ATS-Friendly Resume Format

Always upload your resume as a PDF file. A PDF keeps your formatting exactly as you designed it, no matter what device or system opens it, which makes it the most reliable format for an application to be read correctly from start to finish.

Your resume's words need to be real, selectable text inside the PDF -- not a picture of text.

• Don't upload a scanned copy or a photo of a printed resume.
• Don't build your resume as a single image, an infographic, or a design exported as a flattened picture.
• If you can highlight and copy a sentence from your PDF, you're in good shape.

Multi-column layouts, side panels, and text boxes can look stylish, but they often scramble the order your information is read in -- a two-column resume can end up read left-line, right-line, left-line instead of top to bottom.

A straightforward, single-column structure is easier for both people and systems to follow consistently.

Stick to conventional section titles rather than creative alternatives.

• Use "Experience" instead of "My Journey".
• Use "Skills" instead of "What I Bring".
• Use "Education" instead of "Learning Path".
• Use "Certifications", "Projects", and "Summary" the same plain way.

Standard headings make it immediately clear which part of your resume is which, without anyone having to guess.

Some resume templates place your name, phone number, or a summary inside a page header, footer, or a floating text box for visual effect. These areas are easy to miss entirely once a document is processed automatically.

Before applying, read the job posting carefully and note the specific skills, tools, and terms it uses.

Use that same language naturally when describing your own experience, rather than only close synonyms -- if a posting asks for "customer support" and your resume only says "client relations", make sure the wording you use actually overlaps with theirs somewhere.

Use standard bullet characters (•, -, *) rather than custom icons, emoji, or symbol fonts as bullet points or section markers.

Stick to common, widely-supported fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Decorative or handwriting-style fonts can render unpredictably outside the program you designed them in.

Graphic skill bars, star ratings, or icon-based proficiency meters look appealing but carry no readable information on their own -- "Excel: ●●●●○" doesn't say anything a reader can act on.

Write your skill level in plain words instead, for example "Advanced Excel (pivot tables, macros)" or "3 years of hands-on experience with Excel".

Name your file something clear and simple, like YourName_Resume.pdf, so it's easy to identify once it's part of a larger set of applications.

• Avoid special characters or unusual symbols in the file name.
• Don't password-protect or restrict the PDF -- it should open freely.
• Double-check the file opens correctly after you export or save it, before you upload it.

You don't need a different template for every application, but you should adjust the content for each role while keeping the same clean, simple formatting throughout.

Get the format right once, and you can focus your energy on tailoring the content -- see our CV writing guide for that part.