Download an ATS-friendly resume template to ensure your next resume is compatible with applicant tracking systems. We have choices for all types of professions, ensuring that your resume will be read correctly by automated ATS programs so that your qualifications are seen by employers!
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Use This TemplateWith effective whitespace and adding your initials in the contact header, this excellent ATS resume template makes an impact right away.
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DownloadAn efficient use of color and space helps this free ATS resume template let your name pop off the page while drawing attention to your best qualifications.
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Use This TemplateVertical lines interspersed with circles, this is a great template for any creative professional who wants to add a little character to their resume.
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Use This TemplateThere is plenty of room to write down qualifications on this template without making your resume look cluttered.
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Use This TemplateTell your story with this ATS resume template that keeps everything organized and engaging.
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DownloadThis ATS resume is free to download and a great choice thanks to its horizontal orientation of the blue headers which gives it a compliant (and effective) format.
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Use This TemplateShow that you are serious about the job with this template that keeps your resume straightforward.
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Use This TemplateProfessional with a dash of creativity thanks to the bold yet colorful header, this ATS-compliant resume template is a great choice for any professional!
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Use This TemplateSpread out the whitespace and still have plenty of room to fill out your resume with this fun template.
Use This TemplateWith the growing use of AI and automated systems in human resources, using an ATS-friendly resume template is now a critical asset in the job application process. That being said, there are some drawbacks.
Consider the following advantages and disadvantages when choosing a resume design that an applicant tracking system can properly scan.
Extra time: This process requires additional edits and review to ensure ATS compatibility.
Can’t use images or graphics: If you are in a creative field that expects images or graphics, then an ATS resume format will limit your options.
Compatible with applicant tracking systems: ATS are used more and more frequently in the job hiring process. By making your resume ATS-friendly, you can be sure that your resume will not be rejected simply due to avoidable formatting errors.
Multipurpose: ATS resumes can be submitted for any other type of job application that doesn’t use an applicant tracking system.
Easy to customize: An ATS resume template, such as ours, provides a framework that you can adapt to meet your specific professional goals.
Professional design: Since an ATS expects the professional standard resume format, using an ATS resume template ensures a high-quality application.
Use our resume builder and gain access to our entire collection of ATS resume templates.
Designed and maintained by career experts, our builder asks a few questions and then autogenerates an ATS-friendly resume with customizable suggestions and formats.
Save yourself valuable time and energy, and get your resume in minutes!
An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is software that automates and manages parts of the hiring process. This includes posting job descriptions, receiving applications, and parsing resumes and cover letters to detect potential candidates.
All job applicants must consider the ATS resume scanning process because it is increasingly common. Job recruiters and hiring managers use applicant tracking systems to save time filtering out unqualified candidates or irrelevant applications.
When an ATS scans a resume, it looks for predetermined criteria based on certain keywords or phrases in the job description. Then it ranks resumes based on the number of criteria met.
Resumes with the most criteria are given more attention than those with less. Resumes that do not meet a bare minimum of criteria are excluded from consideration.
If you do not make your resume ATS-friendly, and the ATS cannot read it or detect enough keywords, you could be rejected, even if you have the skills and experience for the job.
An ATS-friendly resume template is any resume formatted to be scannable by an applicant tracking system. This means the resume needs to present information in a way that the ATS expects, such as providing specific headings, text with job description buzzwords, and a compatible file format.
The best way to get your resume passed by an ATS is to use a template and follow best practices. Best practices for an ATS resume include:
The best format for ATS is the reverse chronological resume. This is because the structure emphasizes work experience, which is what most recruiters and hiring managers are interested in. Therefore, most ATS expect the work experience section of a resume to be found at a certain point with bulleted information for each job title.
Word (DOC) files are better for ATS because most systems can parse through the document a lot easier than a PDF. However, it is good practice to have both DOC and PDF versions of your resume in case an application requests a specific file format.
It is not guaranteed that all Google Docs and Microsoft Word resume templates will be ATS-friendly because it depends on how the document is formatted and saved. For example, templates containing graphics that are saved as images may not be read by the ATS.
Graphics and images are not recommended for making an ATS-friendly resume. This is because a graphic or image may contain additional data that the ATS cannot scan, resulting in computation errors.
Yes, an ATS also scans cover letters. This means you need to be just as focused on writing an ATS-friendly cover letter as much as an ATS-friendly resume. Similar guidelines need to be followed, including:
Check out ourfree cover letter templates, oruse our cover letter builder to ensure your application is ready for any ATS!
