When applying for a job, it's important to create a resume that not only impresses hiring managers but also passes through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). An ATS is a software used by companies to scan and filter resumes for keywords and relevant information before human eyes review them. To increase your chances of landing an interview, it's essential to understand the key elements to include in your ATS Resume. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential sections, formatting strategies, and best practices to create an effective ATS resume.
An ATS resume should contain specific sections that highlight your qualifications and experiences. By organizing your standard resume thoughtfully, you can ensure it is ATS-friendly and stands out to potential employers. Here are the important sections you should include:
Contact Information: Begin your resume with your contact information, including your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL. Make sure to use a professional email address and double-check for any typographical errors.
Resume Summary: If you have more than 2 years of experience, only then you should add a Resume Professional Summary in your Resume. A short summary should follow your contact information. This section should briefly describe your career goals, qualifications, and relevant skills in 80 words. Tailor your summary to the specific job you are applying for, using keywords found in the job description.
Work Experience: Highlight your previous work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. Clearly state your job titles, company names, dates of employment, and provide a concise description of your responsibilities and achievements in each role. Use bullet points and action verbs to make this section easy to read and scan.
Education: Include your educational background, listing your highest degree first. Mention the name of the institution, degree obtained, and graduation date. If you have completed any relevant certifications or training programs, make sure to include them here as well.
Skills: List your relevant skills, both hard and soft, that are important for the job you are applying for. ATS systems often look for specific keywords, so make sure to include relevant terms from the job description. Organize your skills into distinct categories, such as technical skills, programming languages, or leadership abilities.
Achievements and Awards: If you have received any notable achievements, honors, or awards throughout your career, consider including them in a separate section. This can help to distinguish you from other candidates and demonstrate your accomplishments.
Additional Sections: Depending on your industry and the job you are applying for, you may want to include additional sections such as publications, professional affiliations, volunteer work, or language proficiencies. However, be cautious not to overload your resume with irrelevant information.
In addition to the content of your resume, the formatting also plays a crucial role in optimizing it for ATS. Consider the following strategies to ensure your resume is ATS-friendly:
Use a standard format: Stick to a traditional, widely used resume format such as reverse chronological or functional. ATS systems are more likely to parse information accurately from standard formats compared to creative or visually appealing resumes.
Choose appropriate fonts and sizes: Opt for common, easy-to-read fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Use font sizes between 10 and 12 points for the main content and slightly larger fonts for section headings. This ensures readability both for humans and ATS systems.
Avoid fancy formatting: While it may be tempting to use fancy graphics, images, or tables to enhance the visual appeal of your resume, these elements can confuse ATS systems. Stick to simple formatting with clear headings, bullet points, and sufficient white space.
Optimize for keyword matching: Carefully review the job description and identify important keywords and phrases. Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your resume, especially in the skills and job description sections. This can improve your chances of passing the ATS screening.
Save your resume as a text-based PDF: When submitting your resume electronically, save it as a text-based PDF rather than using unconventional file formats or submitting a Word document. This ensures that the ATS can accurately parse the information and prevent formatting issues.
Before submitting your resume, thoroughly proofread it to eliminate any spelling or grammatical errors. Additionally, test your resume by uploading it to different ATS systems or using online resume screening tools. This can help you identify any formatting issues or missing keywords that may hinder your chances of getting through the ATS.
Creating a simple resume is not just a matter of choosing a proper layout. Many applicants commit the same set of mistakes that curb their chances of ever being noticed. A nice and well-structured standard curriculum vitae has to be optimized, at least in the ATS CV format, to pass the screening systems.
All these are the pitfalls that one ought to dodge while building a standard resume for ATS screenings.
Standard resume format is a safe way to proceed when making an ATS-ready resume. ATS systems are designed to scan content in a predicable structure; therefore, any variation from the standard organization could result in rejection of your resume.
An effective ATS CV format is composed of:
A typical standard resume format with clear-cut sections
Simple fonts such as Arial or Calibri with size between 10 and 12 pt
Contact information, Summary, Work Experience, Skills, and Education as the headers
Bullet points for listing responsibilities and accomplishments
Keywords applied here as given in the vacancy description
Parsing format of the text, ATS-friendly
Save the file as a text-based PDF or Word document-the full form of ATS must be kept in mind when preparing the resume
No logos, tables, graphics, or multi-columns
Relevance must be drawn from achievements enhancing the specifications of the job posting
Make sure that alignment and format remain consistent, just like a cv standard.
This format of the resume is accepted almost everywhere, and it increases the chance of getting recognized.
For the newly graduated and those with little work experience, a standard resume format is concerned with showing potential and education background. A well-organized standard cv can lead a hiring manager and ATS system to what matters.
