How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume That Actually Gets Seen
By
Ethan Fahey
•
Aug 26, 2025
Struggling to create an ATS-friendly resume that actually gets noticed? You’re not alone. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software tools used by employers to screen and filter resumes before they ever reach a human recruiter. If your resume isn’t optimized for ATS, it may never be seen, no matter how strong your qualifications are.
An ATS-friendly resume is all about using the right structure, clean formatting, and industry-relevant keywords so that your skills and accomplishments don’t get lost in the system. By tailoring your resume this way, you improve your chances of making it past automated screening and into the hands of a recruiter. In this article, we’ll break down practical strategies for optimizing resumes to work with ATS systems. And for recruiters, tools like Fonzi AI can help streamline the process even further by matching the right candidates to the right roles faster, saving time while improving hiring outcomes.
Key Takeaways
An ATS-friendly resume requires a clear structure, relevant keywords, and simple formatting to ensure it is easily read by Applicant Tracking Systems.
Key sections of an ATS-friendly resume include contact information, a professional summary, work experience, education, and skills, all designed for optimal ATS parsing.
Testing your resume for ATS compliance using online tools is crucial to achieve a high ATS score, which increases your chances of passing initial automated screenings.
What Makes a Resume ATS-Friendly?
Creating an ATS-friendly resume is about more than just strong content; it also requires proper structure and the use of relevant keywords. An ATS scans resumes for keywords and structured information, allowing it to efficiently filter through thousands of applications. To ensure your resume doesn’t get lost in the digital shuffle, it must be formatted so the ATS can easily read and process it.
Using an ATS resume template can significantly improve your chances. These templates are specifically designed with ATS software in mind, ensuring that all critical information is easily accessible. Clear section headings and a simple design make your resume more ATS-compliant, increasing its visibility to recruiters.
Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers to collect, rank, sort, and review resumes. These systems scan resumes to extract important details such as skills, job titles, and certifications, allowing employers to filter candidates based on job requirements. ATS technology has become an integral part of the hiring process, helping companies reduce the time and cost associated with recruitment while improving the candidate experience through clear communication.
ATS software ranks candidates by comparing resumes to the job description, filtering out those that lack the right keywords. This means your resume needs to be not only well-crafted but also strategically aligned with the job posting. Understanding ATS systems allows you to tailor your resume to meet their criteria, increasing your chances of advancing in the hiring process.
The importance of an ATS-friendly resume cannot be overstated. In a competitive job market where recruiters receive hundreds of applications, an ATS-compliant resume ensures your qualifications are noticed. Integrating relevant keywords and maintaining a clear structure helps you navigate digital gatekeepers, bringing you closer to your dream job.
Essential Components of an ATS-Friendly Resume
An effective ATS-friendly resume is composed of several critical elements, including:
Well-structured sections for contact information
A professional summary
Work experience
Education
Skills
Each section must be formatted to ensure maximum readability by ATS software.
Contact Information
The contact information section is straightforward but crucial. Positioning your contact details at the top of the resume ensures they are easily accessible to the ATS. Avoid placing this information in headers or footers, as these areas can be skipped by some ATS software.
List your:
Name
Phone number
Email address
LinkedIn profile or personal website (if applicable)
Keep the formatting simple and avoid using graphics or complex layouts. This straightforward approach ensures your contact details are easy to read by both ATS and recruiters, and submitted images do not distract from the content.
Professional Summary
Your professional summary serves as a concise overview of your experience and strengths, ideally positioned at the top of the resume. To make it ATS-friendly, follow these steps:
Analyze the job posting to extract key terms related to required skills, qualifications, and experiences.
Seamlessly weave these identified keywords into your summary.
Avoid keyword stuffing to maintain natural and effective language.
Industry-specific terminology enhances visibility to ATS, as these systems look for particular words and phrases that establish a strong connection.
A well-crafted professional summary should succinctly showcase essential skills and qualifications, aligning closely with the job description to capture the attention of both ATS and hiring managers, making you the perfect candidate.
