How to Beat ATS: Resume Optimization Guide for 2025

You spend hours perfecting your resume, click "Apply," and never hear back. Not even a rejection email. What happened?

Chances are, your resume never reached a human. It was rejected by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)—software that scans and filters resumes before recruiters see them.

Studies show that over 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before a human ever reads them. But with the right optimization, you can dramatically improve your chances.

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that companies use to manage job applications. It:

Parses your resume to extract information
Scores your resume based on keywords and qualifications
Ranks candidates for recruiters to review
Filters out resumes that don't meet minimum criteria

Major ATS platforms:

Workday
Taleo (Oracle)
Greenhouse
Lever
iCIMS
BambooHR
Jobvite

Each system works slightly differently, but they all follow similar principles.

How ATS Systems Work

1. Parsing

The ATS reads your resume and tries to extract information into categories:

Contact information
Work experience
Education
Skills
Certifications

The problem: Complex formatting confuses the parser. If it can't read your resume correctly, you're out.

2. Keyword Matching

The ATS compares your resume against the job description, looking for:

Required skills
Industry-specific terms
Years of experience
Education requirements
Certifications

The problem: If you don't use the exact keywords from the job description, the ATS may not recognize your qualifications.

3. Ranking

Based on how well your resume matches, the ATS assigns a score. Only the top-ranked candidates get reviewed by humans.

The problem: Even qualified candidates can score poorly if their resume isn't optimized.

ATS-Friendly Formatting Rules

DO: Use Standard Section Headings

ATS systems look for common section names. Use these exact headings:

✓ Work Experience or Professional Experience ✓ Education ✓ Skills ✓ Certifications ✓ Summary or Professional Summary

Don't get creative with headings like "Where I've Been" or "My Journey." The ATS won't recognize them.

DO: Use Standard Fonts

Stick to simple, readable fonts:

Arial
Calibri
Georgia
Times New Roman
Helvetica

Font size: 10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for headings

DO: Use Simple Bullet Points

Use standard bullet points (• or ■). Avoid:

Fancy symbols (✓ ✗ ★)
Images as bullets
Custom characters

DON'T: Use Tables or Columns

Tables and multi-column layouts confuse ATS parsers. They often scramble the text order.

Bad:

[Left Column]          [Right Column]
Company A              Company B
Job Title A            Job Title B

Good:

Company A
Job Title A

Company B
Job Title B

DON'T: Use Headers/Footers

Many ATS systems can't read headers and footers. Don't put important information there:

✗ Contact info in header
✗ Page numbers in footer
✓ All content in main body

DON'T: Use Graphics, Images, or Charts

ATS cannot read:

Photos of yourself
Company logos
Skill charts or graphs
Decorative elements

Save the design for your portfolio. Keep your resume simple text.

DON'T: Use Unconventional File Formats

Best: PDF or .docx (Word)

Avoid:

.pages (Mac)
.jpg or .png images
.txt (loses formatting)

Check the job posting—if it specifies a format, use that.

Keyword Optimization Strategy

Step 1: Analyze the Job Description

Read the job posting carefully and identify:

Hard skills:

Programming languages (Python, JavaScript, SQL)
Software/tools (Salesforce, Adobe Creative Suite)
Technical skills (Data Analysis, SEO, Project Management)

Soft skills:

Leadership
Communication
Problem-solving
Team collaboration

Required qualifications:

Degree requirements
Years of experience
Certifications

Action verbs used:

Managed, Developed, Led, Implemented

Step 2: Match Your Resume to Keywords

Use the exact same words from the job description. If they say "JavaScript," don't write "JS." If they say "Project Management," don't write "Project Manager."

Job description says: "Experience with Python, SQL, and data visualization"

Your resume should say: "Analyzed data using Python and SQL, created data visualization dashboards"

Not: "Worked with programming languages and databases"

Step 3: Prioritize Keywords

Place the most important keywords:

In your Professional Summary (top of resume)
In your job descriptions (especially recent roles)
In your Skills section

Important: Don't keyword stuff. Use keywords naturally in context.

Bad: "Python, Python developer, Python programming, Python expert"

Good: "Developed Python scripts to automate data processing, reducing manual work by 40%"

Step 4: Use Both Acronyms and Full Terms

ATS may search for either version:

"Search Engine Optimization (SEO)"
"Master of Business Administration (MBA)"
"Project Management Professional (PMP)"

This ensures you're found regardless of which version is searched.

Skills Section Best Practices

Create a Dedicated Skills Section

Make it easy for ATS to find your skills:

Technical Skills:

Programming: Python, JavaScript, SQL, Java
Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django
Tools: Git, Docker, AWS, Tableau
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis

Soft Skills:

Project Management
Team Leadership
Cross-functional Collaboration
Stakeholder Communication

Group Related Skills

Organize skills into categories:

Technical Skills
Languages
Certifications
Soft Skills

Don't Rate Your Skills

Avoid skill bars or percentage indicators:

✗ "Python ████░ 80%"
✓ "Python"

ATS can't read visual elements, and rating yourself is subjective anyway.

