Did you know 75% of resumes are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before a human recruiter even sees them?
In 2025, these systems are smarter than ever — using AI not just to find keyword matches but also to evaluate skills, experience, and even diversity criteria.
The problem? Even highly qualified candidates can miss out on interviews simply because their resume wasn’t formatted or worded correctly for ATS scanning.
The good news is you can fix this. In this guide, you’ll discover 10 proven, actionable ways to make your resume 100% ATS-friendly — no guesswork, no gimmicks. These strategies are based on the latest ATS trends and insights from analyzing millions of resumes, including insider knowledge from recruitment software perspectives.
Pro Tip: Want to check if your resume is ATS-ready right now? Upload it to JobTrackly and instantly see how it performs, along with suggestions to improve your chances of getting seen.
What is ATS ?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is specialized software used by recruiters and HR teams to streamline the hiring process by managing job postings, collecting and organizing resumes, and tracking candidates from application to onboarding. It acts as a central database that parses resumes for keywords, ranks applicants based on job fit, schedules interviews, and automates communications, helping companies efficiently filter through high volumes of applications while ensuring compliance and data security. In 2025, many ATS platforms incorporate AI for advanced features like semantic matching and diversity screening, making them essential for modern talent acquisition.
Follow these steps and you’ll dramatically improve your chances of making it past the scan, getting in front of a recruiter, and landing more interviews.
Way 1: Incorporate Exact Keywords from the Job Description
ATS software scores resumes largely on keyword matches. If the job description says “project management,” the ATS is looking for that exact phrase not “managed projects.”
How to do it:
- Review the job posting and highlight all essential skills, tools, and qualifications.
- Include these keywords naturally in your summary, experience, and skills sections.
- Use both acronyms and full forms — e.g., “Customer Relationship Management (CRM).”
Pro tip for 2025: Incorporate emerging in-demand terms like “AI literacy,” “remote collaboration,” or “cloud security” if relevant to the role.
Aim for 2–3 keyword repetitions spread throughout the resume. Avoid keyword stuffing your resume should still sound natural when read by a human.
This precision is the first and most crucial step to passing an ATS scan.
Useful Guide : Why Resume keywords Are Important ?
Way 2: Use an ATS-Friendly Resume Format
ATS systems prefer simple, predictable layouts. Your best options are:
- Reverse chronological format — lists your most recent experience first.
- Hybrid format — combines a skills section with chronological experience.
Avoid: Functional formats that list only skills and hide work history many ATS struggle to parse them.
Formatting essentials:
- Stick to a single-column layout.
- Use standard sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills.
2025 update: AI-driven ATS can parse more formats than before, but overly creative layouts still risk misinterpretation. Keep it clean to ensure accurate data extraction.
Think of your resume like a structured database: the clearer the fields, the better the ATS can “read” you.
Way 3: Stick to Simple Formatting and Layout
ATS algorithms are built to read text, not graphics. That means:
Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman (10–12pt for body, 14–16pt for headings).
Margins: 1 inch all around.
Bullet points: Solid black circles for consistency.
Avoid:
- Graphics, icons, and images.
- Headers/footers for critical info like contact details.
- Special characters (✔, ★, ➤) — these often get lost in parsing.
Quick test: Copy your resume into a plain text document. If it looks messy or sections are jumbled, the ATS will likely misread it too.
By keeping formatting simple, you make your resume easy for both machines and humans to scan.
Way 4: Add the Exact Job Title Prominently
Including the exact job title from the posting can make your resume 10.6 times more likely to get noticed.
Example: If applying for Solar Sales Representative, use that exact phrase in your headline and summary:
“Solar Sales Representative with 5+ years of experience driving revenue growth.”
If you’re a career changer, try “Aspiring [Job Title]” or “[Job Title] – Transitioning from [Previous Field]” to match keywords without misrepresentation.
For ATS in 2025, job titles remain one of the highest-weighted ranking factors.
Way 5: Customize Your Resume for Each Application
One-size-fits-all resumes rarely work with ATS.
Strategy:
- Adjust keywords and skills for each specific job posting.
- Research the company’s website and incorporate their values or terminology when appropriate.
Workflow tip: Keep a master resume with all your skills and experience, then tailor each version for a specific role.
