What is ATS and How to Beat It

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that companies use to filter and rank resumes before a human recruiter sees them. According to Jobscan's 2024 research, 98.4% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to screen candidates.

75%

of resumes rejected by ATS

Before reaching human recruiters

The hard truth: 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before ever reaching a human recruiter. If your resume isn't optimized, a bot is discarding it before anyone reads your qualifications.

Most Common ATS Systems

You're likely applying through one of these platforms:

ATS Platform	Used By	Key Trait
Taleo (Oracle)	Large enterprises, government	Strict formatting rules
Greenhouse	Tech companies, startups	Modern, better parsing
Lever	Mid-size companies	Strict keyword matching
iCIMS	Fortune 500	AI-powered screening
Workday	Large corporations	Picky about file types
SuccessFactors (SAP)	Enterprise HR	Inconsistent parsing

🎯 Key Takeaway

Each system has quirks, but the principles for beating them are similar: keywords, simple formatting, and standard structure.

How ATS Systems Work

Here's what happens when you submit your resume:

Parsing

The ATS converts your resume into plain text and extracts data (name, contact, experience, skills).

Keyword Matching

It scans for keywords from the job description and required qualifications.

Ranking

You're scored based on keyword matches, experience level, and other criteria.

Filtering

Resumes below a certain score are auto-rejected or deprioritized.

Human Review

Only the top-ranked resumes reach a recruiter's inbox.

💡 Modern ATS Evolution

Modern ATS systems (like iCIMS and Greenhouse) now use AI and machine learning to improve screening, but they still rely heavily on keyword matching and parseable formatting.

Why Most Resumes Fail ATS

Common reasons resumes get rejected:

1. Missing Keywords

Your resume doesn't contain exact terms from the job description. If the posting says "project management," don't just say "led projects" or "managed initiatives." ATS systems look for exact matches or close variants.

2. Bad Formatting

Graphics, tables, columns, text boxes, and headers/footers confuse ATS parsers. That beautiful two-column Canva template with icons and design elements? The ATS sees gibberish. Stick to single-column, plain formatting.

3. Non-Standard Section Headers

ATS looks for standard headers like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Creative headers like "My Journey" or "Where I've Been" confuse the parser.

4. Incompatible File Types

While most modern ATS handle PDFs well, some older systems (particularly Taleo) struggle with them. Use PDF unless the posting specifically requests .docx. Never use .pages, .odt, or image files.

5. Incorrect Contact Info Placement

If your name, email, and phone number are in a header or footer, some ATS won't parse them. Keep contact info in the body of the document.

How to Beat ATS: The Ultimate Guide

1. Use Job Description Keywords Strategically

Copy exact phrases from the job posting into your resume where relevant. If they say "data analysis using Python," don't reword it as "analyzed data with Python scripts." Use their exact language.

💡 Pro Tip

Paste the job description into a word cloud generator (like WordClouds.com) to identify the most frequent keywords. Integrate the top 10-15 naturally into your resume.

2. Stick to Standard Section Headings

✅ ATS-Friendly Headers

• Work Experience
• Professional Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Technical Skills
• Certifications
• Summary
• Professional Summary

❌ Avoid These Headers

• My Story
• Career Highlights
• Expertise Areas
• My Journey
• Where I've Been
• What I Bring
• Creative variations

3. Use a Simple, Clean Format

✅ Do This

• Single-column layout
• Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica)
• 10-12pt font size
• Plain text with bullet points
• Simple round bullets (•)
• Bold for job titles
• Clear hierarchy

❌ Don't Do This

• Multi-column designs
• Text boxes or tables
• Graphics, icons, logos
• Headshots or photos
• Custom symbols or arrows
• Skill bars or charts
• Decorative elements

4. Include Both Acronyms and Full Terms

ATS may search for either version. Examples:

"Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" — covers both searches
"Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems"
"Certified Public Accountant (CPA)"

5. Use Standard Date Formatting

Use MM/YYYY format (e.g., "01/2020 - 12/2023" or "Jan 2020 - Dec 2023"). Avoid abbreviations like "1/20" or unconventional formats.

