How to write a resume that gets through ATS and AI screening

Format so the software can read it

• One column. Tables, text boxes, headers and footers can scramble or drop content when a system extracts the text.
• Standard headings: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills. Creative labels can leave a section unread.
• Standard fonts and normal bullets. Skip icons, rating bars and graphics for skills.
• A .docx or a PDF exported from a word processor. A scanned image of a page has no text for the system to read.
• Put each job in the same order: title, employer, dates, then results.

Match the posting without stuffing it

• Use the posting’s own terms for tools, certifications and titles where they are true for you. If it says “financial planning and analysis”, do not only write “FP&A”.
• Spell out an acronym once, then use it.
• Do not paste hidden keyword text. Recruiters see it and it can get a resume rejected.
• Lead each bullet with the result, then how: “Cut month-end close from 9 days to 5 by automating reconciliations.”

What AI screening can and cannot do

Many systems store, search and rank resumes, and some use AI to summarize or score them. Rules about their use are changing, and some places require notice or audits. In most hiring a recruiter or manager still makes the decision, so a resume that parses cleanly and reads clearly in thirty seconds serves you with either reader.

Frequently asked questions