resume template word ats

How to Write an ATS Resume [16+ Templates Included]

Rejection is part of the job search . 

Not everyone gets an interview or job offer. 

Do you know what else is part of the job search, though?

Getting your resume discarded before the recruiter even gets a chance to see it.

To reach the recruiter, in most cases your resume should first pass an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

And here’s the thing - over 70% of job applications fail to pass ! 

Worry not, though. We’ve got your back!

Getting past applicant tracking systems is not hard. In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to do it:

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

• How to Create an ATS Resume?
• How to Run an ATS Check on Your Resume?
• 16+ ATS Resume Templates for 2024.

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software employers use to manage the entire application process. 

This system collects, scans and ranks all of the applications.  

At first, ATS was created for bigger companies.

And you can see that in the numbers: 75% of large companies use an ATS because they receive thousands of applications every day.

But today, companies of all sizes (including over 98% of Fortune Companies ) use an ATS.

Why do so many firms use ATS? 

95% of professionals say that ATS has improved their company for two main reasons:

• Using ATS is very productive for companies: The system narrows down the flood of applications, saving them time and resources . Instead of going through stacks of paper, the online system keeps things organized.
• The system is also non-discriminatory , which means it does not look at factors such as age, gender, or race. At the end of the day, machines can’t be biased!

First, the system creates a job posting for the company. 

It then publishes this posting to company websites, job boards, hiring platforms, or email.

Once an application for the job comes in, the system scans it.

The ATS divides the resume into the different resume sections : Work Experience , Education , Skills, Languages, Certifications, etc.

It then searches for specific keywords and qualifications to see whether you match the job description or not. 

Let’s illustrate this with an example:

You are applying for a tax manager position. 

Your resume summary writes: 

“Highly-driven tax manager with 5+ years of financial experience in managing tax returns and affairs. Proven experience of success, employer satisfaction, and strong communication skills.” 

• “Tax manager”
• “5+ years of experience” 
• “Tax returns and affairs”
• “Employer satisfaction”
• “Strong communication skills” 

Then, matches it to their list of requirements: 

• CHECK: tax manager
• CHECK: 5+ years of experience
• CHECK: employer satisfaction
• CHECK: communication skills
• NOT CHECK: Analytical skills
• NOT CHECK: Microsoft Office 

If your resume doesn’t match the basic list of requirements, it’s automatically discarded.

If it does, then it’s ranked by relevance (i.e. the best resume goes on top of the recruiter’s pipeline).

How to Create an ATS Resume (Step-By-Step)

Now that you know how ATS works, we’re going to teach you how to beat it.

Here’s how to create an ATS-friendly resume, step by step:

Are you new to the workforce? You might want to check out our guide on how to make a resume , before learning how to optimize it for ATS!

Step 1: Pick the right resume format. 

The easiest format for an ATS to read is reverse-chronological. This format emphasizes your work experience by putting it on top of the page. 

Then, it sorts your experience from most to least relevant. 

This format is also the most popular among recruiters. In 99.9% of the cases, reverse-chronological is the best layout to go for. 

Step 2: Choose the appropriate file type. 

A PDF file is universal and can be read by (most) ATS, so that should be your go-to.

PDF files are also great for maintaining the design and format of your resume.

Some applicant tracking systems (the old models), however, are unable to read PDF. Before applying for the position, check what job ad says. 

If it explicitly states that you should apply with a Word document, then that might mean that their ATS CAN’T read PDFs, and you should just submit a .doc file.

Step 3: Use an ATS Resume Template

Many applicants get rejected for using resume templates that ATS can’t read. 

Fancy templates you might have spent money on usually get scrambled in the system. 

It’s crucial to pick a tried-and-tested ATS friendly template. 

Novorésumé resume templates are perfect for writing an ATS-friendly resume. 

Our templates are developed hand-in-hand with recruiters and employers to help you create an amazing resume. 

Step 4: Use a simple layout*

*Did you decide to go with a Novorésumé template? You can skip this step, as the templates come with the right formatting. Otherwise, read on!

