Do you know a funny thing about the hiring process? It changes every other year with new trends and practices. But sadly, the candidates don’t really know about it. It takes searching about job trends to know exactly what is going on in the recruiters’ minds.

If you have read any job seeker-related article recently, you will know there is a storm of ATS-friendly resume builder advocates everywhere. These are not complex concepts that are from other dimensions. An ATS resume is a simple and clear resume document that clearly states your experience and interests for the job.

This blog is a dedicated guide to understanding the ATS resume format and how you can make one for yourself for a successful application.

What Is an ATS Resume? A Definition for Beginners

To begin with, an ATS-friendly resume, first, understand the ATS meaning.

How ATS Works

ATS is called the Applicant Tracking System. It is a smart recruitment tool used by companies to filter applications of candidates. The tool scans the resumes and checks their relevance and strength to the job description. The higher the resume score, the higher the success rate of getting the resume shortlisted. 

ATS Optimized Resume

An ATS resume or ATS optimized resume is an application document that is designed and optimized to pass through the applicant tracking system tool. It is a straightforward and simple resume application and uses different techniques like 

• Clear formatting
• Ideal spacing
• Strategic placement of keywords, 
• ATS-compliant file

Read More: How to Make a Resume: Step-by-Step Writing Guide for 2025

How ATS Works Behind the Scenes

The resume screening software works differently from the human eye. These tools and AI resume scanners scan and read the resumes in detail and then filter out the best candidates for the job. 

Resume Parsing Process

These machine-scanning resume software use the following process to scan and accept your resume:

Keyword Scanning

The ATS tool scans the document and checks all the job-specific keywords in the job titles, skills, and certifications of the application. 

Data Extraction

The resume screening software then extracts the main data like name, contact details, work experience, and education of the candidate.

Resume Scoring

With the data gained by the ATS optimized resume, the ATS gives a score to the application to match its suitability to the job.

Ranking and Sorting

After complete resume parsing, the job application software then ranks all the applications in order of most successful to least relevant to the job.

Filter Process

The resumes with less relevant keywords are left out of the race, and only applications with a high ATS score get passed to be reviewed by the recruiter.

Information Bank

All the applications are stored in the resume database, which hiring managers use to compare candidates afterward.

Additionally, keep in mind that the applicant tracking system is not able to read symbols and emojis. So, refrain from using any of these to keep your resume safe from getting rejected.

Why an ATS-Friendly Resume Is Essential in 2025

You know that an ATS resume application is the top trend in the job market. But why is this trend here in the first place? The real reason is rising competition for candidacy and relying on machine-scanning resume systems to keep hiring systems straightforward.

You would be surprised to know that around 70% of big companies now use applicant tracking systems for recruitment. These robotic job application software assess the ATS optimized resume applications and only move forward with the ones that have the best score. Therefore, it’s essential to pay attention to resume keywords and the ATS resume template when making your job application.

Key Features of an ATS Resume

If you want to know how to pass the ATS system, first understand the key features of an ATS optimized resume. Your resume must have:

Standard resume sections 

Your ATS resume should have dedicated sections that give complete professional information to the resume screening software. Ensure to add a profile summary, work experience, education, and skills section in the resume.

Simple formatting

An ATS resume format has a simple and clear layout. It shows all sections of the resume simply in the right order and doesn’t have any tables, columns, shapes, emojis, or other complex design aesthetics in the document. These resume formats work best to keep your application ATS-friendly.

Keyword-rich content

The best quality of an ATS-friendly resume is that it is rich with keywords matching the job title. In all the resume sections, like skills, work experience, and profile summary, the content is filled with job-specific keywords that increase your resume score on the applicant tracking system.

Readable fonts

If you pick any ATS resume template, you will see a simple font that is easy to read at just a glance. Therefore, ATS resume builder allows you to use simple and clear fonts in the application. These resume fonts often include the following:

• Arial
• Times New Roman
• Calibri
• Helvetica
• Georgia
• Verdana
• Garamond

Clear headings that ATS recognizes

Resume formatting for ATS also includes making clear headings in the applications. The font size of the headings, like work experience or skills, should be slightly bigger than the rest of the text size, and it should be readable without using any other signs in the text.

Consistent structure & bullet points

A simple thing about an ATS resume is that it has a consistent structure. It follows the order of a section heading, then bullet points. Use this structure to make the ATS-friendly resume readable.

What is an ATS resume? You have read about it above. But you won’t know it properly unless you make one for yourself. 

Suggested Read: How to Create a Winning ATS-Friendly Resume That Gets You Hired

How to Add Keywords to an ATS Resume 

To pass the applicant tracking system, you must know how to add the resume keywords to the document. You can’t randomly put them in a few sentences and think the job is done. The strategy is a bit different:

Find the right keywords from the job description

You have the job description in front of you, just copy and paste it into the AI resume builder and ask for the keywords that match the job and its responsibilities. 

Match skills and responsibilities naturally

The next step to making an ATS optimized resume is to match the keywords with the skills and responsibilities of your professional experience.

Add keywords

This is a little tricky part. Now you have to add resume keywords to the document. But strategically place them in the following sections to add coherence and value to your pitch:

• Summary
  
• Work experience bullets
  
• Skills section
  
• Certifications

If you have ever wondered how to beat ATS, this is the real trick you need to keep in mind.

Don’t keyword-stuff

Resume formatting for ATS involves using keywords, but it doesn’t mean that you overdo it. You have to keep a balance of resume keywords that fit naturally in the text and make your experience clearer for humans and the applicant tracking system.

Common ATS Resume Mistakes That Get You Rejected

Candidates may know a lot about an ATS resume, but they still make mistakes in their application somehow. But the purpose of this blog is to save you from making ATS resume mistakes, and below is a straightforward, safe checklist for you:

• Don’t use images/icons in the ATS resume template.
  
• Avoid using templates that look modern but break resume parsing from the applicant tracking system.
  
• Using non-standard headings, for example, ‘About Me’ or ‘Career Objective’.
  
• Your resume will be useless if it is overloaded with graphics.
  
• Avoid using tables or columns in the ATS optimized resume.
  
• Don’t save your resume as a PNG or image-based PDF file.
  
• Not customizing keywords will give a bad ATS score to your resume.
  
• If you don’t name your resume file properly, or give it a wrong file name 

Suggested Read: Best Resume Tips to Land a Job in 2025

Why Use an ATS Resume Builder Instead of Doing It Manually

You can always make an ATS optimized resume manually, there is no harm in it. But using an ATS resume builder is a slightly better option and has additional benefits during job hunting. These automated AI resume builder applications offer:

• Auto-formatting of a variety of ATS resume templates.
  
• In a quick effort, they can do keyword optimization of the resume.
  
• You will have an error-proof ATS formatting.
  
• Access to ready-made templates tested positive for the applicant tracking system.
  
• It saves your time, makes your application competitive, and reduces the chances of rejection.
  

Conclusion

The job market is tough, but it doesn’t mean you can’t make a successful breakthrough. You just need to follow the right format and best resume practices used in the industry. Good thing, now you know everything about an ATS resume and even the steps to make one. So, for your next job hunting, just read the ATS optimized resume making guide again and brace yourself with a ‘yes’ in the interviews.

Need help with making an ATS-friendly resume, but don’t know how to start? Just head to Jump Resume Builder and build your application in 30 minutes.