Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): How to Get Your Resume Seen

In today’s digital hiring landscape, a gatekeeper stands between you and many jobs: the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). These systems are used by the vast majority of employers to collect, filter, and rank resumes. If you apply online, there’s a very good chance your resume will pass through an ATS before a human ever lays eyes on it. Understanding how ATS algorithms work – and how to craft an ATS-friendly resume – is crucial to getting your resume seen by hiring managers.

Let’s demystify ATS and cover concrete steps to help your resume make it through this digital checkpoint.

What is an ATS and Why Do Employers Use It?

An Applicant Tracking System is essentially HR software designed to streamline the hiring process. When you submit your resume online, it often goes into a database powered by an ATS. Recruiters and hiring managers can then search and sort applications using keywords, filters, and automatic rankings.

Why ATS? Employers receive hundreds or even thousands of applications for popular jobs. ATS software saves time by weeding out resumes that don’t seem to match what they’re looking for. It’s about efficiency – but it can also mean qualified candidates get overlooked if their resumes aren’t optimized for the system.

Consider these stats: 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to handle hiring[32], and it’s not just the big players – companies of all sizes use them. And according to a 2025 recruiting report, 99.7% of recruiters use keyword filters in their ATS searches[33]. In other words, almost every recruiter is typing in keywords (skills, job titles, etc.) and letting the ATS show them the resumes that match.

For job seekers, this means two things: 1. You must get past the ATS filters to have a chance. 2. You need to make sure once a human reads your resume, it’s compelling (the ATS isn’t the only audience).

The good news is that optimizing for ATS often aligns with making your resume better for people, too. It’s about clarity, relevance, and structure.

ATS Filters: Keywords are Key

ATS filters primarily work by looking for keywords that match the job description. Think of the ATS as a search engine and your resume as a webpage – you want to include the terms a recruiter is likely to search for.

Common filters recruiters use: job title, skills, education, certifications, years of experience, location[12]. In fact: - Over 76% of recruiters filter by specific skills[12]. - Around 55% filter by job title or past experience titles[12]. - Over 50% filter by certifications or licenses for relevant roles[34]. - They may also filter by things like degree, languages, etc., depending on the job.

How to leverage this:

• Mirror the job description’s language: If the job posting repeatedly mentions a skill like “project management” or a tool like “Salesforce,” those exact phrases should appear in your resume (assuming you have those skills). Don’t use a less direct term like “team leadership” when they said “people management,” for example; try to use their wording[35][36].
• Include a dedicated skills section: List out technical skills, software, languages, etc. by name. Many ATS have a field-by-field parsing and having a clear “Skills” section can ensure those keywords are easily picked up.
• Use both acronyms and spelled-out terms: ATS may not know that “CRM” means “Customer Relationship Management” – and the recruiter might search one or the other. So include both if relevant: e.g., “Experienced in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems such as Salesforce.”[18][19]
• Integrate keywords naturally throughout: Beyond the skills list, use keywords in context in your job bullets. E.g., if “budgeting” is key, a bullet might say “Managed budgeting for projects up to \$2M.”
• Add the job title to your resume: This can be in your summary or even right under your name as a title line. If you’re applying for Senior Data Analyst, somewhere in your resume it should say “Senior Data Analyst” (possibly as “Objective: Senior Data Analyst at XYZ Corp” or in a profile title). Jobscan’s analysis found resumes with the exact job title listed were 10+ times more likely to get an interview[14][37] – that’s huge.

It might feel a bit like “gaming the system,” but really it’s about speaking the ATS (and the company’s) language. You’re aligning your terminology with theirs, which helps ensure your resume isn’t wrongly filtered out.

Avoid keyword stuffing: While you want those keywords in there, don’t just list “project management” 10 times. ATS algorithms and certainly human readers can sense a keyword-stuffed resume. A good rule is if a keyword is truly relevant, it will fit in naturally. If you find yourself struggling to fit a keyword because you haven’t actually done that thing – that might be one you leave off or acquire through training.

