ATS Systems Explained: How to Beat Them

What an ATS actually does

An Applicant Tracking System typically does two jobs:

1. Parse: extract your resume into structured fields (name, roles, dates, skills).
2. Filter: rank or filter candidates based on role requirements.

The first step is where most formatting mistakes hurt you. If parsing fails — if the system can't extract dates, or confuses job titles with company names — the resume becomes noisy data. It might still get through, but it won't rank well.

The biggest ATS wins are boring (that's good)

You don't beat an ATS with tricks.

You beat it with clarity:

• Standard section labels ("Experience", "Education", "Skills").
• Consistent chronology.
• Text-first content (avoid putting key text inside images).
• Simple bullets.

Most resume builders enforce these rules automatically. When you use standard templates with clear section labels, you're already ahead. The key is choosing a builder that structures content for parsing, not just visual appeal. For more on design choices that help or hurt, see how design impacts hiring decisions.

Keywords: use them like a professional, not a spammer

Keyword stuffing looks untrustworthy and often reads poorly.

Instead:

• Mirror the job description where accurate.
• Use the exact tool names ("React", "Next.js", "AWS") rather than vague categories.
• Put the most relevant keywords in recent roles.

The goal is semantic match and human trust.

Multi-column layouts: safe, but be careful

Some ATS parsers struggle with complex columns. Not all of them — many modern systems handle columns fine. But if you're applying to companies that use older ATS systems, or if you're not sure, simpler is safer.

If you use columns:

• Keep content linear (don't split a role across columns).
• Keep the right column for secondary info (skills, languages).
• Avoid decorative boxes that reorder reading flow.

A practical ATS checklist

Run this before exporting:

• Are section names standard?
• Are dates present and consistent?
• Are job titles clear?
• Is contact info plain text?
• Is the document readable when copied into a plain text editor?

If yes, you're already ahead.

A good resume builder handles most of this automatically. When you use standard templates, section labels are consistent, dates align properly, and the structure is parseable by default. The live preview helps you spot issues before export — copy your resume text into a plain editor and see if it still makes sense. For a deeper dive into what recruiters actually look for, check out why recruiters spend only 6-8 seconds on resumes.