How to Create an ATS‑Friendly Resume in 2025 (Step‑by‑Step)

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parse and rank resumes before a human recruiter ever sees them. In 2025, most medium and large organizations rely on ATS to filter hundreds of applications per role. The good news: an ATS‑friendly resume isn't about graphics or gimmicks—it's about clarity, structure, and relevance. This guide walks you through a modern approach that consistently clears the ATS gate and reads beautifully for humans.

Research shows that 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS systems before reaching human eyes. However, job seekers who optimize their resumes for ATS see a 300% increase in interview rates. This comprehensive guide provides proven strategies, real examples, and actionable steps to create resumes that pass ATS screening and impress recruiters.

Understanding ATS Systems in 2025

Before diving into resume creation, it's essential to understand how ATS systems work. Modern ATS platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever use sophisticated parsing algorithms to extract information from resumes and match candidates to job requirements.

ATS systems follow a specific workflow: they parse your resume into structured data, extract keywords and qualifications, score your resume against job requirements, and rank you against other candidates. Only the top-scoring resumes (typically the top 10-20%) reach human recruiters.

The key to ATS success is making your resume easily parseable while including relevant keywords naturally. This guide will show you exactly how to achieve both goals.

1) Choose the Right Format

Use a single‑column, reverse‑chronological layout. Keep margins generous, use one or two legible fonts (e.g., Inter, Arial, Calibri), and stick to 10–12pt body text. Avoid tables, text boxes, headers/footers, and images; those elements often break parsing. Save as PDF unless the job ad requests .docx. Consistency matters more than creativity for ATS—reserve visual design for your portfolio or website.

Formatting Best Practices

• Layout: Single-column, left-aligned text with consistent spacing
• Fonts: Standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in 10-12pt size
• Margins: 1-inch margins on all sides for optimal readability
• Spacing: Consistent line spacing (1.15 or 1.5) throughout the document
• File Format: PDF is preferred, but Word .docx is also acceptable

What to Avoid

• Multi-column layouts that confuse parsing order
• Tables or text boxes that ATS can't read properly
• Headers and footers with important information
• Images, graphics, logos, or charts
• Fancy fonts or decorative elements
• Colored text or backgrounds

2) Use Standard Section Headers

ATS scanners look for predictable labels. Use "Experience", "Education", "Skills", and optional sections like "Projects", "Certifications", or "Publications". Avoid creative headers ("Journey", "What I Do") that can hide key details from parsers.

Standard Section Headers That ATS Recognizes

• Contact Information: Name, Phone, Email, Location, LinkedIn (optional)
• Professional Summary: Or "Summary" or "Profile"
• Work Experience: Or "Experience" or "Professional Experience"
• Education: Standard header for academic background
• Skills: Or "Technical Skills" or "Core Competencies"
• Certifications: For professional credentials
• Projects: For relevant work or personal projects
• Languages: If relevant to the position

Headers to Avoid

• "My Journey" or "Career Path"
• "What I Do" or "About Me"
• "Professional Background" (use "Experience" instead)
• "Career Highlights" (use "Experience" instead)
• Any creative or unconventional naming

Standard headers ensure ATS systems can properly categorize and extract your information. When ATS systems encounter non-standard headers, they may miss important details or categorize information incorrectly, reducing your overall score.

3) Build a Keyword Strategy

Study 5–10 target job descriptions and list repeated skills, tools, and domain terms. Map those terms to your experience truthfully. Place 15–25 high‑value keywords across your Professional Summary, Skills, and bullet points. Prefer exact phrases from the posting (e.g., "React", "Kubernetes", "HIPAA compliance"). Mirror common synonyms when appropriate (e.g., "OKR / goals", "ETL / data pipelines").

Step-by-Step Keyword Research Process

1. Collect Job Descriptions: Gather 5-10 job postings for your target role from different companies
2. Extract Keywords: Identify skills, tools, technologies, and qualifications mentioned repeatedly
3. Create a Master List: Compile all unique keywords and prioritize by frequency
4. Match to Your Experience: Identify which keywords align with your actual background
5. Integrate Naturally: Place keywords throughout your resume in context, not as a list

Keyword Categories to Include

• Hard Skills: Programming languages, software, tools, technologies
• Soft Skills: Leadership, communication, problem-solving, teamwork
• Industry Terms: Domain-specific jargon and terminology
• Job Titles: Standard industry titles and variations
• Certifications: Professional credentials and licenses
• Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Lean, Six Sigma, etc.

Keyword Placement Strategy

Distribute keywords naturally throughout your resume:

• Professional Summary: Include 3-5 most important keywords
• Skills Section: List 10-15 relevant skills with exact terminology
• Work Experience: Integrate keywords naturally in bullet points
• Education: Include relevant coursework or certifications

4) Write Impact‑Driven Bullets

Replace task lists with measurable outcomes. Use action verbs and quantify results: "Reduced build times 42% by introducing Nx caching", "Increased lead conversions 18% by testing new messaging", "Automated quarterly reporting saving 12 hours per cycle". Bullets should be concise (1–2 lines) and dense with keywords connected to outcomes.

