The ATS Resume Format Guide: Templates That Actually Work

What Makes a Resume ATS-Friendly?

An ATS-friendly resume is one that can be accurately parsed by applicant tracking systems while still looking professional to human readers. The key is balancing machine readability with visual appeal.

ATS software reads your resume by:

• Extracting text in reading order (left to right, top to bottom)
• Identifying section headers to categorize information
• Pulling out specific data points (name, email, skills, job titles)
• Searching for keywords that match the job requirements

When your formatting confuses this process, your information gets jumbled or lost entirely.

Fonts That Work (And Ones to Avoid)

Safe Fonts

Stick to standard, widely available fonts:

• Arial - Clean, modern sans-serif
• Calibri - Microsoft's default, very readable
• Cambria - Professional serif option
• Georgia - Elegant serif font
• Helvetica - Classic professional choice
• Times New Roman - Traditional and universally recognized
• Garamond - Sophisticated serif
• Verdana - Highly legible sans-serif

Fonts to Avoid

• Decorative or script fonts (Brush Script, Papyrus)
• Narrow or condensed fonts that reduce readability
• Custom or downloaded fonts that may not render
• Fonts with unusual characters or ligatures

Font Size Guidelines

• Name: 14-18pt
• Section headers: 12-14pt
• Body text: 10-12pt
• Minimum size: Never go below 10pt

Section Headers ATS Recognizes

Use standard headers that ATS systems are programmed to identify:

Recommended Headers

• Contact Information (or just place at top without header)
• Professional Summary (or Summary, Profile)
• Work Experience (or Professional Experience, Employment History)
• Education
• Skills (or Technical Skills, Core Competencies)
• Certifications (or Licenses & Certifications)
• Projects (optional)
• Volunteer Experience (optional)

Avoid Creative Headers Like:

• "Where I've Made an Impact" (use "Work Experience")
• "My Toolbox" (use "Skills")
• "The Journey" (use "Education")
• "What I Bring to the Table" (use "Professional Summary")

Tables, Columns, Text Boxes - What to Avoid

Tables

Problem: ATS systems often read tables row by row, which can scramble your information.

Solution: Use simple lists and standard formatting instead of tables.

Multi-Column Layouts

Problem: Two-column resumes can cause text to be read in the wrong order or merged incorrectly.

Solution: Stick to a single-column layout. If you must use two columns, only use them for short items like contact info or skills lists.

Text Boxes

Problem: Text inside text boxes is often completely invisible to ATS parsers.

Solution: Never put important information in text boxes. Use regular text formatting.

Headers and Footers

Problem: Many ATS systems can't read content in header/footer areas.

Solution: Put your contact information in the main body of the document, not in headers or footers.

Graphics and Images

Problem: ATS can't extract text from images, and graphics can cause parsing errors.

Solution: Remove photos, logos, icons, charts, and decorative graphics.

File Formats: PDF vs DOCX

The Quick Answer

When given a choice, .docx is the safest option. If you must use PDF, make sure it's a text-based PDF (not a scanned image).

DOCX Advantages

• Nearly universal ATS compatibility
• Text always extractable
• Formatting is preserved
• Easy to edit if needed

DOCX Disadvantages

• May render differently on different systems
• Fonts might substitute if not standard

PDF Advantages

• Preserves exact formatting across all devices
• Professional appearance guaranteed
• Modern ATS systems handle them well

PDF Disadvantages

• Older ATS systems may struggle
• Complex PDFs can have parsing issues
• Image-based PDFs are unreadable to ATS

PDF Best Practices

• Create from Word directly (File > Save As PDF)
• Test that you can select and copy text
• Avoid "Print to PDF" which can create image-based files
• Don't use PDF creators that flatten text to images

Contact Information Placement

What to Include

• Full name - First and last name prominently displayed
• Phone number - One reliable number with professional voicemail
• Email address - Professional format (firstname.lastname@email.com)
• LinkedIn URL - Customized to your name
• Location - City and state only (no full address needed)

Placement

Put contact information at the very top of your resume, centered or left-aligned:

JOHN SMITH
(555) 123-4567 | john.smith@email.com | linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
San Francisco, CA

What to Avoid

• Full street address (outdated and unnecessary)
• Multiple phone numbers
• Unprofessional email addresses
• Social media links (unless relevant to your field)
• Personal websites (unless you're in a creative field)

Visual Design vs ATS Compatibility

You don't have to choose between a beautiful resume and an ATS-friendly one. Here's how to have both:

Safe Design Elements

• Bold text for emphasis (job titles, company names)
• Italic text for secondary information (dates, locations)
• Horizontal lines to separate sections (simple lines, not graphics)
• Bullet points (standard round or square bullets)
• Strategic white space for readability
• Consistent margins (0.5-1 inch)

Design Elements to Avoid

• Colored backgrounds
• Sidebar columns with text
• Icons instead of text labels
• Infographics or skill bars
• Photos or headshots
• Unusual bullet characters
• Borders around sections

ATS-Friendly Resume Template Structure

Here's a proven structure that works with virtually all ATS systems:

[NAME]
[Phone] | [Email] | [LinkedIn] | [City, State]

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
[2-3 sentences with key qualifications and keywords]

SKILLS
[Category 1]: Skill, Skill, Skill
[Category 2]: Skill, Skill, Skill

WORK EXPERIENCE

[Job Title]
[Company Name], [Location]
[Start Date] - [End Date]
- Achievement bullet with metrics
- Achievement bullet with keywords
- Achievement bullet with impact

[Previous Job Title]
[Company Name], [Location]
[Start Date] - [End Date]
- Achievement bullet
- Achievement bullet

EDUCATION

[Degree], [Field of Study]
[University Name], [Location]
[Graduation Date]

CERTIFICATIONS
- [Certification Name], [Issuing Organization], [Date]

How to Test If Your Format Works

The Copy-Paste Test

1. Open your resume in its original format
2. Select all text (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)
3. Paste into a plain text editor (Notepad)
4. Check if information is complete and in logical order

If text is missing, out of order, or jumbled, an ATS will have the same problems.

The Text Selection Test (for PDFs)

1. Open your PDF resume
2. Try to select individual words and sentences
3. If you can't select text, your PDF is image-based
4. Recreate the PDF from a Word document

Use CvMatchMaker

Upload your resume to CvMatchMaker and paste a job description to see:

• Whether your resume parses correctly
• How well your format displays your qualifications
• Your match score across multiple dimensions
• Specific formatting and content recommendations

Final Checklist

Before submitting your resume, verify:

• [ ] Standard font (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• [ ] Font size between 10-12pt for body text
• [ ] Single-column layout (or minimal two-column use)
• [ ] No tables, text boxes, or graphics
• [ ] Contact info in main body, not header/footer
• [ ] Standard section headers
• [ ] .docx or text-selectable PDF format
• [ ] Text passes copy-paste test
• [ ] Keywords from job description included
• [ ] Consistent formatting throughout

A properly formatted resume ensures your qualifications actually reach the people making hiring decisions. Don't let formatting issues block your dream job.