How to Write an ATS Résumé/CV

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, and it is a software that employers use to streamline applications and choose only the best. This simple software tool helps companies to sort, filter, and rank job applications before a human ever sees them.

Today, over 98% of Fortune 500 companies and thousands of mid-sized businesses depend on ATS to manage high application volumes.

Due to this automation, 75% or more of CVs and résumés are rejected automatically, not because the applicant isn’t qualified, but because their documents are not well formatted or optimized for ATS scanning.

Therefore, it is essential for you as a job seeker to optimize your CV to pass through the ATS software. This involves optimizing your CV to match job descriptions, utilizing industry-specific keywords, and adhering to ATS-friendly formatting. Without proper optimization, even strong candidates risk being filtered out long before a recruiter gets the chance to review their application.

In this guide, we will walk you through writing an ATS résumé or CV, plus a template you can work with. 

Here’s what we will cover:

1. What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
2. How to Format a CV that Passes ATS (Step-by-step)
3. How to Optimize Your CV for ATS Keywords
4. ATS Résumé CV Structure (Template)
5. Common Mistakes that Make your Résumé/CV Fail ATS
6. ATS Myths You Should Ignore
7. Conclusion
8. FAQs

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An ATS is an application software that scans your résumé and extracts details like skills, work experience, education, job titles, and certifications that are relevant to the job, and either rejects the application or moves you ahead to be manually reviewed.

The system compares this information against the job description, looking specifically for matching keywords, required skills, and relevant experience. If these keywords are missing or the résumé is not formatted correctly, the ATS may fail to extract key information, causing the application to be ranked low or rejected entirely. 

This is why ATS formatting, such as clean layouts, standard headings, simple fonts, and keyword optimization, is essential. A well-formatted résumé ensures the ATS reads and interprets your information accurately, increasing your chances of moving forward in the hiring process.

ATS is a fair game as it ensures that qualified candidates get an equal chance to compete in the hiring process and ensures that human oversight does not deprive them of the opportunity. 

How to Format a CV that Passes ATS (Step-by-step)

1. Use a Simple and Clean Layout

To beat the ATS software, one important thing to pay attention to is the layout. ATS systems read documents from top to bottom and left to right. ATS favours simple and clean layouts as it ensures nothing gets lost during parsing.

For a clean layout:

• Use a single column layout
• Left align all text
• Keep margins wide enough (0.5–1 inch)

Avoid using tables, columns, text boxes, shapes, or adding decorative formatting. These elements confuse ATS scanners and prevent key information from being extracted correctly.

Additionally, to achieve a clean layout, use standard headings that the ATS recognizes, such as work experience, education, skills, certifications, or projects. 

2. Use Standard Fonts

Your résumé is not the time to play around with stylized or decorative fonts, ATS cannot scan them, and even though you have a good résumé for the job, using these fonts can get you a rejection. 

Ditch the decorative fonts and use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana, and Georgia. Also, stick to 10–12 pt for body text and 12–16 pt for headings.

3. Save as PDF or DOCX

Most modern ATSs can read both PDF and DOCX, and each has its advantages. 

PDF format is the most generally accepted and ATS friendly, as it helps you preserve formatting and the clean layout. Use PDF as the standard, but you can use DOCX if the job portal specifically requests it, and when you are using a basic template without graphics

If unsure, upload a PDF, it’s the safest option for all ATS.

4. Avoid Graphics, Icons, and Images

ATS cannot read:

• Icons (e.g., phone symbol, email icon)
• Headshot images
• Decorative graphics
• Infographics

These elements may cause the ATS to skip entire sections or misread your details. Always keep your CV text based as much as possible.

5. Use Standard Section Titles/Headings

The standard sections an ATS résumé should cover include summary, skills, experience, education, certifications, and projects.

Avoid creative labels like “My Journey,” “Career Highlights,” and “What I Bring.” An ATS may not recognize them, which can lead to miscategorized content.

How to Optimize Your CV for ATS Keywords

1. Identify Keywords from the Job Description

To effectively bypass an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), you must integrate keywords directly from the job description into your résumé. For instance, if the job is for a senior product designer, your résumé should have key terms such as “senior product designer” and “product designer” featured in relevant sections, specifically the summary, experience, skills, and certifications sections.

