What Is an Applicant Tracking System?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers and recruiters to collect, scan, sort, and rank job applications. Popular ATS platforms include Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, and iCIMS.

According to SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), over 99% of Fortune 500 companies and approximately 75% of all employers use some form of ATS to manage recruitment. This means your resume is almost certainly being scanned by software before a human ever reads it.

If your professionally written CV isn't formatted for ATS compatibility, it could be automatically rejected — regardless of how qualified you are.

How ATS Software Scans Your Resume

ATS software parses your resume into structured data by:

• Extracting text from your document and categorizing it into fields (name, email, experience, education, skills)
• Matching keywords from the job description against your resume content
• Ranking candidates based on keyword match percentage, relevant experience, and other criteria
• Filtering out resumes that score below the employer's minimum threshold

Understanding this process is the key to crafting a resume that passes automated screening. Let's dive into the 10 strategies that work.

Tip 1: Use Standard Section Headings

ATS software looks for recognizable section headings to parse your resume correctly. Use standard labels that every ATS can identify:

• ✅ "Work Experience" or "Professional Experience" — not "My Career Journey"
• ✅ "Education" — not "Academic Background"
• ✅ "Skills" — not "What I'm Good At"
• ✅ "Summary" or "Professional Summary" — not "About Me"
• ✅ "Certifications" — not "Badges Earned"

Creative headings might impress a human reader but will confuse automated parsers. When in doubt, keep it standard.

Tip 2: Choose an ATS-Compatible File Format

PDF and DOCX are the safest formats for ATS. Most modern ATS platforms can parse both, but some older systems still struggle with PDFs. Here's the guideline:

• PDF — Best for preserving formatting. Use when the job posting accepts PDFs or doesn't specify a format. CV Maker Pro's PDF export produces clean, parseable PDFs.
• DOCX — Safest universal option. Use when the employer specifically requests a Word document or when applying through an older ATS.
• Avoid — JPEG, PNG, or scanned image formats. ATS cannot read text from images.

Learn about both export options in our software guide.

Tip 3: Avoid Tables, Text Boxes & Graphics

Many ATS systems cannot properly parse content inside tables, text boxes, columns created with tabs, or embedded images. Information placed in these elements may be:

• Completely invisible to the ATS
• Scrambled and placed in the wrong fields
• Read in the wrong order (e.g., left column before right column)

According to Jobscan's ATS research, resumes with complex formatting are rejected up to 75% more often than clean, single-column resumes.

Tip 4: Mirror Keywords from the Job Description

This is perhaps the single most important ATS strategy. Study the job posting carefully and include the exact keywords and phrases used in the description.

For example, if the job posting says "project management" don't write "project coordination." If it mentions "Python programming," include "Python" explicitly in your skills section.

Tip 5: Use a Clean Single-Column Layout

While two-column layouts look sleek to human eyes, many ATS platforms read content sequentially from top to bottom, left to right. Multi-column designs can cause content to be read out of order or missed entirely.

For maximum ATS compatibility, use a single-column layout. CV Maker Pro's Classic and Professional templates use optimized layouts that balance visual appeal with ATS readability. See our template guide for recommendations by industry.

Tip 6: Spell Out Acronyms

ATS software may search for either the acronym or the full term. To cover both, include the full name followed by the acronym the first time you use it:

• "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" — not just "SEO"
• "Amazon Web Services (AWS)" — not just "AWS"
• "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)" — not just "CRM"

Tip 7: Include Both Hard & Soft Skills

Many ATS systems scan for both hard skills (technical competencies) and soft skills (interpersonal traits). Include a balanced mix:

• Hard Skills: JavaScript, Python, SQL, Adobe Creative Suite, Financial Modeling, Data Analysis
• Soft Skills: Team Leadership, Cross-Functional Communication, Problem Solving, Time Management

According to Glassdoor's resume guide, resumes that include both skill types score 30–40% higher in ATS rankings.

Tip 8: Use Standard Fonts

Stick to widely supported, professional fonts that ATS systems can read without issues:

• ✅ Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Garamond, Inter, Roboto
• ❌ Decorative fonts, handwriting fonts, or custom icon fonts

CV Maker Pro uses professional, ATS-safe fonts across all templates. You can customize your font family in the builder.

Tip 9: Keep Headers & Footers Clean

Some ATS systems skip content in document headers and footers entirely. Never place critical information like your name, phone number, or email in header/footer areas. Keep all essential content in the main body of the document.

Tip 10: Test Your Resume Before Submitting

Before submitting your resume, test it for ATS compatibility:

• Copy-paste test: Open your PDF, select all text (Ctrl+A), and paste it into a plain text editor. If all text appears in the correct order, your resume is parseable.
• Use a free ATS scanner: Tools like Jobscan let you compare your resume against a job description to check keyword match rate.
• Review the parsed output: Many job application portals show you how your resume was parsed after upload — review it for accuracy.

Wrapping Up

Beating the ATS isn't about gaming the system — it's about presenting your qualifications clearly and in a format that machines can understand. Combine these 10 tips with strong CV writing fundamentals, choose the right template for your industry, and you'll dramatically increase your chances of landing interviews.

Remember, the goal is to pass the automated filter so a human recruiter can see how great you really are. Understanding the difference between a CV and a resume also helps you tailor the right document for each application.