ATS Friendly Resume: How to Build One That Gets Past the Bots (+ Free Templates)

About ninety percent of companies, including most Fortune 500 organizations, use applicant tracking systems to manage candidate applications. Why? On average, a single job opening can receive more than 250 applications—and it’s much higher for larger businesses. ATS platforms can automatically filter, scan, and rank resumes, saving HR teams and recruiters lots of time. 

That’s why, as a job seeker, it’s become increasingly important to use optimized ATS resume templates. ATS-compliant templates ensure you follow a standard format that the systems can parse and analyze correctly. 

In this article, you’ll learn how an application tracking system works and how to build a resume optimized for ATS. It will also review some of the best ATS templates for different roles, including programming, finance, engineering, and healthcare. 

What is an Applicant Tracking System? 

Applicant tracking systems help filter and rank job applications based on specific keywords, experiences, skills, and other criteria. Recruiters use them to find the most qualified people—without having to scan through a heap of resumes and cover letters. 

ATS platforms can also serve as databases for applicant information, including resumes, cover letters, and other application data. Advanced systems may also offer reporting and analytics tools for recruiters to track key success indicators and hiring metrics, like source of hire, time to hire, and candidate satisfaction. 

Depending on company size, recruiters may use different levels of applicant tracking systems: 

• Basic ATS: Handles core tasks such as job posting, storing candidate information, resume parsing, and basic analytics.
• Midlevel ATS: Provides advanced functionality such as candidate communication tools, advanced analytics and reporting, and integrations with other HR tools. 
• Enterprise ATS: Enables organizations with complex hiring needs to optimize their processes with tools such as custom workflows, onboarding, compliance management, and extensive integration capabilities. 

How Does an ATS Review Resumes? 

ATS uses a scanning technology called optical character recognition (OCR), which scans horizontally from the upper left corner to the lower right corner—the same way humans read. 

When you submit your resume, the applicant tracking system scans and interprets the information in the document, categorizing it into relevant buckets, such as experience, skills, and education. Some ATS will first convert the text in your resume to hypertext markup language (HTML) for easy reading. 

After your information is sorted, the ATS compares it to the job description and scans for keywords in sections of your resume and qualifications like certifications and degrees. For example, if the job description for a finance role lists financial modeling as a skill, the ATS will scan your resume's skills section for that keyword or variations of it. 

The applicant tracking system then ranks your resume based on how well your information matches the job description. The higher your resume is ranked, the more prioritization it gets, which means recruiters are more likely to see resumes with higher resume scores. 

Common Myths about Applicant Tracking Systems 

There are several myths surrounding ATS and how it works. Let's debunk some of those right now.

Myth #1: ATS handles hiring from start to finish

ATS is a tool, not a decision maker.  While it organizes, filters, and ranks resumes,  human recruiters make the interviewing and hiring decisions. 

‍Myth #2: ATS can scan all resume layouts

Many companies use older ATS systems, which can’t accurately parse graphics, tables, or creative fonts found in newer resume designs. To make sure your resume gets past the ATS system and to the recruiter, it’s important to stick to a simple, clean layout that’s easy to read for both the ATS and the recruiter. 

‍Myth #3: ATS only looks for exact keyword matches

Applicant tracking systems are designed to look for keywords, synonyms, and other context variations. For example, if a software engineering job description lists “software engineer,” ATS can recognize variations such as “software developer” or “engineered software solutions.” You can implement relevant keywords without matching the job description word for word. 

‍Myth #4: ATS automatically rejects resumes based on scoring 

The software scores resumes based on relevance to the job description, but it does not have the functionality to reject them itself. Even if your resume does not have a perfect score, it still has a chance of being viewed by a recruiter.

‍Myth #5: ATS only considers recent experience 

Applicant tracking systems consider the relevance of all experience in your resume, both past and present. It’s important to list relevant accomplishments from earlier positions that align with the job description.

‍Pro tip: To ensure your experience is easy for ATS platforms to interpret and recruiters to follow, use a reverse chronological resume format. This presents your most recent roles first while maintaining a clear view of your career progression.

How to Make Your Resume ATS Friendly: The Formatting Foundation

Before you think about keywords or content, you need to get the structural foundation right. An ATS reads a document differently than a person does. The creative, eye-catching design a recruiter might appreciate can be completely unreadable to the software.

Use a Simple, Single-Column Layout

ATS software reads from top to bottom, left to right. Multi-column layouts, sidebar designs, and text boxes confuse the parser. Stick to a single-column, top-down structure. It's not exciting, but it ensures every piece of information gets read in the correct order.