Read the job description carefully and highlight all the keywords related to:

• Hard Skills: These are technical abilities required for the role, such as Product design, SEO writing, UI/UX design, Data analysis, Customer support, etc.
• Tool-related keywords: ATS also prioritizes tool-related keywords such as WordPress, Figma, Excel, Canva, Zendesk, etc.
• Certifications: These help ATS match your qualification level, such as Google Prompting Essentials, SEO certifications, and Coursera Product Designer.
• Soft Skills: Employers often include soft skills as required traits. Examples: communication, problem-solving, teamwork, attention to detail, time management, collaboration, etc.

Simply look out for keywords from the job description and incorporate them into your résumé for strong ATS matching.

2. Use Keywords Naturally

Use keywords naturally by sprinkling relevant keywords where they fit organically, not randomly. Use keywords naturally in these sections: 

• Professional Summary: Mention your strongest keywords here because ATS checks this section first. Example: “Senior product designer skilled in Figma, Canva, and skilled in prototyping”.
• Skills Section: Include your core and relevant skills in a bulleted list. This makes it easy for ATS to pick them up.
• Work Experience Achievements: Include keywords in your bullet points while highlighting results. Example:  “Designed and prototyped user flows using Figma and Sketch, resulting in a 100% user satisfaction”
• Job Titles for ATS: For a higher ATS score, ensure your job titles align with the job description. If applicable, use variations (e.g., “Product Designer / UI/UX”).

3. Use Exact Keywords or Variations

ATS matches both exact phrases and related variations, so using both helps you get a higher score. Example: “Project Management” + “Project Manager”, “Customer Support” + “Customer Service”, “Content Strategy” + “Content Strategist”.

This ensures you don’t miss out on opportunities due to small wording differences.

4. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

ATS can detect unnatural keyword repetition or when you are stuffing. Adding too many keywords can lower your ATS score, make your CV look spammy, and reduce readability. Instead, integrate keywords naturally into your responsibilities and achievements.

Instead of saying, “I am skilled in user interface design, user experience design, wireframing, prototyping, user research, design thinking, and design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD.”

Try: “Created high fidelity prototypes and user flows for a new mobile application feature, resulting in a 15% increase in user engagement.”

Create a balance by including the right keywords, spreading them across your résumé naturally, and keeping your CV readable. 

ATS Résumé CV Structure (Template)

Here is how to structure your résumé to be ATS friendly: 

1. Contact Information

This should contain the essential information needed to contact you. Full Name, Phone Number and location (optional), Professional Email, LinkedIn Profile (optional but recommended).

Example:

Fred Anthony
Arizona, USA
+102xxxxx | [email protected]
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fredanthony

2. Professional Summary

Your professional summary is a short 3–5 line introduction highlighting your experience, key skills, tools you use, and he type of role you’re targeting. Tailor this to the job and use keywords from the job description.

Customize this section for each job application by incorporating relevant keywords from the job description.

Example:

User-focused Senior Product Designer skilled in UI/UX, digital communication, and problem-solving. Expert in user research, wireframing, building intuitive interfaces, and design thinking. Proficient with Figma, prototyping, and AI-assisted workflows for rapid ideation and iteration.

Excellent at translating complex user needs into clear, functional designs and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Seeking a role to deliver creative, user-centered solutions to a growing product design team.

3. Skills Section

Use bullet points to highlight relevant skills; again, tailor this to keywords from the job description. In the skills section, include hard skills, software/tools, and soft skills. 

Example: 

Hard Skills (Tools & Tech):

• User research & usability testing 
• Wireframing & prototyping 
• Figma, Sketch
• Interaction design (UI/UX)

Soft Skills:

• Empathy
• Communication 
• Creativity 
• Problem-solving
• Collaboration 

4. Work Experience

For the work experience section, always list roles in reverse chronological order and in bullet points. Ensure your bullet points are achievement-based, focusing on the impact, quantifiable results (using numbers), and relevant keywords. Aim for 4–6 bullets for each job.

Use this format:

Job Title | Company | Location | Year–Year

Example:

Senior Product Designer | BrightLabs | San Francisco, CA | 2019–2023

• Led end-to-end design of a SaaS platform, improving user engagement by 35% through research-driven UX.
• Built and maintained a scalable design system adopted across 5 product teams, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Collaborated with engineers and product managers to deliver rapid prototypes in Figma, reducing development cycles by 20%.
• Championed accessibility standards, resulting in WCAG-compliant interfaces and broader customer adoption.

