Beat the Bots: How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume That Gets Seen

Author: The Resumost Team

Published: 7/1/2025

Categories:
Resume Tips

Is your resume being ignored? Learn how to optimize your resume for ATS software, get past the bots, and land your application in front of a hiring manager.

Why Your Resume Might Be Invisible (And How to Fix It)

Ever sent out a dozen job applications and heard nothing back? You might be a perfect fit for the role, but your resume may have been rejected before a human even saw it. The culprit? An Applicant Tracking System, or ATS.

Think of an ATS as a digital gatekeeper for recruiters. With hundreds of applications for a single role, companies use this software to scan, sort, and rank resumes based on their relevance to the job description. If your resume isn't formatted in a way the ATS can understand, it's likely to be filtered out.

But don't worryâ€”getting your resume past the bots isn't as hard as it sounds. Itâ€™s all about understanding how they think and creating a document thatâ€™s both human- and robot-friendly.

Decoding the ATS: What Recruiters Are Looking For

The key to an ATS-friendly resume is a combination of strategic keywords and clean formatting. The software is trying to match your skills and experience to the job ad, so your first step should always be to analyze the position description.

1. Master the Keywords

Mirror the Job Ad: Identify the key skills and qualifications in the job description and sprinkle them throughout your resume. If the ad asks for "digital marketing experience," make sure that exact phrase appears in your skills or experience section.

Don't Overdo It: While keywords are important, avoid "keyword stuffing." Your resume still needs to be readable for a human. The goal is to integrate these terms naturally. According to experts at Resumost, a modern resume builder platform, a good practice is to aim for a 2-3% keyword density for your target phrases.

2. Keep Your Formatting Simple and Clean

An ATS can be easily confused by complex formatting. To ensure your resume is parsed correctly, stick to these simple rules:

Use a Standard Font: Choose a universally recognized font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.

Avoid Fancy Graphics: Steer clear of images, charts, and tables. While they might look nice, an ATS can't read them and they could cause your resume to be misread or rejected.

Use Standard Headings: Stick to conventional section titles like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills." This helps the ATS categorize your information correctly. Many of the templates on Resumost.com are designed with these ATS-friendly headings built-in.

3. Choose the Right File Format

When it comes to saving your resume, the file format matters. While a PDF can preserve your formatting, a .docx file is often more compatible with older ATS platforms. If the job application gives you a choice, a .docx is usually the safer bet.

Common Mistakes That Get Resumes Rejected by an ATS

Here are a few things to avoid when creating your resume:

Headers and Footers: Information in the header or footer of your document can sometimes be missed by an ATS. It's best to put all your important information, like contact details, in the main body of the resume.

Unconventional Job Titles: While "Marketing Ninja" might sound creative, an ATS is looking for standard job titles. Stick to titles that are easily recognizable and relevant to the role you're applying for.

Columns: Formatting your resume with columns can confuse the ATS, which reads from left to right. A single-column layout is the most reliable option.

The Human Element: Don't Forget Your Real Audience

While it's crucial to optimize your resume for an ATS, remember that your ultimate goal is to impress a human hiring manager. Once your resume gets past the bots, it needs to be compelling, well-written, and easy to read.

Platforms like Resumost.com offer tools that help you build a resume that is both ATS-compliant and visually appealing to a human reader. Their resume builder can help you strike the perfect balance, ensuring your skills and experience shine through.

Ready to build a resume that gets results? Explore more resume tips and build your ATS-friendly resume today at Resumost.com.