Choose Standard Section Headings

An ATS is programmed to look for specific, universal headings to categorize your information. This is not the place to get creative. Use headings like:

• Work Experience (not "My Professional Journey")
• Education (not "Academic Background")
• Skills (not "What I Bring to the Table")
• Summary or Professional Summary
• Certifications

If the system doesn't recognize your heading, it may skip that entire section.

Stick to Standard Fonts

Use common, widely supported fonts: Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Cambria, Georgia, or Times New Roman. Avoid decorative or custom fonts that may not render correctly when the ATS processes your file.

Use a 10-12pt Font Size

Body text should be 10-12pt. Your name can be slightly larger (14-16pt). Section headings can be 12-14pt and bolded. Avoid going below 10pt, as some systems struggle with smaller text.

Avoid Graphics, Images, and Icons

ATS software cannot read images, icons, charts, logos, or infographics. If your contact information is embedded in a header graphic, the system won't capture your phone number or email. If your skills are displayed as a bar chart, they won't be parsed at all.

Skip Tables and Text Boxes

While some modern ATS platforms handle simple tables, many still can't. Text boxes are particularly problematic because the content inside them is often ignored entirely. Use standard paragraph formatting instead.

Save as PDF or DOCX

Both formats are generally ATS compatible, but there are nuances. A text-based PDF (one you created from a word processor, not a scan) is usually safe. A DOCX file is the most universally readable format. If a job posting specifies a format, always follow those instructions.

Avoid saving your resume as an image-based PDF (like a scanned document), as these can't be parsed at all.

Keyword Optimization: Matching the Job Description Without Stuffing

Once your formatting is clean, the next step is making sure your resume speaks the same language as the job description. ATS software matches your resume's content against the keywords and phrases the recruiter has configured for the role.

How to Identify the Right Keywords

Pull up the job description for the role you're targeting and look for:

• Hard skills: Specific tools, technologies, and methodologies (e.g., "Salesforce," "Python," "Agile," "financial modeling")
• Soft skills: Leadership, communication, and teamwork terms that appear repeatedly
• Job-specific terminology: Industry terms, certifications, and credentials (e.g., "PMP," "CPA," "HIPAA compliance")
• Action verbs: Words like "managed," "developed," "implemented," and "optimized"

Pay attention to terms that appear more than once in the posting. Repetition usually signals priority.

Where to Place Keywords

Weave keywords naturally into these sections:

• Professional summary: Include 3-5 high-priority keywords
• Work experience bullet points: Demonstrate keywords in context (e.g., "Managed a $2M budget using SAP" rather than just listing "SAP")
• Skills section: List both hard and soft skills that match the job description
• Education and certifications: Include relevant credential abbreviations

What Not to Do

Keyword stuffing is counterproductive. Cramming a list of terms into a hidden section or repeating the same phrase five times in your summary will hurt you in two ways: some ATS platforms flag obvious stuffing, and even if you pass the software, the recruiter who reads your resume will notice.

Use each keyword 1-3 times across your resume, placed in context where it makes sense.

Writing ATS Friendly Resume Content That Also Impresses Recruiters

An ATS friendly resume still needs to be a strong resume. Passing the software is step one. Impressing the human who reads it is step two.

Lead With a Strong Professional Summary

Your summary should be 3-4 sentences that communicate who you are, what you do, and the value you bring. It's prime real estate for keywords.

Weak example: "Hardworking professional seeking a challenging opportunity to grow and contribute to a dynamic organization."

Strong example: "Operations Manager with 8 years of experience streamlining supply chain logistics for Fortune 500 manufacturers. Reduced fulfillment costs by 22% through Lean Six Sigma process improvements and ERP system optimization. PMP certified with a track record of leading cross-functional teams of 15+."

The strong version includes the job title, years of experience, quantified results, relevant methodologies, certifications, and scope of work. It's keyword-rich and tells a story.

Quantify Your Achievements

ATS systems parse for keywords, but recruiters scan for impact. Whenever possible, include numbers:

• Revenue generated or costs reduced
• Team size managed
• Percentage improvements
• Project budgets
• Timeframes and deadlines met

"Managed social media accounts" becomes "Grew Instagram following from 5K to 48K in 12 months, increasing engagement rate by 35%."

Use Reverse Chronological Format

The reverse chronological format is the most ATS friendly resume format and the most preferred by recruiters. It lists your most recent position first and works backward. The structure is predictable, easy to parse, and easy to scan.