5. Education

Every résumé must include the education section, where you highlight your education and degrees earned, also ensuring they are relevant to the job description.

Follow this format: 

Degree | Major | University | Year

Example: 

BA | Interaction Design | Rhode Island School of Design | 2009–2013

You could include achievements, but this is optional; e.g., Graduated with honors, Senior Thesis Prize

6. Certifications / Courses

Add any relevant training.

• Course Name: (e.g., Google UX Design Professional Certificate)
• Provider: (e.g., Google, IDEO, Coursera, Udemy)
• Year: (e.g., 2022, 2023)
• Focus Area: (e.g., Usability testing, Accessibility, Prototyping)

7. Projects 

Include any project based experience, especially if you are a freelancer. 

For each project, include:

• Title: (e.g., Design System Overhaul Project)
• Action/Contribution: What you did (e.g., Created a unified design system across 5 teams)
• Tools: Software/platforms used (e.g., Figma, Sketch, InVision)
• Impact: Quantifiable results (if applicable) (e.g., reduced handoff time by 20%, boosted conversions by 18%)

Common Mistakes that Make your Résumé/CV Fail ATS

When writing an ATS-friendly résumé, avoid these errors to avoid getting rejected:

• Using images or icons: ATS cannot read images, symbols, or icons. These elements break parsing and cause important information to be skipped.
• Using tables/columns: Generally, ATS cannot read tables and columns. They may read your content out of order or fail to extract it entirely. A single-column layout is the safest option.
• Missing keywords: If your CV doesn’t contain the exact keywords the ATS is scanning for, for example, the skills, tools, and certifications, it will rank you low or reject your application automatically.
• Too many buzzwords without proof:  ATS favors keywords with measurable accomplishments, not buzzwords with no proof. The ATS also knows when you’re stuffing keywords on your résumé, use keywords naturally instead.
• Using unconventional headings: ATS only recognizes standard headings such as work experience, skills, education, and certifications. Avoid using unconventional headings like “My Journey,” “Career Story,” or “What I Bring” as this confuses the system.
• Submitting screenshots or JPG files: Your CV must be in PDF or DOCX. JPG and PNG formats are unreadable to ATS and get rejected instantly.
• Uploading a CV with grammatical errors: Always confirm there are no grammatical errors in your résumé/CV before submitting it. ATS flags unclear writing and grammatical errors. To avoid hurting your chances, edit your résumé thoroughly before submitting. 

ATS Myths You Should Ignore

Myth 1: ATS auto-rejects 75% of résumés

ATS doesn’t reject résumés by itself; it ranks them according to how recruiters set the filters. Recruiters filter based on keywords, skills, or experience, and the ATS organizes applicants accordingly. Low-ranking CVs may never be viewed, but the system isn’t rejecting you automatically.

Myth 2: PDFs are unreadable

This is not true. Modern ATS can read PDFs perfectly well as long as the formatting is simple. PDFs only cause issues when they’re in the wrong format, or the résumé uses columns, graphics, or text boxes. If the layout is clean, a PDF is safe.

Myth 3: ATS can’t read two-page CVs

False. ATS reads content, not length. If your experience requires more than one page, that’s fine. The real problem is poorly organized or irrelevant information, not the page count.

Myth 4: You must beat the system

What is defined as “beating the ATS” involves having an ATS ready résumé or CV. ATS is designed to help recruiters find qualified candidates faster. Using clear formatting and keywords ensures your résumé is interpreted correctly so your skills match the job description.

Conclusion

Writing an ATS-friendly résumé isn’t just about beating the system; it’s about helping employers clearly see your skills, qualifications, and experience. By using a clean layout, standard headings, the right file format, and keywords that match the job description, you increase your chances of getting past résumé scanning software and into the hands of a real recruiter. 

Remember, an ATS-compliant CV doesn’t need to be complicated; it just needs to be readable, relevant, and well-structured. With the formatting rules, keyword strategies, and free ATS résumé template in this guide, you now have everything you need to create a CV that stands out and performs well in automated screening. 

Frequently Asked Questions