The fresher's standard resume format should include:
Contact info in accordance with the cv standards
A short career objective, related to the job
Education placed before the experience
Academic projects, internships, or volunteer programs providing practical exposure
A categorized skills section using keywords from the job listing
Certifications or courses to back up the claims
Formatting clean and consistent with parsing ATS cv format
Saving the file in .docx or PDF, always keeping the full form of ATS in the resume in mind
Clear section headers and bullet points with high clarity
No excessive stylizing or creative fonts
Recent graduate seeking an entry-level role in [Target Job/Industry]. Eager to apply strong academic knowledge and practical exposure from projects and internships to contribute effectively and grow professionally.
Experienced professionals should base their standard resumes on a results-oriented approach with responsibilities and growth. A well-written standard resume allows recruiters to scan achievements quickly while conforming to the ATS standards of the resume format.
The typical format for a standardized resume of present-day applicants might include:
A brief summary highlighting total experience and major strengths
Reverse-chronological account of roles and companies
Bullet-pointed accomplishments with quantifiable results employing strong action verbs
Separate section for skills focused on technical and soft skills relevant to the job
Optional sections for certifications, awards, or further training
Formatting that respects resume standard and ATS compatibility
Avoidance of images, tables, or design-heavy elements
Use job titles that are accurate and consistent with terms used in the industry
Use of keywords found overwhelmingly in job descriptions when describing responsibilities
Last review to ensure ATS standards for full-form resume respect conversion while proper file saving
The standard resume format thus ensures greater visibility and, in turn, strengthens credibility in front of the software and recruiters.
Results-driven marketing leader with over 5 years of progressive experience in digital strategy, brand growth, and team leadership. Expert at executing data-driven campaigns that increased lead generation by 35% and boosted ROI by 20%. Skilled at aligning marketing initiatives with business objectives to drive measurable growth.
Freelancers encounter peculiarities while designing a standard resume format due to project-based work. The functional and clean standardized resume format helps both ATS and hiring managers realize and see the value.
A strong freelancer's standard CV will have:
A short summary highlighting core freelance skills and industries served
A breakup of projects by type or skill set instead of chronological job for a resume
Some mention of freelance platforms or dealing directly with clients
One headline for all the technical tools used and deliverables via which the projects were completed
Bullet points to state the outcomes and client benefits
Links to a portfolio or testimonials, in case they apply
Formatting according to the ATS resume format
Each section having clear and consistent headings
Project-related keywords used regularly
File format according to the ATS full form.
Freelancers almost always need to stick to a good standard resume format that feeds well into resume parsing systems and gets their worth across.
Freelance digital marketer with over 6 years’ experience serving clients in tech, retail, and healthcare industries. Expert in SEO, PPC, content creation, and social media management. Skilled in delivering results-driven campaigns and building strong client relationships via platforms like Upwork and direct contracts.
View my portfolio and client testimonials on alexmorganportfolio.com.
Changing industries requires a standardized resume format that highlights transferable skills but remains clear. A perfectly structured standard resume format will definitely work in favor of the candidate, even if lacking direct experience.
In order to ensure an effective standard CV for career changers, the following must be present:
A customized summary statement about the motivation and transfer of skills behind the career change
Use of functional format, putting more emphasis on strengths and accomplishments than onto job titles
A separate section for transferable soft skills and hard skills
Related certifications, courses, or workshops
Structure that employs clear headers and logical flow of sections for ATS CV format
Various studies from former jobs with a focus on job responsibilities relevant to the new job
Industry-relevant keywords spliced throughout
Pick clean fonts and formatting in alignment to CV standards
Don't add design treatments, which interfere with ATS
Proper file formatting
Motivated professional transitioning from digital marketing to project management, leveraging 6+ years of coordinating complex campaigns, team collaboration, and client relationship management. Skilled in strategic planning, communication, and problem-solving, with certifications in Agile and Scrum to support career shift.
A CV follows a standard format, presenting sections distinctly and clearly: Contact information, Resume summary, Work experience, etc. Education, and Skills. It runs in parallel with an ATS-friendly stylish resume in that the candidate is given the liberty to use plain fonts or bullet points and has to avoid photographs and tables. Thereby, it can be an ATS-following CV, and it is an easy scan-hit for recruiters.
Got Your Answer ?
Learn this in 30 Seconds 👇
Our career blog is your go-to resource for insightful advice, practical tips, and the latest trends in the job market.
Office Address: Room No 305, IIT ROPAR-TBIF, Top Floor (East Wing), M.Visvesvaraya, Rupnagar PB, 140001
Can't Find Something? Get in Touch.
©2025 Padhakku Peek A Book Pvt Ltd (Mployee.me)