Work Experience
The work experience section is where you detail your past jobs and responsibilities. Presenting this information in reverse chronological order is the most effective format for ATS. To facilitate ATS parsing, include:
Specific job titles
Company names
Locations
Dates
To improve ATS compatibility, use keywords specific to the job description when describing responsibilities and achievements. This not only helps the ATS recognize your relevant experience but also makes your resume more appealing to recruiters who are looking for candidates with specific skills and backgrounds.
Education
Your educational background is another critical component of an ATS-friendly resume. Include essential information such as degrees earned, institutions attended, and graduation dates. This clear presentation ensures that the ATS can easily recognize and process your academic qualifications.
Detailing specific degree types, honors, and relevant coursework can further enhance the ATS’s ability to match your resume with the job requirements. Providing this information straightforwardly improves your chances of passing through the ATS filters and catching recruiters’ attention.
Skills
The skills section is where you can significantly enhance your resume’s ATS compatibility. Focus on incorporating one- or two-word phrases that match the job description. Including relevant terms from job descriptions can significantly increase the chances of passing through ATS filters.
To enhance your resume’s alignment with the job requirements and improve its visibility in ATS, consider the following:
Include soft skills mentioned in the job posting in addition to technical skills.
Use a balanced approach to cover both technical and soft skills.
Incorporate industry-specific jargon to boost your resume’s ranking within the ATS.
Best Practices for Formatting Your ATS Resume
Formatting your resume correctly is crucial for ATS compatibility. This involves choosing the right file format, fonts, and layout, and avoiding complex elements that could confuse the ATS.
Let’s explore these best practices in detail to ensure your resume stands out in the digital hiring process.
File Format
Using the correct file format is the first step in creating an ATS-friendly resume. The safest file formats for ATS compatibility are .docx and .txt. These formats ensure that the ATS can read and parse your resume without any issues.
Always read the job application guidelines to verify the required file format before submission. While PDFs may seem like a good option, they can sometimes cause parsing issues with ATS software. Sticking to .docx or .txt formats ensures your resume is properly read by the system.
Fonts and Layout
Choosing the right fonts and layout is essential for enhancing readability. Recommended fonts for an ATS-friendly resume include Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman. Use these fonts in sizes 10-12 to ensure clarity.
Organize your resume with straightforward formatting and clear section headings like ‘Professional Summary,’ ‘Work Experience,’ and ‘Skills’. A clean and organized layout aids in better visibility for ATS tracking and makes it easier for recruiters to read.
Avoiding Complex Elements
To ensure your resume is easily read by ATS systems, follow these guidelines:
Avoid using complex elements such as tables, columns, or graphics.
Stick to plain text.
Use simple bullet points to facilitate better reading by ATS systems.
Including quantifiable achievements in the work experience section can enhance your appeal to both ATS and hiring managers. Overall, keeping your resume simple and straightforward helps avoid potential parsing issues with ATS software.
Keyword Optimization for ATS Systems
Keyword optimization is a critical aspect of creating an ATS-friendly resume. Identifying and integrating relevant keywords from job descriptions ensures your resume aligns with what the ATS is programmed to look for during a job search.
Let’s delve into how to identify these keywords and integrate them naturally into your resume.
Identifying Keywords
The primary source for ATS keywords is often found in the ‘requirements’ and ‘responsibilities’ sections of job ads. Analyze job descriptions to pinpoint specific skills and qualifications that are frequently mentioned and relevant to the position.
In the skills section, prioritize using industry-specific terminology that aligns closely with the job advertisement to improve ATS scoring. Including a mix of both technical skills and interpersonal skills enhances your resume’s alignment with the job description and improves its visibility in ATS.
Integrating Keywords Naturally
Integrating keywords naturally into your resume sections without resorting to keyword stuffing is essential. The professional summary should encompass key qualifications and strategically incorporate keywords that align with the job posting.
To avoid keyword stuffing in your resume, follow these tips:
Embed keywords in contextually relevant sentences.
