Best Ats friendly resume (2026)

Most medium and large employers screen resumes with applicant tracking systems, so your resume must be readable by software as well as a person.
If the software cannot parse your file or find relevant keywords, your application may never reach a hiring manager.

You are not alone in finding resume rules confusing, and small formatting choices can make a big difference.
This section explains what ATS software looks for and how simple changes increase your odds of moving to the interview stage.

Use a simple, clean layout with clear headings so the ATS can identify sections such as Work Experience, Education, and Skills.
Avoid complex multi-column layouts, text boxes, headers, footers, and graphics that confuse parsing, and keep consistent font use and sizes.

Choose standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman and use 10 to 12 point size for body text so the file remains scannable.
Use left-aligned text, single or 1.

15 line spacing, and standard margins to keep your document tidy and predictable for both machines and humans.

Keywords are the skills, tools, certifications, and job titles that match the job posting, and you should mirror language from the posting where it fits your experience.
Scatter those keywords naturally across your Summary, Work Experience, and Skills sections so the ATS detects both the terms and the context.

Avoid keyword stuffing by showing achievements that back up each term you include, such as describing projects, tools used, or metrics achieved.
Use both full terms and common abbreviations when appropriate, for example include "Search Engine Optimization" and "SEO" if both appear in job descriptions you target.

Start with a concise summary or profile that mentions your job title, core skills, and years of experience to help the ATS and reviewer quickly understand your fit.
Follow with a Skills section listing 8 to 15 relevant keywords, formatted as a simple bullet list or short comma separated line for readability.

Place Work Experience next with company name, location, job title, and clear dates in month year format, then include 3 to 6 achievement-focused bullets per role.
Use action verbs, quantify results when possible, and include the tools or methods you used so the ATS and hiring manager see both skills and impact.

Each bullet should start with an action verb and include a quantifiable result or clear outcome when possible, so both the ATS and a person can evaluate your contribution.
Keep bullets to one or two lines and avoid long paragraphs, while ensuring they contain relevant keywords in natural sentences.

Show the context for tools and methods by naming them, for example write "Managed SEO campaigns using Google Analytics and SEMrush, increasing organic traffic 35 percent year over year" to combine a skill, a tool, and a result.
That style gives the ATS searchable terms and gives hiring managers concrete evidence of ability.

List degrees and certifications using the full credential name and the issuing institution with dates, and include relevant coursework only if you have limited work experience.
For certifications, include the exact certification name and any ID or issuing body so the ATS recognizes it as a credential.

Consider optional sections like Projects, Volunteer Work, or Publications if they contain relevant keywords and measurable results.
Keep these sections short and focused, and place them below Work Experience unless they are central to the job you want.

Save and upload your resume as a Word file, .
docx, unless the job posting specifically asks for PDF, because some ATS versions parse .

docx more reliably.
Name your file with your full name and the job title or company, for example "Jane-Doe-Marketing-Specialist.

docx", so it is clear to reviewers and avoids system truncation.
Follow application instructions exactly and paste your resume into text fields only when required, checking for formatting loss after pasting.

If a portal asks for plain text, review the pasted version to restore line breaks and ensure lists remain readable.

Run your resume through a free ATS checker to see which keywords are detected and how parsable your file is, and then compare the results to the job posting to identify gaps.
Also upload your resume on multiple job sites and review how the parsed profile appears, because real-world parsing can differ between systems.

Ask a trusted contact or recruiter to review your resume in plain text or copy and paste it to check for layout issues after parsing.
Iterate on your document, focusing on clarity, keyword coverage, and measurable achievements until the parsed output accurately reflects your experience.

Tailor your resume by swapping keywords and emphasizing experiences that match the top 4 to 6 requirements in the job posting, while keeping the core structure intact.
Adjust your summary and reorder bullets so the most relevant responsibilities and results appear near the top of each section.

Keep a master resume with all achievements and keywords, then create targeted versions that highlight the most relevant items for each application.
This method saves time and increases the match rate with the ATS without misrepresenting your background.

Here is a short template you can adapt, with headings and a simple layout that ATS parse well: Summary, Skills, Work Experience, Education, Certifications.
Use consistent dates and simple bullets under each role, and avoid decorative separators, icons, or images that can break parsing.

For role specific templates, focus skills and tools in the Skills section and include measurable achievements under Experience that reference those terms.
Keep templates stored as editable .

docx files so you can quickly tailor them for each application.