5 ATS Resume Tips to Get Your Resume Seen by Recruiters

Are you applying for jobs but not getting any responses? The problem might not be your qualifications—it could be your resume getting filtered out by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before a human ever sees it!

Most companies use ATS to scan, filter, and rank resumes before they reach hiring managers. If your resume isn’t ATS-friendly, it could be getting rejected automatically.

📢 Don’t worry! Here are five essential ATS resume tips to ensure your resume gets past the bots and into the hands of recruiters.

🎥 Watch this video for a quick breakdown of ATS resume best practices! 👇

5 Ways to Optimize Your Resume for ATS

1. Use an ATS-Friendly Format

ATS systems struggle with fancy designs, graphics, and multi-column layouts. To make sure your resume is properly scanned:

• Use a single-column layout
• Choose standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman
• Avoid tables, graphics, text boxes, and images
• Keep section headings simple and clear

2. Optimize with Job-Specific Keywords

ATS scans resumes for relevant keywords from the job description. To improve your chances:

• Include key skills, job titles, and industry-specific terms naturally
• Mirror exact wording from the job posting where relevant
• Avoid keyword stuffing—keep it readable for human recruiters

3. Submit the Right File Type

Many ATS systems struggle to read PDFs, so unless the job posting specifically asks for one:

• Submit your resume as a .docx (Word document)
• Keep the formatting simple to ensure all text is readable and scannable

4. Use Standard Headings

ATS software looks for common resume section titles to categorize information correctly. Stick to standard headings like:

• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Certifications

Avoid creative or vague section titles like “My Journey” or “Career Highlights”, as they might not be recognized.

5. Avoid Fancy Formatting and Special Characters

Complex formatting can confuse ATS scanners, leading to incorrect parsing of your resume. Keep it clean by:

• Using standard bullet points (•) instead of special symbols
• Avoiding bold, italics, and underlining too frequently
• Keeping everything left-aligned for better readability

Get a Honest, No-Obligation Free CV Review

Want to know if your CV is ATS-friendly? Our team of consultants will go through your CV in depth and provide a detailed critique on areas of improvement—completely free.

Send your CV to us at: cv@cvwriter.com.sg to receive expert feedback on how to improve your resume.

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