Choose a common, simple font . Use bigger font sizes for headers and smaller ones for content. 

To highlight your achievements , stick to bulleted lists . 

Remember to choose a simple bulleted point. 

A solid circle or square is your best shot, as any complicated character might be incompatible with an ATS . 

Here’s what a correct entry looks like:

• Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish 
• Limited working proficiency in French 

For more tips and tricks on resume layout , check out our guide.

Step 5: Label your sections right. 

This part seems intuitive but we had to mention it anyway. 

Make sure to list your work experience under “Work Experience”, “Skills” under skills, etc. 

That’s the only way for the ATS to recognize what it is reading. 

Step 6: Tailor your resume with resume keywords. 

Keywords are words or short phrases related to the specific requirements for a job. 

The system scans for these words to find the best candidate. 

Now, we’re going to show you how to tailor your resume with keywords, and pass the screening: 

To find the right keywords, go through the job ad you’re applying for.

There are two types of keywords you should look out for: (1) job-related skills and (2) action verbs.   

Job-related skills are your primary characteristics and qualifications for the job.

e.g.: data analysis, research, problem-solving, etc.

Action verbs show what you have accomplished and succeeded in your job position.

e.g.: created, maximized, solved, etc. 

After you’ve scanned the job posting, make a list of these keywords, and mention them in your resume. 

Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t just randomly throw the keywords around. 

Your resume WILL be read by a human after it passes the ATS!

• Don’t use acronyms. Some ATS systems can’t recognize short forms. We recommend to both spell a word out and add the acronym. 

e.g.: Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) 

Now, let’s look at a practical example. 

We are searching for a focused expert on social media to draw and connect with targeted members of online communities and networks.

Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute social media strategy through competitive analysis, network commitment, benchmarking, communication and audience recognition . 
• Generate, edit, publish and distribute regular content (original text, images, video or HTML) which creates meaningful connections and encourages community members to take action.
• Develop constantly by collecting and analyzing appropriate social data/metrics , ideas, and best practices and then acting on it 
• Work with other departments (customer relations, marketing, etc.) to maintain credibility , identify key players and coordinate activities.

Requirements: 

• Good consulting, reporting, editing (photo/video/text), presentation and communication skills
• 3+ years of social networking expertise and social research software knowledge  
• Adequate knowledge of web design, web development, CRO and SEO .
• Knowledge of online marketing and a good understanding of major social media platforms.
• Positive attitude, information and customer focus with good multitasking and organizational capacity
• Previous experience in Business Communications , Advertising , and Public Relations preferred but not required.
• Undergraduate studies in the fields of communications, marketing, business, new media or public relations .

We have highlighted the most important keywords of this job ad. 

Notice how you can group words for each section of the resume. 

For example, keywords like develop, analyzing, or strategy can be used to in the Work Experience section. 

Under the Skills section, you would list the skills the job AD is looking for, like CRO, SEO, Data analysis, multitasking.

While other keywords like software knowledge, studies in Communications, Marketing, fall under the Education section.

Want to learn which keywords are a must-have in your field? Check out our complete guide to resume keywords .

A final word of caution: Avoid images and graphs. 

ATS Resume Example 

Now, let’s put together everything we’ve learned so far in a practical example. 

Here’s what a winning ATS resume example looks like: 

How to Run an ATS Check on Your Resume 

Done writing your ATS resume?

Now, how do you make sure that you got it right?

There is a very easy way to make sure that your resume is compatible with an ATS. 

First, copy your resume information and paste it into a plain-text document. 

Then, paste it into jobscan :

Then, paste the job description you’re applying for, and hit “Scan!”

The software will tell you EXACTLY what your resume is missing.

16+ ATS Resume Templates for 2024

Want to skip all the hassle of formatting your resume for ATS? Just use a Novorésumé template!

Head over to our resume templates page, pick the one that works for you, and get started!

