How to Beat Applicant Tracking Systems: The Ultimate ATS Resume Guide

What Is an Applicant Tracking System?

If you have applied for a job online in the last decade, your CV almost certainly passed through an applicant tracking system before a human ever laid eyes on it. An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that employers use to collect, sort, scan, and rank the CVs they receive for open positions. Companies of all sizes rely on these platforms -- estimates suggest that over 98% of Fortune 500 companies and roughly 75% of all employers now use some form of ATS.

The software serves a straightforward purpose: to help recruiters manage high volumes of applications without reading every single one manually. When a role attracts hundreds or even thousands of applicants, the ATS acts as a first-round filter, surfacing the candidates whose CVs most closely match the requirements of the job description.

Understanding how these systems work is the first step towards crafting an ATS resume that consistently reaches the hiring manager's desk.

How Applicant Tracking Systems Actually Work

An ATS performs several key functions once you submit your application:

1. Parsing Your CV

The system extracts text from your uploaded document and attempts to categorise it into structured fields -- your name, contact details, work experience, education, skills, and so on. If the parser cannot read your file correctly, critical information may be lost or misinterpreted.

2. Keyword Matching

The recruiter typically configures the ATS with a set of required and preferred keywords drawn from the job description. The system then scans your parsed CV for those terms. Keywords might include specific job titles, technical skills, certifications, software proficiencies, or industry terminology.

3. Ranking Candidates

Based on how well your CV matches the specified criteria, the ATS assigns a relevance score. Recruiters usually review candidates in order of this score, which means a poorly optimised CV may never be seen -- regardless of how qualified you actually are.

4. Storing Your Application

Even if you are not selected for one role, your CV often remains in the employer's ATS database. Recruiters may search this pool later when new positions open, so an optimised CV can continue working for you long after you submit it.

Common ATS Myths vs Reality

There is a great deal of misinformation online about how to beat ATS screening. Let us separate fact from fiction.

Myth: ATS Software Automatically Rejects Candidates

Reality: An ATS does not make hiring decisions. It ranks and organises applications so that recruiters can review them more efficiently. A low score does not always mean automatic rejection -- some recruiters do scroll through the full list -- but it dramatically reduces your visibility.

Myth: You Need to Stuff Your CV with Keywords

Reality: Keyword stuffing (repeating terms excessively or hiding white text in your document) is counterproductive. Modern ATS platforms can detect these tactics, and even if they cannot, the recruiter who eventually reads your CV certainly will. The goal is natural, relevant keyword placement.

Myth: ATS Cannot Read PDFs

Reality: Most modern applicant tracking systems handle PDF files perfectly well, provided the PDF contains actual text rather than a scanned image. The real issue is not the file format itself but how the content within it is structured. We will cover file formats in more detail below.

Myth: A Fancy Design Will Help You Stand Out

Reality: Creative layouts, custom graphics, and elaborate formatting often confuse ATS parsers. What catches a human eye can be completely invisible -- or worse, garbled -- when processed by software.

Formatting Rules for an ATS-Friendly CV

Getting your formatting right is one of the most impactful things you can do to improve your ATS compatibility. Follow these guidelines:

Use Standard Section Headings

Applicant tracking systems are programmed to recognise conventional headings. Stick with widely understood labels:

• Work Experience (not "Where I've Made an Impact")
• Education (not "Academic Journey")
• Skills (not "My Toolbox")
• Professional Summary or Profile (not "About Me")
• Certifications (not "Credentials & Badges")

Creative headings may appeal to humans, but they confuse parsers that rely on standard terminology to categorise your information correctly.

Avoid Tables, Text Boxes, and Columns

Many ATS platforms struggle to read content placed inside tables, text boxes, or multi-column layouts. The parser may read across rows instead of down columns, jumbling your information entirely. Use a single-column layout with clear, linear formatting.

Skip Headers and Footers

Content placed in the header or footer area of a document is frequently ignored by ATS parsers. Never put your name, contact details, or any other important information in these regions. Place everything within the main body of your document.

Choose Standard Fonts

Use clean, widely available fonts such as Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Georgia, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. Unusual or decorative typefaces may not render correctly when the ATS processes your file.

Use Standard Bullet Points

Stick with simple round or square bullet points. Custom symbols, dashes used as bullets, or special characters may not parse correctly and can cause formatting errors in the ATS output.

Keep It Simple with Formatting

Bold and italic text are generally safe, but avoid underlining (which can be confused with hyperlinks), excessive use of capital letters, and any kind of embedded image or chart. Your CV's strength should come from its content, not its visual complexity.

Keyword Optimisation Strategies

Effective keyword optimisation is the core of any successful ATS resume strategy. Here is how to do it properly.

Mirror the Job Description

Read the job posting carefully and identify the specific terms it uses. If the listing asks for "project management," use that exact phrase rather than a synonym like "programme coordination." ATS matching is often literal, so precision matters.

Include Both Acronyms and Full Terms

Different systems handle abbreviations differently. To cover your bases, include both versions: "Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)" or "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)." This ensures you match regardless of how the recruiter configured the search.