This customization can boost your ATS match rate dramatically, often from under 50% to over 80%.
Way 6: Use Standard Section Headings
ATS software recognizes common headings like:
- Work Experience
- Education
- Skills
Avoid creative alternatives like “Career Highlights” or “Knowledge Vault.” These may confuse older or less advanced ATS systems.
Formatting rule: Keep headings bold and left-aligned.
In 2025, while many ATS have natural language processing, consistent labeling still improves accuracy.
Way 7: Include Quantifiable Details and Metrics
Vague statements like “Responsible for team management” are weak for ATS and recruiters alike.
Instead, use data-backed results:
- “Managed a 15-person sales team, increasing revenue by 22% in 12 months.”
- “Reduced operational costs by $50,000 annually through process automation.”
Why it matters: ATS searches for keywords like “increased,” “reduced,” “managed,” “achieved,” and also scores for specific outcomes.
This approach also makes your resume more compelling to human reviewers after the ATS scan.
Way 8: Spell Out Acronyms and Use Clear Language
ATS might search for either an acronym or its full form so use both:
- “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)”
- “Project Management Professional (PMP) certified”
Clear, jargon-free language helps ATS match and ensures recruiters outside your field can also understand your expertise.
Way 9: Save in Compatible File Formats
Most ATS prefer .docx. Many now handle PDFs, but always check the application instructions.
File naming: “Firstname_Lastname_Resume.docx” keeps it professional and searchable.
Avoid uncommon formats like .pages or .odt, which some ATS can’t parse.
In 2025, compatibility still trumps creativity here.
Way 10: Test and Proofread Your Resume
Before applying, run your resume through an ATS scanner to see how it scores for keyword matches and formatting. Tools like Jobtrackly can help identify missing terms or parsing errors.
Checklist before sending:
- No spelling/grammar errors.
- Keywords match the job description.
- Layout passes the plain-text test.
Tracking your application success over time can guide future optimizations.
Conclusion
Beating the ATS isn’t about tricking the system it’s about speaking its language.
Here’s the recap:
- Use exact job description keywords.
- Choose an ATS-friendly format.
- Keep formatting clean and simple.
- Add the exact job title.
- Customize for every role.
- Use standard section headings.
- Quantify achievements.
- Spell out acronyms.
- Save in the right format.
- Test before applying.
An optimized resume can double or triple your interview chances.
Start applying these strategies today — and let Jobtrackly help you track and improve your results with every application.
Ready to Boost Your ATS Success?
Stop wondering what happens after you hit “Send.” JobTrackly gives you full control over your job search by providing:
- ATS-friendly resume tracking and scoring
- Personalized application analytics
- Smart reminder system so you never miss a follow-up
- Insightful progress dashboards to see what’s working
Try JobTrackly for free — upload your ATS-optimized resume, manage all your job applications in one place, and access data-driven suggestions to increase your interview rate. Make your next job hunt your most successful one yet.
Elevate your job search—sign up with JobTrackly today and turn ATS approvals into interview invitations!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is an ATS and why is it important for my resume?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by recruiters to scan and filter resumes before they reach a human reviewer. If your resume isn’t formatted or optimized for ATS, it may be rejected before anyone reads it.
2. How can I tell if my resume is ATS-friendly?
You can use online tools like JobTrackly’s Resume Checker to upload your resume and instantly see how it scores. These tools analyze formatting, keywords, and structure based on ATS requirements.
3. Do I need special formatting for ATS resumes?
Yes. Use a clean, simple format with standard section headings like “Work Experience” and “Education.” Avoid tables, graphics, images, and unusual fonts that ATS may not parse correctly.
4. How important are keywords for ATS?
Extremely important. ATS scans your resume for keywords that match the job description. If your resume lacks these keywords, you may be filtered out even if you’re qualified.
5. Should I make separate versions of my resume for different jobs?
Yes. Tailoring your resume for each job ensures it contains the right keywords and emphasizes the most relevant skills, increasing your chances of passing the ATS scan.
6. Do ATS systems reject PDFs?
Not always. Most modern ATS can read PDFs, but some older ones can’t. If the job posting specifies a format (like .docx), always follow the instructions.
