ATS Resume Format: The Complete Guide for 2026

What is ATS-Friendly Formatting?

ATS-friendly formatting ensures your resume can be accurately parsed by Applicant Tracking Systems. These systems extract text from your document and organize it into structured data fields. Poor formatting causes parsing errors that misrepresent your qualifications or cause rejection.

Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS to filter applications. Even if your qualifications are perfect, formatting issues can prevent your resume from reaching human reviewers. This guide covers every formatting element that affects ATS compatibility.

Document Layout

Single-Column Format

Use a straightforward single-column layout. Multi-column designs cause parsing errors because ATS may read across columns instead of down.

Do:

• Stack all sections vertically
• Use full-width content blocks
• Align text to the left

Don’t:

• Use two or three columns
• Create sidebar sections
• Use text boxes for layout

Margins and Spacing

Standard margins ensure readability:

• Margins: 0.5 to 1 inch on all sides
• Line spacing: 1.0 to 1.15 for body text
• Section spacing: Add a blank line between sections
• Paragraph spacing: 6-12pt after paragraphs

Avoid cramming content with narrow margins or excessive white space with wide margins.

Page Length

• Entry-level: 1 page
• Mid-career (5-15 years): 1-2 pages
• Senior/Executive (15+ years): 2 pages maximum for most roles

ATS can handle multiple pages, but concise resumes perform better with human reviewers.

Typography

Font Selection

Use standard, widely-available fonts:

Recommended Sans-Serif:

• Arial
• Calibri
• Helvetica
• Verdana

Recommended Serif:

• Times New Roman
• Georgia
• Garamond
• Cambria

Avoid:

• Decorative or script fonts
• Custom or downloaded fonts
• Fonts that require special rendering

Font Sizes

• Name: 14-16pt
• Section headings: 12-14pt
• Body text: 10-12pt
• Contact information: 10-11pt

Never go below 10pt—both ATS and human readers struggle with smaller text.

Text Formatting

Safe to use:

• Bold for headings and emphasis
• Italics for company names or titles (sparingly)
• ALL CAPS for section headings (optional)

Avoid:

• Underlining (can interfere with parsing)
• Text shadows or effects
• Colored text (except possibly dark blue for links)
• Highlighting

Section Structure

Required Sections

ATS looks for standard section names. Use these exact headings:

1. Contact Information (at top, not in header)
2. Professional Summary or Summary
3. Work Experience or Experience
4. Education
5. Skills

Optional Sections

Include if relevant:

• Certifications
• Projects
• Publications
• Awards
• Volunteer Experience
• Languages

Section Order

Standard chronological order:

1. Contact Information
2. Summary (optional)
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional Sections

For recent graduates, Education may come before Experience.

Section Heading Format

Use clear, standard headings the ATS can recognize:

Good:

• Work Experience
• Professional Experience
• Employment History
• Education
• Skills

Problematic:

• Where I’ve Worked
• My Journey
• Career Highlights
• What I Know
• Academic Background

Contact Information

Required Elements

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Location (City, State/Country)
• LinkedIn URL (optional but recommended)

Format Guidelines

Place contact information at the top of page one, in the main document body—not in a header.

John Smith
San Francisco, CA | (555) 123-4567 | john.smith@email.com
linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

What to Avoid

• Full street address (privacy concern, not needed)
• Photo (causes ATS issues, potential bias)
• Personal details (age, marital status)
• Multiple phone numbers
• Unprofessional email addresses

Work Experience Format

Standard Entry Structure

Job Title
Company Name | City, State | Month Year – Month Year

• Achievement-focused bullet point with metrics
• Another accomplishment demonstrating impact
• Relevant responsibility or project outcome

Bullet Points

• Start each bullet with an action verb
• Include quantifiable results when possible
• Keep bullets to 1-2 lines each
• Use 3-6 bullets per position
• Most recent positions get more detail

Date Formatting

Use consistent date formats throughout:

Acceptable formats:

• January 2023 – Present
• Jan 2023 – Present
• 01/2023 – Present
• 2023 – Present (for older positions)

