ATS Resume Guide

Make your experience easier to read.

Practical guidance for clear resume structure, truthful tailoring, and readable exports. No format or score can guarantee an interview.

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) helps employers organize applications. Resume parsing extracts details from a document into candidate fields; it is not the same as a hiring decision.

Greenhouse documents that images, complex layouts, columns, and contact details in headers or text boxes can cause incomplete parsing. Its guidance says a failed parse leaves the resume attached and requires manual correction, not that it automatically rejects the candidate.

Read the employer's instructions and review any fields populated after upload. Our checklist is editing guidance, not a test of an employer's ATS or a prediction of a hiring outcome. Read Greenhouse's parsing guidance.

ATS Best Practices

These conservative formatting choices can reduce parsing problems. Always follow the application instructions.

Do

Use a clean, single-column layout
Include standard section headings (e.g., "Work Experience," "Education")
Use readable fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, etc.)
Use relevant job-description terms only when supported by your experience
Use standard date formats (MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)
Follow the employer’s file-format and file-size requirements

Don't

Use tables, columns, headers, or footers
Include images, graphics, or charts
Use fancy fonts, colors, or creative layouts
Include information in the header or footer
Use non-standard section headings
Submit a file type the employer does not accept

Keyword Optimization

Help recruiters understand how your real experience relates to the role. Use the job description as context, not as a source of new qualifications:

1. Analyze the Job Description

Carefully read the job posting and identify key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities. These are likely the keywords the ATS will be scanning for.

2. Include Exact Keyword Matches

Use the employer’s terminology where it accurately describes your work. Do not add a skill, qualification, or responsibility you do not have just to match a keyword.

3. Use Both Acronyms and Full Terms

When relevant, include an acronym and its full term, such as "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)," so the meaning is clear to readers.

4. Incorporate Industry-Specific Terminology

Include relevant industry terms, tools, software, and methodologies specific to your field.

5. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

While keywords are important, don't overdo it. Your resume should still read naturally and be written for humans, not just the ATS.

ATS-Friendly Formatting

Two short checklists for the layout and styling decisions that affect parsing the most.

Layout & Structure

  • Use a clean, single-column layout
  • Standard 1-inch margins on all sides
  • Clear section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
  • Consistent formatting throughout the document
  • Simple bullet points (• or -) for listing accomplishments

Fonts & Styling

  • Use readable fonts: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman
  • Font size: 10–12pt for body text, 14–16pt for headings
  • Simple formatting (bold, italics) used sparingly
  • Black text on white background
  • No text boxes, tables, or columns

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Organize your experience, review common formatting issues, and check the final document before applying.