Keep the Format Simple and Standard

Fancy resume designs may look great to the eye, but they can confuse ATS software. The safest approach is a clean, straightforward format:

• Use standard headings (as mentioned): “Work Experience,” “Education,” “Skills,” “Certifications,” etc. Some ATS might not recognize an unconventional heading and could misplace that info. For instance, use “Experience” rather than “Career Journey” or something unique[22].
• One-column layout: While human readers might enjoy a two-column layout or text boxes with quotes, many ATS parse text top to bottom, left to right. A two-column format might jumble things out of order. Stick to a single column.
• Avoid tables and text boxes: Information inside tables or text boxes might be skipped entirely by an ATS[22]. If you have a table of skills with proficiency bars, for example, the ATS might not read any of that. Better to list skills as plain text.
• Minimal use of graphics or icons: An ATS can’t read a graphic. So if you have, say, logos of company names or icons to denote sections, the system might see those as weird characters or ignore them. Even some common symbols (like using a ★ star symbol for ratings) can be problematic.
• Bullet points are fine (and good): Use standard bullet characters (•, ■, or simple dashes). Avoid fancy or custom bullet symbols. Consistent formatting helps parsing.
• Font and text: Stick to common fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, etc.)[23]. Unusual fonts might not be recognized and could convert to gibberish. Use a legible font size (11 or 12pt for body text).
• No headers/footers for vital info: As noted, don’t put contact info in a header section of a Word document. Some ATS can’t see info in the document header. Keep all content in the main body.
• File type matters: Many ATS can handle PDFs, but some older systems work best with MS Word (.docx) files[24]. Check the application instructions: if they allow or prefer Word, use that. If PDF is acceptable, that’s usually fine too, as it preserves your formatting. Avoid less common formats (like .odt, .pages, or scanned images of resumes) – those will almost surely get dropped.

The goal is that when the ATS “reads” your resume, it correctly identifies your name, your contact info, your work history, etc., and doesn’t get tripped up by formatting. A good test is to copy-paste your resume text into a plain text editor – that approximates what the ATS might see. If things are out of order or missing, adjust your formatting.

Use an ATS-Friendly Resume Template (Optional)

If you’re not confident in designing a simple format yourself, there are resources and templates available specifically labeled as “ATS-friendly.” These often have been tested to ensure they parse well. They tend to be minimalist in design, using clear section headings and no fancy elements[38][39].

Websites like Jobscan, Indeed, or others sometimes offer free templates. Just be sure any template you use doesn’t include tables or graphics – sometimes even well-meaning templates sneak in a table for layout.

That said, you don’t need a special template. A basic Word document with headings in bold, maybe a line or two of simple formatting, and bullet-point lists will do the job.

Don’t Hide Important Info (and Other ATS Quirks)

Here are a few additional pointers to ensure the ATS captures all your critical details:

• Contact Information: Place your email and phone number on the top of the resume (below your name). Believe it or not, some ATS systems might auto-scan for an email format and phone number format. If you had, say, your email in a footer, it might be missed. Also, having your location (city, state) can be important because recruiters often filter by candidates in a certain geographic area[40].
• Dates of employment: Always include dates for each job (month and year). Some ATS rank or filter by amount of experience, and if you leave dates off, it may assume the worst (like you have gaps or very brief stints). Use a consistent date format across entries.
• Education and certifications: Include these in their own sections with proper names (e.g., “Bachelor of Science in Marketing, University of X, 2018”). If a certification is required for the job (say, a nursing license, or a CPA for accounting), make sure it’s clearly listed. Some ATS have specific fields for licenses/certs.
• No fancy charts or rating systems: It’s trendy to put skill bars or 5-star scales for skills (e.g., “JavaScript ★★★★☆”). Avoid that for ATS purposes – the system might not interpret it, and it doesn’t mean much to a recruiter either. Instead, describe your proficiency in words or just list the skill; discuss your level in your experience bullets if needed (“expert in..., advanced level... etc.”).
• Repetition vs. variety: This is a subtle point. ATS may count frequency of keywords to some extent, but quality matters more than quantity. It’s good to mention a key skill in more than one context if you have used it in multiple jobs (reinforces you have a lot of experience in it). But don’t artificially repeat a word dozens of times. Ensure each mention is in a meaningful context.

Also, note that some ATS do an initial ranking of resumes. They might assign a “match score” to how well your resume fits the job posting based on keywords and other factors. For example, if a job requires five specific skills and you only mention three of them, your score might be, say, 60%. While we can’t know or control everything about these algorithms, mentioning as many relevant required skills as you honestly can will increase that match percentage.