6. Don't Try to Game the System

⚠️ Warning: These Will Backfire

• Keyword stuffing (listing keywords 50 times in white text)
• Lying about skills (humans verify during interviews)
• Copying job description verbatim (looks suspicious)

7. Test Your Resume

Before applying, test your resume's ATS compatibility:

Plain Text Test

Copy your resume into Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac) in plain text mode. If it looks like gibberish, ATS will struggle.

Use ATS Scanners

Free tools like Jobscan or Resume Worded check keyword match percentage and formatting issues.

Compare Formats

Save as both PDF and .docx and compare how each renders to ensure consistency.

ATS-Friendly Resume Checklist

Before submitting your resume, verify:

✓ Standard section headers (Summary, Experience, Education, Skills)
✓ Simple single-column layout with no tables or text boxes
✓ Keywords from job description naturally integrated (aim for 60-80% match)
✓ Standard fonts (10-12pt): Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman
✓ Contact info in document body, not header/footer
✓ No graphics, icons, images, or logos
✓ Clear job titles, company names, and dates
✓ Dates in standard format (MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)
✓ Both acronyms and full terms for key skills (e.g., "SEO" and "Search Engine Optimization")
✓ File saved as PDF (unless .docx explicitly requested)
✓ Filename format: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf

Industry-Specific ATS Tips

Tech Industry (Greenhouse, Lever)

List specific programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Use both full names and abbreviations: "JavaScript (JS)," "Amazon Web Services (AWS)." Tech ATS often search for exact version numbers, so include them if relevant (e.g., "Python 3.x," "React 18").

Corporate/Enterprise (Taleo, Workday, iCIMS)

These systems are stricter. Use extremely clean formatting, stick to .docx if uncertain about PDF support, and ensure dates are consistent throughout. Include full job titles even if they're long (e.g., "Senior Marketing Manager, Digital Strategy").

Startups and Small Companies

Many use Greenhouse or Lever, which are more forgiving with formatting. Still, don't get creative — simple and keyword-rich always wins.

What About AI-Powered ATS?

Newer systems like iCIMS and Greenhouse use AI to go beyond keyword matching. They can:

Identify semantic similarities (understanding that "managed" and "led" are related)
Surface candidates from past applicants based on new job descriptions
Reduce bias by focusing on skills over demographics

🎯 Key Takeaway

Keywords still matter. AI-enhanced ATS are better at parsing complex formats, but a clean, keyword-optimized resume still performs best.

After You Beat the ATS: What Happens Next?

Getting past the ATS just gets your resume in front of a human recruiter. Then:

7.4 sec

Average recruiter scan time

TheLadders study

Top 1/3

Gets most attention

Recent experience matters

Results

Beat generic duties

"Increased sales 40%"

"An ATS-friendly resume gets you through the door. A compelling, achievement-focused resume gets you the interview."— Career Strategy Principle

Common ATS Myths Debunked

Myth: PDFs never work with ATS

FALSE

Most modern ATS (post-2020) handle PDFs well. Only very old systems (like legacy Taleo installations) struggle. PDFs preserve formatting better than Word docs, so use PDF unless the posting says otherwise.

Myth: You need a different resume for every application

PARTIALLY TRUE

You don't need to rewrite from scratch, but you should customize your summary and top 3-5 bullet points to include job-specific keywords. Create a "master resume" with all your achievements, then tailor each version.

Myth: ATS automatically rejects candidates

PARTIALLY FALSE

Most ATS rank candidates rather than auto-reject. However, many companies set minimum score thresholds, which effectively acts as auto-rejection. A low ATS score means you're unlikely to be reviewed.

Myth: Skills sections don't matter