ATS Resume Builder & Checker — improve machine readability

Applicant tracking systems read documents before people do. They are not clever: they look for section headings they recognise, text they can extract, dates they can parse and a reading order that matches what you see. Most rejections at this stage come from formatting, not from your experience.

What the ATS check looks at

• Standard section names that parsers can classify
• Complete contact information in live, selectable text
• A linear reading order — no tables or multi-column traps
• Consistent, machine-readable dates
• Readable type sizes with conventional fonts
• No text embedded inside images or icons
• Skills stated plainly rather than implied
• A sensible heading hierarchy from name down to section titles

What it deliberately does not claim

No tool can guarantee a resume passes every applicant tracking system, because implementations differ by vendor, configuration and template. What we can say honestly: these templates and checks are designed to improve machine readability and compatibility.

How to build an ATS-friendly resume

1. Pick an ATS template. All four ATS templates are single column with standard headings and no decorative tables.
2. Use conventional section titles: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills. Rename only when a custom heading genuinely helps a human reader.
3. Keep text live. Never paste your resume as an image, and avoid text boxes, headers and footers for anything essential.
4. Write dates the same way throughout, in month/year form.
5. State skills in plain words. Keyword clouds, rating bars and icons communicate nothing to a parser.
6. Export as PDF with selectable text, unless the employer asks for Word.

Frequently asked questions