Aim to incorporate keywords in a way that reads naturally.
Ensure the keywords reflect your actual experience and achievements.
Testing Your Resume for ATS Compliance
Once you’ve crafted your resume, testing its ATS compliance is crucial. An ATS score is a numerical value assigned to your resume based on how well it meets the requirements of the job description. Generally, a good ATS score is considered to be 80% or higher.
There are several tools available online that can help you check your resume’s ATS compliance. These tools analyze your resume and provide feedback on areas that need improvement.
A high ATS score increases the likelihood that your resume will have the best chance of being reviewed by a recruiter, giving it a better chance of standing out.
Introduction to Fonzi and Its Role in Modern Hiring
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the hiring process, and Fonzi is at the forefront of this change. Designed to reduce bias, protect candidate experience, and speed up the hiring timeline, Fonzi ensures a seamless and transparent recruitment experience. Companies using AI in recruitment report significant productivity improvements, with some achieving gains of over 30%.
Fonzi’s AI-driven approach expands candidate searches, allowing recruiters to access a broader and more diverse talent pool. This technology enables more efficient marketing and administrative tasks, enhancing the overall hiring process and making it more candidate-centric.
How Fonzi’s Match Day Works
Fonzi Match Day is a structured hiring event that connects pre-vetted AI engineers with leading companies, streamlining the recruitment process. The platform supports both startups and large enterprises in their AI hiring needs.
During Match Day events, companies can make salary-backed offers to candidates within a 48-hour timeframe, significantly reducing the time-to-hire. This high-signal, efficient approach ensures that decisions are completed in under three weeks, benefiting both candidates and employers.
Preparing for Interviews in the AI Job Market
Preparing for interviews in the AI job market requires leveraging AI-driven tools and techniques. Tools like Big Interview and LinkedIn Interview Prep provide practice and feedback on interview performance. Generative AI can assist candidates in conducting background research on industries and creating potential interview questions and responses.
Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) helps candidates structure answers to behavioral interview questions effectively. Avoid memorizing answers; instead, formulate key ideas and adapt them during the interview to showcase your skills and experiences authentically.
Reinforcing a Positive Message About AI in Recruitment
Artificial Intelligence is often viewed with skepticism in recruitment, but it offers numerous benefits when used responsibly. Fonzi incorporates automated screening and bias-audited evaluations to ensure a fair and efficient hiring process. These measures not only enhance security for both candidates and employers but also maintain a positive candidate experience, which is crucial as over half of applicants would reject an attractive offer after a negative recruiting encounter.
AI helps recruiters focus on people rather than processes, reinforcing a positive, human-centered message in recruitment. Automating routine tasks and reducing bias, AI-driven tools like Fonzi ensure an efficient, equitable, and candidate-friendly hiring process.
Well-Formatted Table for Creating an ATS-Friendly Resume
Creating an ATS-friendly resume involves following specific formatting guidelines to ensure it is easily scanned by automated systems. Here is a well-formatted table summarizing key tips to create an ATS-friendly resume:
Resume Tips by Section:
Contact Information: Place at the top; avoid headers and footers
Professional Summary: Use relevant keywords; concise overview
Work Experience: Reverse chronological order; specific details
Education: Clear details; include degrees and institutions
Skills: Relevant keywords; industry-specific terms
File Format: Use .docx or .txt; avoid PDFs
Fonts and Layout: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman; clear headings
Avoid Complex Elements: No graphics, tables, or columns; use plain text
Following these guidelines ensures your resume is ATS-compliant, increasing the likelihood that it will be seen by recruiters and hiring managers.
Summary
Creating an ATS-friendly resume is crucial in today’s job market. By understanding how ATS works and following best practices for formatting and keyword optimization, you can ensure your resume gets seen by recruiters. Tools like Fonzi further enhance the recruitment process by leveraging AI to create a fair and efficient hiring experience. Implement these strategies to maximize your chances of landing your dream job.