Each position should include:

• Job title
• Company name
• Location (city, state)
• Employment dates (month/year format)
• 3-6 bullet points describing responsibilities and achievements

Functional resumes (skills-based) and creative formats are risky with ATS. The software expects to see a timeline of employment, and functional formats often omit or obscure that information.

Common ATS Resume Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

Even small formatting choices can trip up an ATS. Here are the most common mistakes:

Using Headers and Footers for Contact Information

Many resume templates place your name, phone number, and email in the document header or footer. Most ATS platforms can't read header/footer content. Put your contact information in the main body of the document.

Abbreviations Without Spelling Out the Full Term

If the job description says "Search Engine Optimization" but your resume only says "SEO," you might miss the match. Include both: "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)." This covers you for either variation the ATS might be configured to find.

Inconsistent Date Formatting

Pick one date format and stick with it. "Jan 2022 - Present" is fine. "January 2022 - Present" is fine. Mixing formats (or using just years) can confuse the parser.

Non-Standard File Names

Name your file clearly: "FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf." Avoid generic names like "Resume_final_v3.docx" or files with special characters in the name.

Overly Designed Templates

Two-column layouts with sidebars, colored backgrounds, progress bars for skills, and creative icons may look modern, but they're an ATS liability. The safer your design, the higher your parse rate.

‍

Best ATS Resume Templates

The best resume templates are ATS compatible, maximize context, and use reverse chronological order. They allow your professional value to shine while maintaining a clean and simple layout that’s easy to scan for ATS and appeals to human recruiters. 

Compact ATS Template

‍

The Compact ATS Format is perfect for professionals with extensive experience who need to present their qualifications concisely. This format maximizes space without sacrificing clarity, making it ideal for senior professionals, career changers, or those with diverse backgrounds. Despite its density, it maintains a clean and organized look, ensuring every detail is easily accessible and ATS-friendly.

Create your Compact ATS resume with Resumatic

Modern ATS Template

The Modern ATS Format blends sleek design with optimal ATS performance, emphasizing your most important content with a contemporary layout. Ideal for professionals in dynamic industries, this format uses clean lines and strategic whitespace to make your resume stand out. It’s perfect for showcasing a polished, up-to-date image while ensuring your resume is both visually appealing and highly functional.

Create your Modern ATS resume with Resumatic

Standard ATS Template

The Standard ATS Format is the reliable choice for any industry, offering a clean, efficient structure that highlights your experience and skills. This format ensures your resume is both ATS-friendly and easily readable by hiring managers. Its simplicity and effectiveness makes it a go-to option for professionals looking to present their qualifications in the most straightforward and professional manner.

‍Create your Standard ATS resume with Resumatic

Bold ATS Template

The Bold ATS Format is designed for those who want to add a touch of personality while remaining professional. This format allows for subtle color accents, perfect for creative roles or industries that value individuality. It ensures your resume passes through ATS filters while leaving a memorable impression on recruiters. It can make your application unique without compromising on clarity and professionalism.

Create your Bold ATS resume with Resumatic‍

Best ATS Resume Templates For Every Industry

Whether you’re in finance, tech, engineering, healthcare, or marketing, the best ATS resume can help you highlight your skills and experience. Here are free templates for you to use:

ATS Resume for Programmers

‍

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for multiple programming roles, including software engineer, software developer, data engineer, IT security expert, junior network engineer, Python software engineer, cybersecurity expert, and more. 

‍Use this template.

ATS Resume for Engineering

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for various engineering roles, including  VP of engineering, senior systems engineer, aircraft mechanic, facilities engineer, junior electrical engineer, process technician, and more. 

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Customer Service

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for multiple customer service roles, such as front desk, IT help desk specialist, customer service rep, receptionist, customer support technician, and more.

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Legal Professionals

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for various legal roles, including legal counsel, legal assistant, lawyer, social worker, and paralegal. 

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Healthcare and Medical Fields

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for professionals working in healthcare and medical fields, such as registered nurses, pharmacists, medical assistants, dental assistants, and pharmacy techs. 

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Marketers

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for marketers, such as SEO specialists, marketing analysts, social media managers, copywriters, marketing assistants, product marketing managers, and brand managers. 

Use this template.‍

ATS Resumes for Students 

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for students seeking internships. They offer company-specific templates for Disney, Sony, and UBS, and general templates for different internship roles such as data science intern, graduate student researcher, and financial analyst intern. 

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Education

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for education professionals, including high school teachers, English language teachers, and others.

