5 Signs Your Resume is NOT ATS-Friendly (And How to Fix It)

Are You Invisible to Employers?

You're qualified, experienced, and perfect for the job. But you're invalid if the ATS can't read your resume. Here are 5 tell-tale signs your resume is getting stuck in the machine.

Sign #1: You Used a Creative Photoshop Template

The Problem: Resumes designed as images or with complex graphical layers are often unreadable text to a parser.
The Fix: Stick to text-based formats (Word or text-based PDF). If you can't highlight the text with your mouse cursor, the ATS can't read it.

Sign #2: Important Info is in Headers/Footers

The Problem: Many older ATS parsers ignore information in the header and footer sections of a document.
The Fix: Ensure your name, contact info, and critical details are in the main body of the document.

Sign #3: You Have Graphics, Charts, or Rating Bars

The Problem: A bar chart showing "90% skill in Java" means nothing to an AI parser. It might read it as "Java" or nothing at all.
The Fix: Use text. Write "Advanced proficiency in Java" or "Java (Expert)".

Sign #4: Unusual Section Headings

The Problem: Using "My Journey" instead of "Experience" or "Accolades" instead of "Awards" confuses the system's categorization.
The Fix: Use standard, boring headings. Save the creativity for the content, not the labels.

Sign #5: Complicated Column Layouts

The Problem: Some parsers read straight across the page, jumbling two columns of text into one nonsensical paragraph.
The Fix: Stick to a single-column layout or a very simple two-column format that strictly separates content without text boxes.

Conclusion

Formatting is functional. An ugly resume that gets read is infinitely better than a beautiful on that gets discarded. Audit your resume against these signs today.