Formula for Strong Bullet Points

Use this structure: Action Verb + What You Did + Quantifiable Result + Impact

Before and After Examples

Action Verbs to Use

5) Calibrate Your Skills Section

Group skills by category (Languages, Frameworks, Cloud, Data, Tools). Keep it honest and relevant to the role. A long wall of skills looks unfocused; a curated list reads as intentional. Avoid proficiency bars—ATS can't parse them, and they don't convey evidence. Let your bullets demonstrate practical proficiency.

Skills Section Best Practices

• Quantity: List 10-20 relevant skills (not 50+)
• Organization: Group by category for easy scanning
• Terminology: Use exact terms from job descriptions
• Balance: Include both hard skills (technical) and soft skills
• Format: Use simple lists or comma-separated values
• Priority: Place most important skills first in each category

Example Skills Section Structure

6) Optimize Titles and Dates

ATS expects a pattern: Job Title, Company, Location, Dates. Use month+year (e.g., Jun 2023–Present). If your official title is niche, add a parenthetical for alignment (e.g., "Software Engineer (Frontend)"). Ensure your LinkedIn reflects the same titles and dates for credibility.

Date Formatting Standards

• Preferred Format: "Jun 2023 – Present" or "06/2023 – Present"
• Also Acceptable: "June 2023 – Present" or "2023-06 – Present"
• Avoid: "6/23" or "Jun '23" (too abbreviated)
• Consistency: Use the same format throughout your resume

Job Title Optimization

If your official job title is non-standard or company-specific, consider adding a parenthetical to align with industry standards:

• "Software Engineer (Frontend)" instead of just "Software Engineer"
• "Product Manager (B2B SaaS)" to specify domain expertise
• "Data Scientist (Machine Learning)" to highlight specialization

7) Include Relevant Projects

Projects are invaluable for early‑career or career‑change candidates. Use 2–4 bullets to show tech, scope, and measurable outcome. Link to a live demo or repo if allowed by the application form.

When to Include Projects

• Recent graduates with limited work experience
• Career changers transitioning to new fields
• Technical professionals showcasing specific skills
• Freelancers or consultants demonstrating expertise
• Anyone with impressive side projects relevant to target roles

Project Section Format

8) Final ATS Checklist

Before submitting your resume, run through this comprehensive checklist to ensure maximum ATS compatibility:

• ✓ Single column layout, no tables/images/headers/footers
• ✓ Standard headers: Experience, Education, Skills, Projects
• ✓ 15–25 targeted keywords placed naturally
• ✓ Impact‑based bullets with metrics and action verbs
• ✓ PDF export (unless .docx requested)
• ✓ File name includes your name and role (e.g., jane‑doe‑product‑manager.pdf)
• ✓ Consistent date formatting throughout
• ✓ Contact information in main body (not header/footer)
• ✓ No graphics, logos, or images
• ✓ Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• ✓ 10-12pt font size for body text
• ✓ Adequate white space and margins
• ✓ Spell-checked and proofread

9) Test Before You Apply

Copy your resume content into a plain‑text editor: does the order read correctly? Next, upload it to an ATS checker to preview the parsed output. Fix any issues (garbled dates, missing sections) and re‑test. Small formatting tweaks often resolve parsing quirks.

Testing Methods

1. Plain Text Test: Copy your resume into Notepad or TextEdit. Does the information flow logically?
2. ATS Parser Test: Use EasyTeX's built-in ATS checker or online tools like Jobscan
3. Keyword Analysis: Compare your resume against job descriptions to identify missing keywords
4. Formatting Verification: Check that all sections are properly recognized
5. Human Readability: Have someone else review your resume for clarity and impact

Common Parsing Issues and Fixes

• Dates Not Recognized: Use consistent format (MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)
• Sections Missing: Ensure standard headers are used
• Skills Not Extracted: Use simple lists, not visual indicators
• Contact Info Missing: Place in main body, not header/footer
• Bullet Points Broken: Use standard bullet characters (• or -)

10) Industry-Specific Considerations

Different industries have unique ATS requirements and keyword patterns. Here are considerations for major industries:

Technology & Software Engineering

• Emphasize specific programming languages, frameworks, and tools
• Include GitHub links and project portfolios when relevant
• Highlight certifications: AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure
• Use technical terminology accurately

Business & Finance

• Focus on metrics, revenue impact, and ROI
• Include business tools: Salesforce, Tableau, SAP
• Emphasize leadership and team management
• Highlight certifications: CPA, CFA, PMP, MBA

Healthcare & Medical

• Include licenses, certifications, and credentials prominently
• List specific procedures, equipment, and systems
• Emphasize patient care metrics and outcomes
• Include HIPAA compliance and regulatory knowledge

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Keyword Stuffing: Overusing keywords unnaturally hurts your score
• Complex Formatting: Tables, columns, and graphics break parsing
• Missing Quantifiable Results: Always include metrics when possible
• Inconsistent Dates: Use the same format throughout
• Generic Content: Customize for each job application
• Ignoring Job Descriptions: Always incorporate relevant keywords from postings

Conclusion

Creating an ATS-friendly resume in 2025 requires attention to formatting, keyword optimization, and content quality. By following this comprehensive guide, you'll create resumes that pass ATS screening and impress human recruiters. Remember: simple formatting, relevant keywords, and quantifiable achievements are the keys to success.

Use EasyTeX's ATS-optimized resume builder to streamline this process. Our platform automatically handles formatting requirements, provides keyword suggestions, and includes built-in ATS compatibility testing.Start building your ATS-friendly resume today—it's completely free and takes just minutes.