Applicant Tracking Systems are the gatekeepers of modern hiring. Here's how to get past them.
What ATS Actually Does
Parses your resume into structured data (name, experience, skills, education). Ranks candidates by keyword match to the job description. Filters out resumes that don't meet minimum criteria. HR only sees the top-ranked candidates.
What Breaks ATS
Graphics, icons, and logos (ATS sees empty space). Multi-column layouts. Headers and footers (some ATS skip them entirely). Fancy fonts. PDF with images instead of text (scanned documents).
What Works
Single-column layout. Standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills — not 'My Journey' or 'What I Bring'). Keywords from the job description (naturally integrated, not stuffed). PDF or .docx format. Plain formatting with bold for emphasis.
Run your resume through our AI resume review to get an instant ATS compatibility score and specific fix suggestions. Or check our ATS checker for a focused compatibility analysis.