Work Experience Optimization

Use the Right Job Title

If your actual title is unclear or company-specific, you can clarify:

Format: Actual Title (Common Equivalent)

"Technical Program Manager II (Senior Project Manager)" "Sales Development Representative (Business Development Associate)"

Lead with Action Verbs

Start each bullet point with a strong action verb:

Managed
Developed
Led
Implemented
Designed
Improved
Increased
Reduced
Created
Launched

Quantify Achievements

Numbers make accomplishments concrete and are recognized by ATS:

"Increased sales by 35%"
"Managed team of 12 engineers"
"Reduced costs by $200K annually"
"Improved response time from 48 hours to 4 hours"

Include Dates Consistently

Use a standard format throughout:

✓ "January 2022 - Present"
✓ "01/2022 - Present"
✗ "Jan '22 - Now" (inconsistent abbreviation)

Common ATS Mistakes That Cost You Interviews

1. Creative File Names

Bad: "John_Resume_UPDATED_FINAL_v3.pdf"

Good: "John_Smith_Resume.pdf"

Keep it professional and simple.

2. Nickname Instead of Full Name

Use your full legal name (or the name you go by professionally):

✗ "Bobby Smith"
✓ "Robert Smith"

3. Missing Keywords from Job Description

If the job requires "Project Management" and you only mention "Managing Projects," the ATS may not match.

4. Listing Skills You Don't Have

Don't add keywords you don't actually possess. You'll pass ATS but fail in the interview.

5. Using Abbreviations Without Context

Bad: "Expert in ML and NLP"

Good: "Expert in Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP)"

6. Inconsistent Formatting

If one job has dates on the right and another has dates on the left, it confuses the parser.

7. Typos in Keywords

"Javascrpt" instead of "JavaScript" won't match. Proofread carefully.

8. Missing Contact Information

Ensure these are clearly visible:

Full name
Phone number
Email address
LinkedIn profile (optional)
Location (City, State)

How to Test Your ATS Resume

1. Use Free ATS Scanners

Jobscan.co
Resume Worded
SkillSyncer

Upload your resume and the job description to see how well it matches.

2. Convert to Plain Text

Copy your resume into a .txt file. If it's unreadable, the ATS will struggle too.

3. Check Parsing

Some ATS testers show how the system parsed your resume. Review for errors:

Is your name correct?
Are dates accurate?
Are skills in the right section?

Resume Checklist for ATS Success

Formatting:

[ ] Simple, clean layout (no columns or tables)
[ ] Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
[ ] Standard section headings
[ ] .docx or PDF format
[ ] No headers/footers
[ ] No images, graphics, or charts
[ ] Simple bullet points
[ ] Consistent formatting throughout

Content:

[ ] Professional file name
[ ] Contact info in main body
[ ] Keywords from job description
[ ] Action verbs starting each bullet
[ ] Quantified achievements
[ ] Skills section with relevant skills
[ ] Both acronyms and full terms
[ ] No typos or grammatical errors
[ ] Dates in consistent format
[ ] Relevant job titles

Optimization:

[ ] Tested with ATS scanner
[ ] Matches job description keywords
[ ] Tailored to specific role
[ ] Professional summary at top
[ ] Most relevant experience highlighted
[ ] Education and certifications listed

The Hybrid Approach: ATS + Human

Remember: Getting past ATS is step one. Your resume still needs to impress humans.

For ATS:

Use keywords
Simple formatting
Standard headings

For Humans:

Show impact and results
Tell a clear career story
Highlight achievements
Make it scannable (people skim)

You don't have to choose between the two. A well-optimized resume works for both.

Tailor for Each Application

Don't send the same resume to every job. Spend 15-20 minutes customizing:

Read the job description
Identify 10-15 key requirements
Adjust your Professional Summary to match
Weave keywords into your experience
Reorder your Skills section to prioritize their requirements
Remove irrelevant information

It's worth the effort. Tailored resumes have much higher success rates.

Ready to optimize your resume? Upload it to Reherse and get AI-powered feedback on ATS compatibility and content quality. Try it now →

The Bottom Line

ATS systems are gatekeepers, but they're not unbeatable. With the right optimization:

Use simple, clean formatting
Include exact keywords from job descriptions
Follow standard conventions
Test your resume with ATS scanners
Tailor for each application

Don't let a robot reject you before a human sees your qualifications. Optimize your resume, and you'll dramatically increase your interview rate.

The job you want is on the other side of that ATS. Make sure your resume gets through.