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Finance Professionals

 Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for various finance roles such as finance manager, auditor, revenue analyst, investment banker, portfolio manager, actuary, capital market manager, and more. 

Use this template.

ATS Resumes for Creative Fields

Resumatic provides ATS-compliant resume templates for professionals in creative fields, including creative producers, senior product designers, graphic designers, animators, lead UX designers, senior UX managers, and more.

Use this template.

Improve your resume with Resumatic‍

Create the Best Resume To Get Through Every Applicant Tracking System

Manually creating or tweaking a resume for every job can be time-consuming and stressful.  This is where Resumatic can help. 

Resumatic is an AI-powered resume builder that offers ATS-optimized templates for a variety of industries. It also has a built-in ATS resume scanner that scores your resume based on Content, Format, Optimization, Best Practices, and Application Ready. 

Start off strong with an ATS-compliant resume template and then use the software to identify potential issues and make recommendations so you can get through ATS parsing.

Your next career opportunity could be just one optimized resume away.

Start building your ATS-compliant resume now.

How to Check If Your Resume Is ATS Friendly

After building your resume, test it before you submit applications. There are a few ways to do this:

Use an ATS Resume Checker

Resumatic's built-in ATS resume scanner scores your resume across five categories: Content, Format, Optimization, Best Practices, and Application Readiness. Upload your resume, and the tool identifies specific issues with actionable recommendations to fix them.

The Copy-Paste Test

Open your resume in a PDF viewer, select all text, and paste it into a plain text editor (like Notepad). If the text comes through in the correct order with no garbled characters, missing sections, or jumbled formatting, your resume is likely ATS parseable. If sections are missing or out of order, your formatting needs work.

Review Against a Job Description

Compare your resume side by side with the job posting. Are the key skills and qualifications from the posting reflected in your resume? Are you using the same terminology? If the posting says "project management" and your resume says "overseeing initiatives," you're leaving matches on the table.

ATS Resume Template FAQs

What is the most ATS-friendly resume template?

The most ATS-friendly resume template is the reverse chronological resume. This type of resume clearly shows your career progression by listing your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. It’s easy to parse for ATS and is also highly preferred by recruiters, especially those in traditional industries such as finance, accounting, and engineering. 

What is the best resume maker for ATS?

Resumatic is the leading resume builder that offers various ATS-compliant resume formats. You can access free customizable ATS resume templates to build your resume from scratch or upload an existing document and optimize it using tips from Resumatic’s platform. 

Are Google Docs Resumes ATS-friendly?

Google Docs resumes can be ATS-friendly. They have pre-designed templates with simple formatting, making them readable by ATS. However, some templates have excessive customization, such as graphics and unusual fonts, that may confuse an ATS. 

Can applicant tracking systems read PDFs?

Most applicant tracking systems can read PDFs, but this can change depending on the formatting of the PDF. Some ATS may struggle to parse PDF resumes with decorative fonts, complex layouts, and graphics. A plain text-based PDF is easiest to scan and read. 

Is a two-page resume okay for ATS platforms?

Yes, a two-page resume length is okay for an ATS, especially if you have an extensive work history. However, ensure the resume has a clean and simple structure since ATS is scanning more information. Also, focus the most important information—like work history and relevant skills—on the first page. 

What should I avoid in an ATS resume?

Avoid graphics, images, icons, and charts. Don't use text boxes, tables, or multi-column layouts. Skip headers and footers for contact information. Don't use creative section headings. Avoid decorative fonts. Don't submit image-based PDFs. And don't keyword stuff.

Do I need a different resume for every job application?

Ideally, yes. Tailoring your resume to each job description improves your keyword match rate and ATS score. You don't need to rewrite the entire document each time. Focus on adjusting your professional summary, skills section, and the bullet points most relevant to the specific role. AI resume builders like Resumatic make this process faster by analyzing job descriptions and suggesting targeted adjustments.

How do I know if my resume is ATS friendly?

The fastest way is to use an ATS resume checker like Resumatic, which scores your resume and flags specific issues. You can also do the copy-paste test: select all text in your PDF, paste it into a plain text editor, and check that everything comes through in the correct order without missing sections.

‍

Which is the best ATS resume checker?

The best ATS resume checker is Resumatic. Resumatic thoroughly analyzes your resume and scores it in five key areas: content, optimization, format, best practices, and application-readiness. Resumatic’s resume checker software flags missing keywords, unclear section headings, improper formatting, and helps you pinpoint areas for improvement in your resume.