Why “great” resumes still get rejected

Even strong candidates get filtered out because their resume is hard for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to read—or because key information is buried. The good news: most fixes are quick and don’t require rewriting everything.

7 high-impact ATS + recruiter-friendly upgrades

1) Use a clean, scannable structure

Recruiters skim fast. ATS parses even faster.

• Stick to one column layouts (especially for online applications)
• Use clear section headings: Summary, Experience, Skills, Education
• Avoid text boxes, headers/footers for key info, and heavy graphics

2) Put the right keywords in the right places

Keywords help you match job requirements and make your resume easier to understand.

• Mirror the job description’s terminology (e.g., “SQL” vs “Structured Query Language”)
• Place critical keywords in Experience bullets and a Skills section
• Don’t keyword-stuff—aim for natural repetition across roles and tools

3) Upgrade your bullet points from “tasks” to “impact”

A solid formula: Action + Scope + Result.

• Weak: “Responsible for weekly reporting.”
• Strong: “Built weekly KPI dashboard in Excel, reducing reporting time 30% for a 12-person sales team.”

4) Quantify like a pro (even if you don’t have perfect data)

Numbers create credibility.

• Use ranges or approximations: “~200 tickets/month,” “$50K–$75K budget”
• Include time saved, revenue influenced, cycle time reduced, accuracy improved

5) Make your Summary earn its space

Your Summary should answer: What do you do, what are you great at, and what roles are you targeting?

• Keep it to 2–4 lines
• Include your title + niche + 2–3 specialty areas (aligned to the job)

6) Keep formatting consistent (ATS + human readability)

Consistency signals professionalism.

• Use one font and predictable spacing
• Dates aligned and formatted the same way (e.g., “Jan 2022 – Mar 2024”)
• Bullet punctuation consistent (all with periods or none)

7) Tailor faster with a “core resume” system

Instead of rewriting every time:

• Maintain a master resume with all projects
• Create a targeted version per role by swapping in the most relevant bullets and keywords

Quick self-check (60 seconds)

Ask yourself:

• Can someone understand my last role in 10 seconds?
• Do my top 2–3 achievements match the job’s top requirements?
• Are the same critical skills shown in both Skills and Experience?

Which part of your resume do you find hardest to improve—keywords, bullet impact, or formatting—and why?