What is an ATS, and how do you get your resume past it?

ATS stands for applicant tracking system. It is software that companies use to collect applications, store resumes and let recruiters search them. Large employers and many mid-size ones use one. If you have applied through a company's careers page, you have probably used one without noticing.

What an ATS really does

An ATS reads your file, pulls out text such as your name, job titles, skills and education, and stores it in fields. A recruiter can then search for words like "Python", "MBA" or "inside sales". Some systems also rank candidates against the job description, and some let recruiters set knockout questions, such as "Do you have a valid work permit?". Not every company lets software reject people on its own, and many recruiters still read resumes themselves, but you should assume your resume must be readable by a machine first.

There is a common myth that an ATS "scores" every resume and throws away most of them. In practice, how it is used depends on the company. The safe approach is to make your resume easy for both software and people.

Make your resume easy to read for software

• Use a simple single-column layout. Multiple columns, text boxes and tables can scramble the reading order, so your job title ends up mixed with your skills.
• Use standard headings: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Projects. Creative headings like "My Journey" or "Where I Have Been" may not be recognised.
• Use real text, not images. A resume exported as a picture, or with skills inside icons or charts, cannot be read.
• Do not put key details in the header or footer. Some systems skip them, so a phone number placed there can disappear.
• Send a PDF made from a text document, or a .docx if the application asks for it.
• Avoid skill bars and star ratings. "Python ★★★★☆" tells software nothing and tells a person little.
• Use common fonts and standard bullets. Unusual symbols can turn into strange characters.

Use the same words as the job

If the job asks for "customer support" and your resume says "client helpdesk", a search for the first phrase may miss you. Read the job post, and where it is true, use its wording for your skills and tools. Do not copy words for skills you do not have; that will show up in the interview. Also write out both forms of a short name once, for example "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" or "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)", so both versions can be found.

Keep your job titles and dates clear

Write each job as Role, Company, Start date to End date. Systems use these to work out how much experience you have. If your internal job title was unusual, you can add a clearer one in brackets, such as "Growth Ninja (Digital Marketing Executive)".

How to test your resume

1. Open your PDF, select all the text and paste it into a plain text editor such as Notepad.
2. Check that the order is correct, that nothing is missing and that no odd symbols appear.
3. If the order is jumbled or parts are missing, simplify the layout and test again.

Our resume check reads your file in a similar way, so if it can find your skills and sections, that is a good sign. It also shows which skills it detected, so you can see whether your important keywords are visible.

What not to do

• Do not hide white text full of keywords. Software and recruiters both notice, and it can get you rejected.
• Do not stuff the same keyword many times. List it once in Skills and show it in action in your bullets.
• Do not copy the whole job description into your resume.

Common questions

Is a PDF or Word file better? A PDF made from a text document is usually safe. If the form asks for .docx, send .docx.

Do I need a different resume for every job? You do not need a new one, but adjust your summary, skills order and top bullets to match each job. Our tailor tool shows what to change.

Will a nice design hurt me? A very designed resume with columns and graphics can. A clean resume with good spacing is both readable and attractive.