Your resume isn't simply a piece of paper in today's employment market; it's your first conversation with technology. That's because most businesses don't have a real person look over your résumé first. Instead, automated technologies called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) look at it before a professional recruiter does. Your resume might never even get to the hiring manager's desk if it's not ATS-friendly.
In this blog, we'll talk about what an ATS-friendly resume is, why it matters, how AI evaluates your resume, and useful methods for getting yours past the digital gatekeeper and into the hands of a recruiter.
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An ATS-friendly resume is written and designed in a way that makes it easy for machines to read and interpret. ATS software is made to "parse" resumes, which means it pulls out information like your name, contact information, skills, job titles, and experience. Then, it ranks candidates depending on how well they fit the job description.
A resume that works with ATS uses:
- Easy to read and format
- Headings that are easy to read, like "Work Experience," "Skills," and "Education"
- Keywords that are relevant and fit what companies want
- File types that ATS software can read without making mistakes
Why it matters to be ATS-friendly
Picture this: you spend hours making a stunning, creative CV with custom fonts, images, or columns. It could look impressive to a person. It could be hard for an ATS to read or understand.
The truth is that as many as 75% of eligible candidates never get past ATS screening because their resumes weren't prepared or optimized correctly.
This means that even if you have a lot of experience, an ATS could turn down your resume before a recruiting manager even sees it. This is because a machine couldn't read the content correctly.
The easiest way to get an ATS-friendly résumé is to:
- Being spotted by real recruiters
- Meeting the needs of the employer's work
- When recruiters look for keywords, you rank higher in search results.
- Receiving more calls for interviews
How AI and ATS Look at Your Resume
ATS and the AI used in hiring today go through several steps:
ATS and the AI used in hiring today go through several steps:
1. Reading the Resume
When you upload your resume, ATS software looks through the text to find information and sorts it into groups like name, contact, skills, and job titles. The algorithm can miss critical information if your resume has weird formatting or pictures with text in them.
2. Keywords that match
After that, the system checks the job description against the information it found. It looks for words like job titles, specialized talents, software tools, and certificates. Your CV gets a higher grade the more it matches the language of the position.
If a job posting asks for "SEO optimization" and your CV just says "search engine marketing," the ATS might not see it as a match unless you use the correct phrases. This is why it is so important to align your keywords.
3. Sorting and Filtering
The ATS ranks resumes after it has parsed and matched keywords. Only people who get a high enough match score move on to the next level, which is a review by a human recruiter.
In a lot of cases, hiring teams don't even look at resumes that don't meet a specific standard. To get recognized, you need to use keywords and format your resume so that it works with an ATS.
Key Parts of a Resume That Work with an ATS
There are several important parts of an ATS-friendly resume that work together to make sure the system reads it correctly:
1. A clean, simple layout
- Set up a single-column layout
- Don't use tables, text boxes, or pictures.
- Use basic typefaces like Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri.
- Use clear headings for each component, like "Work Experience" and "Education."
2. Common File Types
Save your resume in either PDF or Word (.docx) format. These are very common and easy for ATS systems to understand. If the job posting says to use a certain format, always do what it says. Some older systems may prefer .docx.
3. Use keywords that are relevant when you write
This is one of the most crucial things to do when building a resume that will work with an ATS. Find keywords in the job description, like job titles, technologies, abilities, and certifications, and apply them organically in your resume.
For instance:
- "Project Management Professional (PMP)."
- "Data Analysis with SQL and Python."
- "Agile and Scrum methodologies."
4. Use Action Verbs and Bullet Points
Bullet points make it easy for both people and robots to rapidly read what you've done. Use action verbs like "led," "designed," "implemented," or "improved" at the beginning of each point.
Long paragraphs slow down the processing process and potentially hide vital information.
For example:
- Through innovative ways of getting input, customer satisfaction levels went up by 22%.
- Led a group of 10 software engineers to finish three big releases.
ATS systems check for headers that are already known, such as:
- Information about how to get in touch
- Summary of Professional Experience
- Skills
- Experience at Work
- School
- Certifications
How AI Resume Builders Can Help
You're not the only one who thinks this is a lot. AI resume builders like the one at Jobscan make this process easier, thank goodness. They help you format your resume and recommend keywords that will work with ATS. You can also compare your resume to a job description to evaluate how well it fits. This is a great approach to get more interviews.
Things to Avoid When Using ATS
Even when they mean well, job seekers often make mistakes that make their resumes go unnoticed:
✘ Using Icons or Graphics
Graphics are pretty, but ATS machines can't interpret them. The text inside any pictures on your resume won't be displayed at all.
