You've spent hours crafting a strong resume, but it never seems to get a response. The most likely culprit? An Applicant Tracking System — or ATS — that filtered it out before a human ever read it.
The hard truth: 98% of Fortune 500 companies and 66% of large employers use ATS software to filter resumes. Most candidates are rejected without a single human seeing their application.
Here's exactly how ATS works — and how to make sure your resume gets through.
What Is an ATS and How Does It Work?
An Applicant Tracking System is software that automatically screens, ranks, and filters resumes before a recruiter ever sees them. When you submit an application online, your resume is parsed into a database. The ATS then scores it based on how well it matches the job description — looking for specific keywords, job titles, skills, and experience.
Resumes that score above a certain threshold get passed to a human recruiter. The rest are quietly archived.
7 Ways to Optimise Your Resume for ATS
1. Use Keywords from the Job Description
Read the job posting carefully and identify the key skills and requirements. Include these exact phrases naturally throughout your resume — especially in your skills section and job descriptions. If the job requires "project management" and you write "managing projects," ATS may not match it.
2. Use Standard Section Headings
Stick to conventional headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications. Creative alternatives like "My Journey" or "Where I've Been" confuse ATS parsers and may cause those sections to be missed entirely.
3. Submit in the Right Format
Unless the job posting specifies otherwise, submit your resume as a .docx or simple .pdf file. Avoid image-based PDFs, which ATS cannot read. The safest option is always a clean, text-based document.
4. Avoid Tables, Columns, and Graphics
Many ATS systems cannot properly parse information in tables or multi-column layouts. A resume that looks beautiful in a PDF may be completely scrambled when ATS tries to read it. Stick to a single-column format for maximum compatibility.
5. Match Your Job Title to the Posting
If you're applying for a "Digital Marketing Manager" role and your resume lists "Online Marketing Lead," the ATS may not connect them. Where accurate, align your job titles to the language used in the role you're applying for.
6. Spell Out Acronyms
Use both the full term and the acronym the first time you mention something. Write "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" rather than just "SEO." Different employers and ATS systems may search for either form.
7. Keep Formatting Simple and Consistent
Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman), consistent font sizes, and clear visual hierarchy. Fancy formatting, text boxes, and headers/footers can all cause parsing errors in ATS systems.
What to Avoid
✗ Don't stuff keywords unnaturally
Some candidates try to game ATS by cramming keywords in white text or listing them in an unreadable wall. Modern ATS systems detect this, and if a human does read your resume, it will look terrible. Write naturally.
✗ Don't use a creative or infographic resume
Visual resumes with icons, charts, and images may look impressive, but they are largely invisible to ATS. Save the creativity for your portfolio — your resume needs to be scannable by machines first.
Check Your ATS Score
The best way to know if your resume will pass ATS is to test it. Our free ATS Score Checker analyses your resume and gives you a score out of 100, with specific recommendations for improvement.
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