How to Format a Resume for ATS (2025 Step-by-Step Guide)

Make sure your resume passes the ATS in 2025.

🤖 Why Your Resume Isn’t Being Seen (Even If You’re Qualified)
You could be the perfect candidate,  but if your resume isn’t formatted for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), no recruiter will ever see it.

More than 90% of U.S. companies now use ATS software to filter resumes before a human reads them.
If your formatting breaks, your dream job might slip through the cracks.

This guide shows you how to make your resume ATS-proof - clean, modern, and recruiter-approved.

🧠 What Is an ATS (and Why It Matters)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that scans resumes for:

• Keywords that match the job description
• Experience and skills
  
• Education, certifications, and contact info
  
• If the system can’t “read” your file correctly, your resume gets filtered out.
  
• That’s why design matters less than structure when applying online.

🪜 Step-by-Step: How to Format an ATS-Friendly Resume
1️⃣ Choose a Simple Layout
Keep it minimal. Avoid:

• Text boxes
  
• Tables
  
• Columns
  
• Images or icons

Use a single-column format with clear section titles like:

• Summary
  
• Education
  
• Experience
  
• Skills
  
• Projects or Certifications

✅ Use clean fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman (10–12 pt).

2️⃣ Save in the Right File Type
Most ATS systems prefer:

.docx (best for parsing text)
.pdf (only if the job posting says it’s accepted)
❌ Don’t upload .jpg, .png, or .pages — they can’t be read by scanners.

3️⃣ Keep Section Headers Standard
ATS software looks for familiar labels like:

“Experience” not “What I’ve Done”
“Education” not “Where I Studied”
Using creative headers may confuse the parser.

 4️⃣ Use Bullet Points - Not Paragraphs
Long blocks of text are ATS nightmares.
Use concise bullet points starting with action verbs:

“Developed,” “Implemented,” “Led,” “Designed,” “Coordinated”

Example

- Managed 3 university events with 200+ attendees  
- Created 5 social media campaigns increasing engagement by 30%

 
5️⃣ Include Keywords Naturally
ATS ranks resumes based on how well your text matches the job description.
Scan the job post and look for:

• Required skills
  
• Tools and software
  
• Core competencies
  
• Then weave them into your experience and skills sections naturally.

💡 Pro tip: The Job Hack’s AI Resume Review Tool can score your resume’s keyword match instantly.

 6️⃣ Use Dates Correctly
ATS reads consistent date formats best.
Choose one style and stick to it:

“Jan 2023 – May 2024” ✅
“2023/01 – 2024/05” ❌
Place dates on the right side of your resume.

 7️⃣ Avoid Headers, Footers & Graphics
Even elegant headers or icons can break ATS parsing.
Keep all important info in the main body — not in headers or footers.

8️⃣ Test Before You Apply
You can test if your resume is ATS-readable by copying all text into Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac).
If the text looks clean, the ATS will likely read it too.
If it looks broken or jumbled - reformat.

 🧩 Example: Perfect ATS Resume Layout
Name: Jordan Lee
Location: Austin, TX
Email: [email protected] | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jordanlee

 Professional Summary
Recent Business graduate with strong analytical skills and hands-on project experience in marketing and operations. Proven ability to adapt fast, collaborate, and deliver results.

 Education
Bachelor of Business Administration — University of Texas, Austin (2025)
GPA: 3.8 | Dean’s List 2024

Experience
Marketing Intern - GrowthPath Agency | May 2024 – Aug 2024

Managed 4 campaigns for small business clients using Google Ads
Reduced ad costs by 15% through keyword optimization
 
Skills
Google Analytics · Microsoft Excel · Canva · Data Analysis · Time Management

 Projects
Capstone Project - “Sustainable Business Strategy”

Designed a case study presenthttps://thejobhack.com/registered to industry panel, awarded Best Project 2025
 
🚫 Common Formatting Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
❌ Using fancy templates from Canva or Etsy
❌ Adding graphics or logos
❌ Using two columns
❌ Saving as image-based PDF
❌ Missing keywords from the job post

🚀 Make It Effortless With The Job Hack

You don’t have to guess if your resume will pass the ATS.
Upload your file to The Job Hack’s Resume Optimizer - it checks structure, formatting, and keyword relevance in seconds.

👉 Test your resume for free → thejobhack.com

 💬 Question for Readers
Have you ever applied for a job and heard nothing back, only to realize your resume wasn’t ATS-friendly?

#ResumeTips #ATS #JobSearch2025 #CareerAdvice #RecruiterApproved #TheJobHack