Practical resume guide

How to create an ATS-friendly resume

An applicant tracking system, or ATS, helps employers store, search, and filter job applications. A clear structure and relevant language make your resume easier for both software and recruiters to understand.

Short answer: use standard section headings, simple readable formatting, relevant keywords from the job description, measurable achievements, and a searchable text-based PDF. Never add a keyword you cannot support with real experience.

What does ATS-friendly mean?

An ATS-friendly resume presents information in a predictable order and as real text. It does not guarantee an interview or attempt to trick a scoring system. It simply reduces the chance that layout, vague wording, or an unreadable file hides relevant experience.

Use a format that is easy to parse

Use familiar headings such as Work Experience, Education, Skills, and Projects.
Put the most relevant information in the main reading order.
Use consistent job titles, employer names, locations, and dates.
Avoid putting essential content only inside icons, images, headers, or footers.
Export a PDF with selectable text instead of a screenshot of the resume.

Match relevant keywords honestly

Read the job description and identify repeated skills, tools, responsibilities, and qualifications. Use the employer's terminology where it accurately describes your background. Include evidence in your experience bullets instead of placing every term in a disconnected skills list.

Example

Instead of “helped with reports,” write “built monthly Power BI sales reports used by four regional managers.” The second version names the tool, the output, and the impact.

ATS resume checklist

Target role is clear near the top.
Contact details are written as text and are accurate.
Relevant skills appear naturally in context.
Experience bullets start with specific actions and include outcomes.
Dates and headings follow one consistent format.
Spelling and grammar have been reviewed.
The final PDF text can be selected, copied, and searched.

How CV Maker checks keyword coverage

CV Maker compares the resume with a pasted job description inside the browser. The check uses local keyword extraction and an offline ESCO-derived skills taxonomy. It lists matched and missing terms, but the score is guidance—not a prediction of an employer's decision. The ATS check does not send either document to a server.