Best Resume Format for ATS: Pass Applicant Tracking Systems in 2025

In today’s job market, your resume must do more than showcase your skills—it needs to pass through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to reach a hiring manager. Over 90% of companies, including 99% of Fortune 500 firms, use ATS to filter resumes, according to a 2023 Jobscan study. If your resume isn’t formatted correctly, it could be rejected before a human ever sees it. For job seekers, students, graduates, freelancers, and remote workers applying via LinkedIn, Indeed, or company websites, creating an ATS-friendly resume is essential. This guide explores the best resume format for ATS, offering actionable resume tips for applicant tracking systems and a free ATS resume template to help you succeed in 2025.

What Is an ATS and How Does It Work?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers to manage job applications. It scans resumes for keywords, job titles, skills, and other criteria to rank candidates. Popular ATS platforms include Taleo, Workable, Greenhouse, and iCIMS, used by companies worldwide, including in the USA, India, Philippines, and Bangladesh.

ATS parses resume content into a database, matching it against the job description. Resumes with relevant keywords, clear formatting, and proper structure score higher and are more likely to reach a hiring manager. However, complex designs or missing keywords can lead to rejection, making an ATS optimized resume critical for job seekers.

Internal Link: Test your resume’s ATS compatibility with our Resume Score Checker.

Why Your Resume Format Matters for ATS

The format of your resume directly impacts its ATS compatibility. ATS software struggles with fancy designs, non-standard fonts, or complex layouts, which can cause parsing errors. For example, a 2024 survey by ResumeLab found that 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS due to formatting issues or missing keywords. An ATS friendly resume ensures your qualifications are accurately read and ranked.

Key reasons format matters:

• Keyword Matching: ATS prioritizes resumes with job-specific keywords (e.g., “data analysis” for an analyst role).
• Readability: Simple, machine-readable formats ensure all content is parsed correctly.
• Avoiding Rejection: Incorrect formatting (e.g., images, tables) can make your resume unreadable, leading to automatic rejection.

Features of an ATS-Friendly Resume Format

An ATS resume template should prioritize simplicity and clarity. Here are the key features:

• Standard Fonts: Use fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman (10–12pt) to ensure ATS can read them.
• Simple Layout: Avoid graphics, logos, tables, or columns, as they can confuse ATS parsers.
• File Format: Use PDF for most applications unless the job posting specifies DOCX, as both are generally ATS-compatible.
• Clear Headings: Use standard section headers like “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills” to help ATS categorize content.
• No Headers/Footers: ATS may skip text in headers or footers, so include contact info in the body.

Internal Link: Pair your ATS-friendly resume with a cover letter using our Cover Letter Auto Generator.

Best Resume Format Structure for ATS

The best resume format for ATS is clean, organized, and keyword-rich. Here’s a recommended structure:

1. Contact Information: Name, phone, email, LinkedIn URL (no city or address to avoid bias).
2. Professional Summary: A 2–3 sentence overview with keywords (e.g., “Experienced software engineer skilled in Python and cloud computing”).
3. Skills: List hard and soft skills relevant to the job (e.g., “JavaScript, Agile, Team Leadership”).
4. Work Experience: Reverse chronological order, with job title, company, dates, and bullet points with quantifiable achievements (e.g., “Increased app performance by 20%”).
5. Education: Degree, institution, and graduation year (GPA optional for freshers).
6. Certifications/Awards: Include relevant certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Developer) or awards.

This structure ensures ATS can parse and rank your resume effectively while remaining professional for human readers.

Keywords and Optimization Tips

Keywords are the backbone of an ATS optimized resume. Here’s how to make a resume ATS compliant with keywords:

• Extract Keywords: Review the job description for skills, qualifications, and terms (e.g., “project management,” “SQL”). Include these naturally in your resume.
• Tailor for Each Job: Customize your resume for every application to match the job’s requirements.
• Use Exact Phrases: If the job description says “cloud computing,” use that exact phrase instead of “cloud technology.”
• Balance Keywords: Avoid keyword stuffing; integrate them in context (e.g., “Led cloud computing projects using AWS”).
• Use Tools: Tools like Jobscan or our Resume Score Checker can analyze your resume for ATS compatibility.

Internal Link: Estimate your take-home pay with our Salary Tax Calculator after landing an interview.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in ATS Resumes

Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your resume passes ATS:

• Images, Logos, or Icons: ATS cannot read images, so avoid logos or decorative elements.
• Columns and Tables: These disrupt ATS parsing; use a single-column layout.
• Overly Creative Formatting: Fancy borders, colors, or fonts (e.g., Comic Sans) can cause errors.
• Incomplete Section Headers: Use standard headers like “Work Experience” instead of vague ones like “Career.”
• Header/Footer Content: ATS may skip contact info in headers/footers, so place it in the main body.
• Spelling Errors: Misspelled keywords (e.g., “managemnet” instead of “management”) reduce your score.

Sample ATS Resume Template

Below is a clean, ATS resume template you can copy and adapt:

[Your Full Name]
[Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [LinkedIn URL]

Professional Summary
Results-driven Software Engineer with 3+ years of experience in Python, JavaScript, and cloud computing. Skilled in developing scalable web applications and collaborating in agile teams to deliver innovative solutions.

Skills
- Python, JavaScript, SQL
- Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure)
- Agile Methodologies
- Problem-Solving, Team Leadership

Work Experience
Software Engineer
Tech Corp, New York, NY
June 2021–Present
- Developed web applications using Python and JavaScript, improving user engagement by 20%.
- Led a team of 5 developers in agile sprints, delivering projects 15% ahead of schedule.
- Implemented AWS cloud solutions, reducing server costs by 10%.

Junior Developer
Innovate Solutions, Boston, MA
May 2019–May 2021
- Built RESTful APIs using Python, increasing app performance by 25%.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and resolve bugs.

Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Graduated: May 2019

Certifications
- AWS Certified Developer – Associate (2022)
- Certified ScrumMaster (2021)
            

This ATS-friendly resume uses standard fonts, clear headings, and keywords, making it ideal for ATS and human readers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Creating an ATS optimized resume is critical for job seekers in 2025, with over 90% of companies using ATS to filter applications. By following the ATS resume formatting rules—using standard fonts, simple layouts, clear headings, and job-specific keywords—you can ensure your resume passes ATS and reaches hiring managers. The best resume format for ATS is clean, keyword-rich, and tailored to each job, whether you’re a student, freelancer, or professional applying via LinkedIn, Indeed, or company websites.

Revise your resume using our ATS resume template and test it with our Resume Score Checker to confirm ATS compatibility. Pair it with a polished cover letter using our Cover Letter Auto Generator and estimate your salary with our Salary Tax Calculator. Start optimizing today to land more interviews!

Call to Action: Build an ATS-friendly resume now and test it with our Resume Score Checker!