Avoid:

• Mixing formats within the resume
• Ambiguous formats like 2023/01
• Missing end dates for past positions

Education Section

Standard Entry Structure

Degree Name
University Name | City, State | Graduation Year

Relevant Coursework: Course 1, Course 2 (optional for recent grads)
GPA: 3.8/4.0 (optional, if above 3.5)

What to Include

• Degree type and major
• Institution name
• Graduation year (or expected graduation)
• Honors or relevant coursework (if recent graduate)

What to Exclude

• High school (unless no college education)
• GPA below 3.5 (optional to include)
• Graduation year if 10+ years ago (prevents age discrimination)

Skills Section

Format Options

Simple list (ATS-friendly):

Skills: Python, JavaScript, SQL, AWS, Project Management, Data Analysis

Categorized list (also ATS-friendly):

Technical Skills: Python, JavaScript, SQL, AWS, Docker
Soft Skills: Project Management, Team Leadership, Communication

Keywords and Phrases

Include skills exactly as written in job descriptions. ATS matches keywords literally:

• If the posting says “Microsoft Excel,” write “Microsoft Excel” not just “Excel”
• Include both acronyms and spelled-out versions: “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)“

What to Avoid

• Rating scales (bars, stars, percentages)
• Skill matrices or charts
• Subjective assessments (“Expert in Excel”)
• Outdated skills that date your resume

File Format

Recommended Formats

DOCX (Microsoft Word):

• Highest compatibility with all ATS
• Easy to edit
• Best for older ATS systems

PDF:

• Preserves formatting exactly
• Works with most modern ATS
• Use text-based PDF only (not scanned images)

How to Save as PDF (Text-Based)

• Save directly from Word/Google Docs as PDF
• Don’t print to PDF from a design program
• Don’t scan a printed document
• Test: Can you select and copy text from the PDF?

Formats to Avoid

• .pages (Apple Pages)
• .odt (OpenDocument)
• .rtf (Rich Text Format)
• Image files (.jpg, .png)
• Scanned PDFs

Common Formatting Mistakes

1. Graphics and Images

ATS cannot read images. This includes:

• Headshots or photos
• Logos (even your own company’s)
• Icons for contact information
• Decorative graphics or borders
• Charts or infographics

2. Tables

Tables often cause parsing errors. ATS may:

• Read content in wrong order
• Miss content in cells
• Combine unrelated information

If you must use tables, keep them simple and test the result.

3. Text Boxes

Content in text boxes may be:

• Skipped entirely
• Placed at wrong location
• Separated from related content

4. Headers and Footers

Most ATS cannot read document headers and footers. Never place:

• Contact information
• Page numbers (ATS doesn’t need them)
• Your name on each page

5. Creative Templates

Templates from Canva, Adobe, or design marketplaces often include:

• Multi-column layouts
• Text boxes
• Graphics and icons
• Non-standard fonts

These look impressive but fail ATS parsing.

Testing Your Format

The Plain Text Test

1. Copy your entire resume
2. Paste into a plain text editor (Notepad, TextEdit)
3. Review the result

If the text appears in correct order with all information intact, your format is likely ATS-compatible.

ATS Checker Tools

Use an ATS checker to analyze:

• Section recognition
• Keyword extraction
• Formatting issues
• Overall compatibility score

Manual Review Checklist

Before submitting, verify:

• Single-column layout
• Standard font (10-12pt)
• Clear section headings
• No graphics or images
• No tables or text boxes
• Contact info in main body (not header)
• Consistent date formatting
• Saved as .docx or text-based .pdf

ATS Format vs. Human Appeal

ATS-friendly formatting doesn’t mean boring. You can still create a professional, visually appealing resume:

• Use bold for section headings and job titles
• Add subtle horizontal lines between sections
• Apply consistent spacing for visual hierarchy
• Choose a professional font that’s pleasant to read

The goal is a resume that both ATS can parse accurately and humans find easy to read. Test your resume with our free ATS checker to verify compatibility before applying.