✘ Strange Fonts
Use standard fonts. Anything different could cause confusion.
✘ Too Many Columns
The parser could get confused by multi-column layouts and miss information.
✘ Keywords Not Found
The algorithm won't see you as a good fit if your resume doesn't use the same words as the job posting.
The algorithm won't see you as a good fit if your resume doesn't use the same words as the job posting.
Finding the Right Balance Between ATS and Human Recruiters
Your resume needs to pass both a test by a machine and a test by a person. A resume that is completely tailored for ATS might be easy for a robot to read, but it also needs to be interesting to the human recruiters who look at it next.
Your resume needs to pass both a test by a machine and a test by a person. A resume that is completely tailored for ATS might be easy for a robot to read, but it also needs to be interesting to the human recruiters who look at it next.
This is how to find a balance between the two:
✔ Customize the material for the job - make it unique for each application
✔ Use professional language and stay away from jargon that doesn't add anything.
✔ Show off your accomplishments with measurable effects.
With this balanced approach, your resume will get through AI filters and impress people who read it.
The Future of AI and Screening Resumes
With AI, ATS systems are getting smarter. Modern algorithms don't just scan for specific keywords anymore. They also grasp context and related abilities. But the most important things are still simple things like clear text, relevant keywords, and clean formatting.
As these systems change, it's important to keep your CV up to date with best practices. This means making sure it's easy for ATS to scan and interesting for human recruiters.
With this balanced approach, your resume will get through AI filters and impress people who read it.
The Future of AI and Screening Resumes
With AI, ATS systems are getting smarter. Modern algorithms don't just scan for specific keywords anymore. They also grasp context and related abilities. But the most important things are still simple things like clear text, relevant keywords, and clean formatting.
As these systems change, it's important to keep your CV up to date with best practices. This means making sure it's easy for ATS to scan and interesting for human recruiters.
How to Find Out If Your Resume Is Really ATS Friendly
Testing your resume is the next critical step after you've made it. A lot of people think their resume is ATS-friendly merely because it looks neat, but ATS computers don't "see" resumes the same way people do.
Copying and pasting the text of your resume into a plain text editor like Notepad is an easy way to test this. If the information looks jumbled, has missing headings, or is out of order, it's very likely that an ATS will have trouble reading it too. A CV that is ATS-friendly and well-structured should be easy to read, even if it isn't formatted.
Another good way to do this is to look at your resume and the job description side by side. Make sure that the keywords, abilities, and job titles that are most important to you stand out on your resume. This doesn't imply replicating the job description word for word, but it does mean using language that the ATS can understand.
Lastly, keep in mind that an ATS-friendly resume is not something you only need to complete once. It should change with each job you apply for. Making small modifications like updating keywords, changing bullet points, and highlighting important accomplishments will greatly improve your chances of passing AI screening and landing an interview.
Last Thoughts
In 2026 and beyond, having a résumé that works with an ATS is not just a fad; it's a must. There are a lot of people applying for the same jobs; your resume needs to be easy for both people and machines to read and understand.
You greatly improve your chances of being discovered if you use the appropriate structure, use keywords that are specific to your role, and keep your material clean and to the point.
Jobscan's AI Resume Builder is a great tool for getting individualized feedback and checking how well your resume works with ATS. It's a great way to turn applications into interviews.
Testing your resume is the next critical step after you've made it. A lot of people think their resume is ATS-friendly merely because it looks neat, but ATS computers don't "see" resumes the same way people do.
Copying and pasting the text of your resume into a plain text editor like Notepad is an easy way to test this. If the information looks jumbled, has missing headings, or is out of order, it's very likely that an ATS will have trouble reading it too. A CV that is ATS-friendly and well-structured should be easy to read, even if it isn't formatted.
Another good way to do this is to look at your resume and the job description side by side. Make sure that the keywords, abilities, and job titles that are most important to you stand out on your resume. This doesn't imply replicating the job description word for word, but it does mean using language that the ATS can understand.
Lastly, keep in mind that an ATS-friendly resume is not something you only need to complete once. It should change with each job you apply for. Making small modifications like updating keywords, changing bullet points, and highlighting important accomplishments will greatly improve your chances of passing AI screening and landing an interview.
Last Thoughts
In 2026 and beyond, having a résumé that works with an ATS is not just a fad; it's a must. There are a lot of people applying for the same jobs; your resume needs to be easy for both people and machines to read and understand.
You greatly improve your chances of being discovered if you use the appropriate structure, use keywords that are specific to your role, and keep your material clean and to the point.
Jobscan's AI Resume Builder is a great tool for getting individualized feedback and checking how well your resume works with ATS. It's a great way to turn applications into interviews.