Key Takeaways

In this article, we learned that:

• Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage the application process. This is a system that collects, scans and ranks your resume. 
• ATS makes work easier for recruiters, but harder for employees. 75%+ job-seekers fail to pass the system. 
• To create an ATS-friendly resume, there is a certain format you should follow. Keep everything simple: font, design, and layout. Use bulleted lists. 
• Keywords are key. ATS scans the document for keywords, so you should tailor your resume with resume keywords. Do that by finding relevant keywords on the job posting. Group these words into sections. 

Suggested readings:

• How to Pick the Best Resume Format?
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume [With Tips + Tricks]
• How Long Should a Resume Be [For Any Profession]

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Resume Worded

How to write an ats resume, in 2024, companies are trying to automate everything, including hiring. they use ats, or applicant tracking systems, to screen out resumes that don't appear to be a fit. this means you need to write an ats resume - one that beats these resume screeners. in this guide, we'll show you how to do that, plus give you free ats templates you can use to get started. here are quick links so you can jump to the section of this guide that's most relevant to you: the basics: what is an ats how do you write an ats resume downloadable ats resume templates free ats resume test using the right keywords on your ats resume how to use free resume keyword scanners, the basics: what is an ats.

ATS, or Applicant Tracking Systems, are software that help hiring managers scan resumes for specific keywords and filter out any that don’t meet their criteria. But even the ATS isn’t perfect — in fact, most hiring managers admit that some qualified candidates are probably being filtered out. Here's a simple diagram of how it works - the Applicant Tracking System is in the middle of the diagram.

How Do You Write An ATS Resume?

Now that you know what an ATS is and how it works, let's talk about what you need to do to write an ATS-friendly resume that actually gets past these screeners. It might seem complicated, but beating the ATS is only about two things: readability and relevancy. What does that mean in practice? Let’s break it down, step by step.

First things first: Make sure your resume is readable

An ATS scans your resume's past experience and skills to determine whether you're a good fit. If it can’t read your resume, it will assume you don’t have what the company is looking for and will automatically discard your application. Obviously, we don’t want that to happen, so here’s how to make your resume ATS friendly.

• Ensure a resume scanner can read your resume Upload your resume for free to Score My Resume and ensure your sections and bullet points are correctly identified.

• Avoid using creative fonts or icons Avoid using icons, images, or creative fonts — if the ATS can’t identify the section, it won’t know what it’s reading. When it comes to resume visuals, it’s time to go back to basics. Stick with standard sans serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Garamond. Some newer fonts convert letters to special characters which often get scanned incorrectly by the ATS.

Examples of Readable ATS Resume Templates

Before we move on to other optimizations you can make to write an effective resume that's ATS-friendly, let's share a few ATS resume templates you can use. Notice how they all follow the key readability rules we described above - simple fonts, standard templates, no images, and common section titles.

ATS Resume: Marketing Project Manager

An effective Description of the templates...

ATS Resume: Product Manager

ATS Resume: Senior Social Media Manager

ATS Resume: Sales Operations Manager

ATS Resume: Junior Data Scientist

ATS Resume: Software Engineering Lead

ATS Resume: Software Engineer/Developer

ATS Resume: Software Developer

ATS Resume: Modern Two-Column

ATS Resume: Clean Modern

ATS Resume: Modern (Free)

ATS Resume #1: Professional template

ATS Resume #2: AAAA

Description of the templates...

Check If Your Resume is ATS-Friendly

Once you get your resume template in order, make sure it's readable by a resume screener. The easiest way to do that is by uploading it to a resume scanner , which will tell you what sections and bullet points are detected. You can drop your resume in the box below and our tools will give you an instant assessment on your readability, style, and other key criteria hiring managers look for.

Using the Right Keywords On Your ATS Resume

Now that you know an ATS can actually read your resume, it’s time to make sure it actually finds the right skills on it! Tailoring your resume to target the skills and experience the employer is looking for will give it a high enough 'relevancy score' to get it past the ATS and into the hands of a recruiter.

