How to Write a Resume That Works With Applicant Tracking Systems

Many organisations, especially larger ones, use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to collect, organise and search applications. These systems parse your resume into fields such as job titles, employers, dates and skills, and recruiters search and filter the results. A resume that the system reads cleanly, and that uses the language of the job, has a better chance of reaching a human reviewer.

The good news: what works for an ATS also works for people. Clear structure and relevant content win both ways.

Keep the formatting simple

• Use a single-column layout. Complex multi-column designs, text boxes and tables can confuse parsers and scramble the order of your information.
• Avoid putting key information in headers or footers, where some systems do not look.
• Use standard fonts and normal bullet points.
• Skip graphics, icons and skill bars. A "five-star" rating for Excel means nothing to a parser and little to a recruiter.
• Submit the requested file type. If none is specified, a Word document or a text-based PDF (not a scanned image) is usually safe.

Use standard section headings

Parsers look for familiar labels. Use headings such as Summary, Experience or Work Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications. Creative headings like "Where I've Made an Impact" may not be recognised.

Mirror the language of the job description

Recruiters often search for specific skills, tools and job titles. Read the job description and note the terms that appear repeatedly: software, methodologies, certifications, responsibilities. Where they genuinely reflect your experience, use the same wording.

• If the job says "project management" and you wrote "coordinated initiatives", adjust the wording.
• Include both the acronym and full term once: "search engine optimisation (SEO)".
• Never list skills you do not have. Interviews will expose it, and it damages trust.

Write achievement-focused bullet points

Each bullet should show what you did and what changed as a result. A useful pattern is action verb + task + result:

• Weak: "Responsible for social media accounts."
• Stronger: "Planned and published content across three social channels, growing monthly engaged followers and doubling website referrals over six months."

Quantify where you honestly can: time saved, revenue, costs reduced, customers served, projects delivered. If you cannot share exact figures, describe scale and outcome.

Tailor for every application

Keep a detailed master resume with everything you have done, then create a tailored version for each role, reordering and trimming to match what that employer cares about. Tailoring usually takes 15 to 30 minutes and is time well spent.

Get the basics right

• Contact details at the top: name, phone, professional email, location (city is enough) and a LinkedIn profile URL. See our guide to building a LinkedIn profile recruiters find.
• Consistent date formats.
• Reverse chronological order: most recent role first.
• One to two pages for most people; longer formats are expected in some academic and medical fields.
• No spelling mistakes. Read it aloud and ask someone else to check.

Common mistakes

• Sending the same generic resume to every job
• Listing duties instead of achievements
• Including personal details that are not required, such as date of birth or a photo, in countries where employers do not expect them
• Hiding employment gaps; a brief, honest explanation is better

After the resume

A strong resume gets you to the interview stage. Prepare for it with our guide to answering behavioural questions with the STAR method.