How to make an ATS-friendly resume

1. Separate parsing from hiring

An applicant tracking system, or ATS, helps an employer manage candidates and applications. Parsing is a narrower task: extracting information from a resume into fields. Lever describes readable information being populated into a candidate profile. (Lever — Understanding resume parsing, opens in a new tab)

That distinction matters. An upload can be readable without proving that you meet the role's requirements. A problem extracting a field also does not, by itself, establish that an application was automatically rejected. Greenhouse documents cases in which a resume remains attached and details need manual input after a failed parse. (Greenhouse — Unsuccessful resume parse, opens in a new tab)

2. Reduce avoidable layout complexity

For a general online application, our suggested default is a single column, familiar headings and text in a normal reading order. Keep the name and contact details in the main body rather than relying on decorative boxes.

Greenhouse identifies columns, graphics, image-only uploads and some header, footer or text-box layouts as potential parsing problems. These are limitations of a specific parser, not proof that every other system behaves identically. (Greenhouse — Unsuccessful resume parse, opens in a new tab)

Removing decorative elements does not mean removing information. Keep the job title, organization, dates and supporting bullets grouped so a person can also follow them. Use formatting to clarify a sequence, not to turn the resume into a poster.

3. Use accurate terms in context

Read the actual posting and identify relevant skills you have. If you use a named tool, spell it consistently. If your original bullet says “worked with software,” replace that vagueness with the software and task you actually performed.

Do not paste an entire job description into the resume, add hidden text, list a credential you do not hold or claim every tool named in the posting. The application still needs to be truthful when a person reads it or asks follow-up questions.

Harvard's advice on AI and resumes discusses basic formatting and relevant keywords in context. It does not turn keyword overlap into proof of suitability for a role. (Harvard MCS — AI for resumes and cover letters, opens in a new tab)

4. Check the uploaded file, not just the editor

Use the format and size permitted by the application. Do not assume that PDF is always required or that DOCX is always superior. The employer's stated requirements are the first constraint.

Open the exported file and try selecting the text. Paste a short section into a plain-text editor to inspect whether words remain in a sensible order. This is a useful basic check, but it does not reproduce every ATS parser and cannot certify compatibility.

Check for broken letters, missing text and reordered sections. If the file is a scan or image, return to an editable original and export a text-based version. Avoid uploading an oversized file just to preserve large decorative images.

5. Review the fields after uploading

When the portal fills application fields from the resume, check them before submitting. Pay special attention to your name, email, phone, role titles, organizations and employment dates. An extraction error can be corrected in the form without inventing a new account of your experience.

If you cannot edit a field, use the portal's help instructions rather than repeatedly creating duplicate applications. Save the confirmation and the file version you used.

6. Fix the problem you can actually see

Fields are missing: simplify the structure, check the file type and manually correct the fields if the portal permits it. Text is scrambled: inspect the export and reading order. A checker wants more keywords: decide whether each suggestion is true and relevant rather than adding everything.

You received a rejection: do not infer the cause from the rejection alone. Qualifications, timing, availability and employer decisions are separate from parsing. Without direct evidence, the reason remains unknown.

Start with the targeted resume guide if the document is structurally readable but does not explain why you fit the work.