Use Keywords in Context

Rather than listing keywords in isolation, weave them into your achievement statements. For example:

• Weak: "Skills: project management, stakeholder engagement, budgeting"
• Strong: "Led cross-functional project management for a 12-person team, overseeing stakeholder engagement and managing an annual budget of 2.4 million pounds"

The contextualised version satisfies the ATS while also demonstrating the depth of your experience to the human reader.

Prioritise Hard Skills

While soft skills like "communication" and "leadership" have their place, ATS systems tend to weight hard skills, technical competencies, and specific qualifications more heavily. Ensure your CV prominently features the technical requirements listed in the job description.

Tailor Your CV for Each Application

A generic CV will never perform as well as one customised for a specific role. Adjust your keywords, reorder your skills, and refine your professional summary to align with each job description. This does not mean rewriting from scratch -- it means making targeted adjustments to maximise relevance.

File Format Considerations: PDF vs DOCX

The file format debate is one of the most common questions in ATS optimisation. Here is the practical guidance.

DOCX (Microsoft Word)

DOCX is the safest universal choice. Virtually every ATS on the market can parse Word documents reliably. If a job posting does not specify a preferred format, DOCX is a dependable default.

PDF

PDF files are widely accepted by modern ATS platforms, and they have the advantage of preserving your formatting exactly as you intended. However, there are important caveats:

• The PDF must be text-based, not a scanned image. If you cannot select and copy text from your PDF, neither can an ATS.
• Some older ATS software still struggles with certain PDF structures, particularly those generated by design tools like Adobe InDesign or Canva.
• PDFs created directly from Word or a purpose-built CV tool are almost always parsed without issue.

What to Avoid

Never submit your CV as a JPEG, PNG, or other image format. These are completely unreadable to an ATS. Similarly, avoid unusual formats like Pages (Apple) or ODT (OpenDocument) unless specifically requested.

The Best Approach

Check the job posting first. If it specifies a format, follow that instruction. If no preference is stated, submit a DOCX file. If you want to submit a PDF, ensure it is text-based and was generated from a word processor or a dedicated CV builder.

Structuring Your CV for Maximum ATS Performance

Beyond formatting and keywords, the overall structure of your CV matters for ATS compatibility.

Start with Your Contact Information

Place your full name, phone number, email address, and location (city and country) at the very top of the document body -- not in a header. Include your LinkedIn profile URL if it is up to date.

Write a Targeted Professional Summary

A two-to-four sentence summary at the top of your CV gives you an opportunity to include high-value keywords naturally. Frame it around the specific role you are applying for.

List Experience in Reverse Chronological Order

Most ATS platforms and recruiters expect to see your most recent role first. For each position, include your job title, the company name, location, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to describe your achievements and responsibilities. If you need help structuring these sections effectively, our complete guide to writing a professional resume covers each one in detail.

Include a Dedicated Skills Section

A clearly labelled skills section gives the ATS an easy-to-parse list of your core competencies. This is where you can include additional keywords that did not fit naturally into your experience descriptions.

Detail Your Education and Certifications

List your qualifications with the institution name, qualification title, and dates. Include any relevant professional certifications, licences, or training programmes.

Testing Your CV Before You Apply

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is submitting their CV without testing its ATS compatibility first -- and it is far from the only common error. For a full breakdown of the pitfalls that quietly derail applications, read our article on resume mistakes that are costing you interviews. You would not send a website live without checking it works in different browsers -- apply the same logic to your CV.

CV Artisan includes a built-in ATS scoring feature that analyses your CV against the same criteria used by leading applicant tracking systems. It highlights missing keywords, flags formatting issues, and gives you a clear compatibility score so you can refine your document before you submit it. Taking a few minutes to run this check can be the difference between landing an interview and disappearing into a digital void.

Quick-Reference Checklist

Before submitting your next application, run through this checklist:

• File format: DOCX or text-based PDF
• Layout: Single column, no tables, no text boxes
• Headers/footers: Empty -- all content in the main body
• Section headings: Standard labels (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
• Fonts: Standard, widely available typefaces
• Keywords: Matched to the job description, used in context
• Acronyms: Both full terms and abbreviations included
• Contact details: In the document body, not the header
• Spelling and grammar: Thoroughly checked
• ATS score: Tested using a tool like CV Artisan's ATS checker

Final Thoughts

The goal is not to trick an applicant tracking system -- it is to communicate your qualifications as clearly and effectively as possible in a format that both software and humans can understand. An ATS resume is not a watered-down version of your CV; it is a well-structured, precisely targeted document that presents your experience in the most accessible way.

Every element of your CV -- from the section headings to the keywords to the file format -- plays a role in determining whether your application makes it to a recruiter's screen. By following the strategies outlined in this guide, you give yourself the best possible chance of getting past automated screening and into the interview room.

The job market is competitive, but the candidates who understand how these systems work hold a significant advantage. Take the time to optimise your CV properly, test it before you apply, and tailor it for each role. The effort pays dividends.