
Is there a free resume builder without a watermark?
Yes. Our Resume and CV Builder is free, needs no sign-up, adds no watermark and keeps your data on your device.