How to write a resume that passes ATS

16 October 2026

Many companies first run resumes through an ATS (applicant tracking system): software that stores applications, splits resumes into fields and helps recruiters search candidates by keywords. If the software cannot read your resume, the recruiter may never see it, even when your experience is a perfect fit.

The good news: passing an ATS takes no tricks. It takes clarity and structure.

1. A simple layout that is easy to read

• One column of text. Software often reads two columns, tables and text placed over backgrounds in the wrong order.
• No text inside images. Icons, logos and graphical "skill bars" cannot be read.
• Standard fonts, and contact details in the main text rather than in headers or footers.

Our builder has an ATS template for exactly this: one column, real text in the PDF, no pictures instead of words.

2. Standard section names

The software looks for familiar headings: Experience, Education, Skills. Creative titles like "My journey" may not be recognised.

3. Keywords from the job — honestly

Recruiters search by the words in the job description: technologies, tools, the role title. Re-read the job and make sure that what you really can do is named the same way: "React", not just "front end"; "project management", not just "managed tasks".

Do not add skills you do not have: an interview reveals that quickly.

4. Achievements instead of duties

An ATS helps you get found, but a person reads the resume. Write what changed thanks to you:

• weak: "Responsible for the front end";
• better: "Rebuilt the product catalogue in React; the page loads twice as fast".

If you have no exact numbers, describe the scale: users, teams, clients.

5. Consistent dates and the right file format

• Use one date format across the resume, for example "Mar 2022 — Present".
• Send a text-based PDF (not a scan), or DOCX if the job asks for it.

6. Tailor the resume to each job

One resume for every job works worse than one slightly adjusted for each: a different title, a different skill order, different achievements first. That is what Fit to a job in the builder does: it suggests changes using only your facts, and you accept each one.

In short: one column, standard sections, the job's words, achievements with numbers, a text PDF — and a separate version for every important application.