Hiring teams often spend 6–10 seconds on an initial resume pass—and before a human even sees it, an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) may decide whether you’re a match. The good news: a few targeted tweaks can dramatically improve your chances.

1) Start with a clean, ATS-friendly format

ATS tools can struggle with fancy layouts. Keep it simple so your content is “machine readable.”

• Use a single-column layout whenever possible
• Avoid text boxes, tables, headers/footers, and heavy graphics
• Stick to standard fonts (Calibri, Arial, Helvetica) at 10.5–12 pt
• Use consistent headings: Summary, Experience, Skills, Education

Pro tip: Save as a PDF only if the application says PDFs are accepted and you’re confident it’s ATS-readable. When in doubt, submit a .docx.

2) Make keywords work for you (without keyword stuffing)

Recruiters search for skills, tools, certifications, and titles. Your job is to mirror the language of the posting—accurately.

• Pull 10–15 key terms from the job description (tools, skills, responsibilities)
• Add them where they naturally belong:
  • Skills section (hard skills/tools)
  • Experience bullets (proof you used them)
  • Summary (top 2–4 strengths)

Quick test: If the job asks for “stakeholder management,” but you only say “worked with partners,” consider updating the phrase—assuming it reflects your real experience.

3) Upgrade bullet points from tasks to outcomes

Most resumes list responsibilities. Strong resumes show impact.

Try this structure: Action + Scope + Result + Proof

• Weak: “Responsible for weekly reports.”
• Strong: “Automated weekly KPI reporting in Excel/Power BI, cutting prep time 60% and improving leadership visibility into pipeline trends.”

Aim for 2–5 bullets per role focused on the work most relevant to the next job.

4) Build a “scanner-friendly” top third

The top third should immediately answer: Who are you and what do you bring?

Include:

• A 2–3 line Summary (role + niche + strengths)
• A tight Skills section (10–15 skills max, tailored)
• Optional: Certifications if they’re job-relevant

5) Common ATS and recruiter red flags

Before you hit submit, check for:

• Missing dates or unclear job titles
• Unexplained gaps (consider adding month/year and brief context if needed)
• Overuse of acronyms (spell out once: “Customer Relationship Management (CRM)”)
• Generic summaries like “hardworking team player” (replace with specifics)

Community check-in

If you had to improve one part of your resume today—formatting, keywords, or bullet point impact—which would it be, and what role are you targeting?