How to Make Your Resume ATS-Friendly: A Practical Checklist

1. Layout and design

• Keep your name, phone, email, city and LinkedIn in the main body of the page, not in the header or footer.
• Use real text everywhere. No skills shown as images, icons in place of words, or rating bars with no text.
• If you use two columns, make sure the text reads in a logical order when copied and pasted.
• Avoid text boxes for important content.
• Use a clear, common font at a readable size (around 10 to 12 points for body text).

2. Headings the software recognises

Stick to familiar section names. They help both the parser and the recruiter find things fast:

• Professional summary (or Profile)
• Key skills
• Work experience (or Employment history)
• Education
• Certifications and licences

3. Work history that parses cleanly

• For each role, show the job title, employer, location and dates on their own lines or in a consistent pattern.
• Use one date format throughout, such as "Mar 2022 – Present".
• Start bullet points with strong verbs and include results where you can.
• List your most recent role first.

4. Keywords that match the job

• Read the job ad and note the skills, tools, qualifications and job titles it mentions.
• Use the same wording in your summary, skills and experience, where it is true for you.
• Write acronyms both ways once, for example "Registered Nurse (RN)" or "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)".
• Tailor for each application. A generic resume matches nothing particularly well.

More detail in our resume keywords guide.

5. File type and file name

• Follow the job ad. If it asks for Word (.docx), send Word.
• Otherwise a text-based PDF or Word file is usually safe. Never send a scan or a photo.
• Name the file clearly: Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf or Firstname-Lastname-CV.docx.

6. Final checks

• Copy and paste test: paste the whole document into a plain text editor. Is everything there, in order?
• Spelling: use the spelling of the country you are applying in (for example "organised" in Australia and the UK, "organized" in the US).
• Length: this depends on the country and your experience. See resume and CV differences by country.
• Personal details: leave out your date of birth, marital status and photo unless the employer specifically asks.