Make Your Resume Searchable and Scannable

Beyond just passing filters, remember that recruiters search the ATS database for candidates, especially when filling multiple roles or considering past applicants. They might type in a combination of skills and titles like “Java developer finance SpringBoot” and see who comes up.

To be prepared for that:

• Use variations of job titles if applicable. If you’ve been a “Software Engineer” but some companies call it “Software Developer,” you could write “Software Engineer / Developer” in your title or somewhere in your profile. Similarly, use both “QA” and “Quality Assurance,” etc., somewhere in the text.
• If you have specialized skills, list the common synonyms or related tools. For example, if you do digital marketing, include “SEO, SEM, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads” etc., if those are relevant – don’t assume the umbrella term “digital marketing” covers it for the ATS.
• Industry keywords: Include industry-specific jargon or methodologies if the job description references them. E.g., for project management: Agile, Scrum, Kanban might all be worth mentioning if you have experience with them, since a recruiter might search any of those.

At the same time, ensure your resume is easy to scan by a human once it passes the ATS. That means clear headings, a logical order (usually summary at top, then work experience, then education, then additional skills/certifications). Use bullet points for work accomplishments – long paragraphs are daunting to read on a screen, and you want to highlight key info.

Test and Optimize

Consider testing your resume with an ATS resume scanner tool (like Jobscan or others). They often let you paste the job description and your resume and then give you feedback on missing keywords, formatting issues, etc. For example, if the job description mentions “CRM” 5 times and you never mention it, the tool will flag that[41][42]. These tools can also catch if you have an odd formatting choice that could be ATS-unfriendly[43].

If you don’t want to use a tool, a DIY method: Take the job posting and highlight all the nouns/skills/requirements. Then check if your resume addresses each of those. If it doesn’t and you truly have that skill or experience, consider adding a mention.

Also, ask a friend or mentor to glance over the resume for clarity. They can tell you if it’s easy to find the important stuff or if something looks off.

After the ATS: Remember the Human

Optimizing for ATS is important, but never forget that the end-goal is to impress a human hiring manager. So don’t sacrifice readability or truth for the sake of the system. You still need a compelling resume that, when Jane Doe the recruiter picks it up, she immediately sees why you’re a great candidate.

• That means using dynamic language and action verbs, highlighting achievements, and showing progression or impact in your roles.
• Make sure your resume is truthful and you can back up every keyword with actual experience – you don’t want to “trick” the ATS only to flounder in an interview.
• Keep a balance: integrate keywords, but also maintain a narrative that makes sense.

A Quick ATS-Optimization Checklist

To wrap up, here’s a quick checklist you can use every time you apply:

• ✅ Keywords: Have I included key skills/qualifications from the job posting? (Especially those likely to be used as filters: e.g. required skills, software, degrees.)
• ✅ Job Title: Did I mention the exact job title of the position in my resume (if possible, in the summary or heading)?
• ✅ Formatting: Is my resume in a simple format (no tables, no images, one column, standard headings)?
• ✅ File Format: Am I submitting in the requested format (or a universally safe format like PDF/Word)?
• ✅ Contact Info: Is my contact info complete and in the main body of the resume (not a header/footer)?
• ✅ Spelling: Are all my keywords spelled correctly? (An ATS won’t recognize a misspelled skill!)
• ✅ Abbreviations: Did I include both full and abbreviated forms of major terms (like MBA/Master of Business Administration, if relevant)?
• ✅ Testing: Have I run my resume through a tool or plain-text view to see if anything looks out of place?
• ✅ Relevance: Did I remove or minimize unrelated info that might confuse the ATS or the recruiter? (e.g., if you’re switching careers, the ATS might get thrown by your unrelated past job titles – in such cases, use a strong summary to clarify your new focus.)

By checking these off, you’ll greatly improve the chances that your resume not only gets past the ATS but also stands out to the people who ultimately make the hiring decision. In a world where over 75% of resumes might never be seen by human eyes due to ATS filtering[1], you want yours firmly in the “seen” category.

Good luck with your applications! With a bit of ATS know-how and some targeted tailoring, your resume will be well-positioned to land in the “Yes” pile.

This is the end of this article.