ATS Resume Tips: How to Pass Applicant Tracking Systems in 2025
75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before a human reads them. Here's exactly how to make sure yours isn't one of them.
How ATS Systems Actually Work
Applicant Tracking Systems parse your resume into structured data - name, contact, education, experience, skills. They then score it against the job description using keyword matching. Common ATS platforms include Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, and SAP SuccessFactors. Each has slightly different parsing rules, but the principles for optimizing are consistent.
ATS-Safe Formatting Rules
Use standard section headers: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications. Avoid: tables, columns, headers/footers, text boxes, graphics, and fancy fonts. Use standard bullet points (-), not custom symbols. File format: PDF is safe for most modern ATS, but DOCX is safer if you're unsure. Font size 10-12pt. No photos or logos.
Keyword Optimization Strategy
Step 1: Copy the job description into a word frequency tool. Step 2: Identify the top 10-15 keywords (job titles, skills, tools, certifications). Step 3: Use each important keyword at least once, ideally 2-3 times, in your resume - in your summary, experience bullets, and skills section. Don't stuff keywords randomly - weave them into real sentences describing your actual work.
Section-by-Section ATS Checklist
Header: Full name, phone, email, LinkedIn, city. No photos.
Summary: Include your job title and 2-3 keywords.
Experience: Job title, company, dates (MM/YYYY), city. Bullet points starting with action verbs.
Education: Degree, field, school, graduation year.
Skills: Separate section listing tools, technologies, and relevant skills.
Certifications: Name, issuing body, year.
Test Your Resume's ATS Score
Before applying, run your resume through an ATS checker. CVfive's free CV Score tool analyzes your resume against 7 criteria including ATS compatibility, keyword density, formatting, and impact. You'll get a score and specific recommendations to improve. Most users improve their score by 20-30 points after following the suggestions.
Check your ATS score for free
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Build Resume Free →Frequently Asked Questions
Do all companies use ATS?
Most companies with 50+ employees use ATS. Small companies and startups may review resumes manually, but ATS-friendly formatting doesn't hurt you there either.
Will my resume be seen by a human if I pass ATS?
Passing ATS means your resume reaches a recruiter's inbox. From there, a human reviews it - usually for 6-7 seconds initially. The resume still needs to be compelling to a human reader.
Should I include keywords that don't match my experience?
Never lie on your resume. Only include keywords you can honestly discuss in an interview. However, if you have the skill but used different terminology, use the standard industry terms.
Check your ATS score for free
CVfive helps you build an ATS-ready, AI-written resume in under 5 minutes. Free to start, no credit card required.