Use the right keywords

The best way to beat Applicant Tracking Systems is to use the right keywords. How do you know which keywords are the right ones? Look at the job ad! Employers will generally include a list of "must haves" — the skills and experience they're specifically looking for.

These are the important keywords you'll want to include. And remember to save the job description when you apply — the employer may take the opening down by the time you get to the interview stage, and you’ll want to have it handy as a reference.

The best place to put most of those keywords is in your skills section. This can be easily customized for each job you apply for and will only take a couple of minutes. The results are well worth the effort!

You can also include keywords in your projects section, if you have one. Including hard skills along with quantifiable metrics is a good way to optimize your resume for a real person at the same time.

Use a free resume keyword scanner to find the right keywords

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Home » Free Resources » Resume Templates » Word Resumes » Resume Template for Word

ATS Resume Template for Word – Jennifer

• Description

Our ATS resume template for Word has been crafted by experts in the field of recruitment and HR, ensuring that it meets all the requirements of modern ATS systems. Your resume will be parsed correctly, with no important information left out. The template is easy to use, with clear instructions and placeholders for all the important sections of a resume.

One of the critical features of our ATS resume template is its focus on keywords. We know that ATS systems are programmed to look for specific keywords and phrases, so we’ve made space for them to ensure that these are included in the template. This will increase the chances of your resume being selected for further review by a human recruiter.

In addition to its functional benefits, our ATS resume template is also visually appealing. It has a clean and modern design, with plenty of white space to make your content stand out. We’ve included options for customizing the color scheme and fonts so that you can tailor the template to your personal style.

Our new ATS resume template for Word is a game-changer for job seekers. It takes the stress out of applying for jobs online and ensures that the right people see your resume.

Download Free ATS-Friendly Resume Template

Besides great written content, you also want your resume to look modern. You want it to be easy to read and for the recruiter to quickly find all the necessary information. This is why you should use a modern formatted resume template. This resume template has proper margins and uses an easy-to-read font size (system font). The headings have been capitalized for them to stand out better. When filling in your resume, boldfacing growth percentages, dollar figures, and other key accomplishments is also a good strategy. With the help of our downloadable templates, you can create a resume for the job you are looking to land. The template is organized, and for you to stand out it includes a touch of color. This template is excellent for most industries. Your resume is a critical component of the job search process that helps the applicant grab an employer’s attention, increasing their probability of selection. With this template, you can create a job-winning resume for yourself.

When using a modern ATS resume format, you can entirely focus on the resume content. You should use keywords in your resume, customize your resume for each position, list accomplishments, and provide your resume with a matching cover letter .

How to edit?

Replace the current filler text with the resume content you have crafted for yourself. Each section includes guiding text, which makes it easier for you to write your resume. The template is in English, but you can easily translate the headings and content since everything is editable.

You can edit this template with Microsoft Word or upload the .docx file to Drive and edit it with Google Docs.

What Does The Free Download Include?

• 1-page free resume template download for Word
• Modern 1-column ATS resume
• Fully editable
• Instant download

Pages version has been tested with iCloud/iDrive. The Word version is for desktop Microsoft Word.

Download for Word » Download for Pages »

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Ask a new question

ATS Resume templates in Word

As an applicant I am looking for Word resume templates formatted for ATS systems.

I am not trying to implement one.

Just trying to create an updated Resume that will actually make it through and ATS system

and be viewed be an HR recruiter so I can become employed.

I have researched ATS systems through Google which direct me to paid websites, like

perfect resume and live career.

Since this appears to be a requirement of modern employers, does Office 365 Home

have templates these types of Resumes, if so where are these templates located?

Carla Hastings

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• Volunteer Moderator

The "templates" at http://www.hloom.com/ats-resume-samples/ look good and are free to download. The site also has a good description of what to do and not do.

I quoted "templates" because, strictly speaking, they're documents in *.doc format rather than what Word calls templates (*.dot format). You just have to replace the "lorem ipsum" text with your own information.

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