ATS resume
ATS-friendly resume for software engineers: format, keywords and mistakes
Most tech companies run applications through an applicant tracking system, or ATS. It reads your resume into a profile that recruiters search and sort. If it reads your resume wrong, a strong candidate can look like a weak one. Here is how to make sure it reads yours right.
The basics
What an ATS does with your resume.
- It pulls out the text
The system copies the words from your file. Text inside images, icons or odd layouts can get lost or jumbled.
- It fills in a profile
It looks for sections like Experience and Education, then grabs job titles, companies and dates.
- Recruiters search it
Recruiters filter and search by skills, titles and keywords. Your resume shows up if it has the words they search for.
Format
Format rules that work.
- Use one column. Two-column layouts often get read in the wrong order.
- Use plain section names: Summary, Experience, Projects, Skills, Education.
- Use a common font like Helvetica, Arial or Calibri, at 10 to 12 points.
- Send a text PDF made from a document, not a scan or a photo.
- Keep contact details in the body, not in the page header or footer.
- Skip tables, text boxes, icons, photos and skill bars.
- Write dates the same way every time, like “Jan 2023 – Mar 2025”.
Keywords
Keywords for software engineer resumes.
Recruiters search for the tools and skills in the job post. Put the real ones you have where they can be found.
- Name languages and frameworks exactly: TypeScript, Go, React, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes.
- Use the job title they posted if it is true for you, like “Backend Engineer” instead of “Developer II”.
- Put keywords inside results, not only in a list: “Cut API latency 40% by moving search to PostgreSQL.”
- Keep a short Skills section, ordered by what the job asks for.
- Never hide keywords in white text. Recruiters see it, and it reads as a trick.
With Orin
ATS-friendly by default.
Every resume Orin sends is a one-column text PDF with standard headings and a plain font. For each job, it moves your most relevant bullets and skills to the top, using only what is in your resume. You check it before it is sent.
Questions.
What is an ATS-friendly resume?
It is a resume that applicant tracking software can read correctly: one column, plain headings, a common font, a text-based file and no images or tables holding important details.
Is a PDF or Word file better for an ATS?
Modern systems read both. A text-based PDF keeps your layout the same on every screen. Use Word only if the job post asks for it.
Do ATS systems reject resumes automatically?
Some forms have knockout questions, like work authorization. Beyond that, the system mostly ranks and filters, and a recruiter decides. A resume that reads badly or lacks the right keywords is much harder to find.
How do I check if my resume is ATS-friendly?
Copy all the text from your PDF and paste it into a plain text file. If the order is wrong, or words are missing or jumbled, the ATS will likely have the same problem.
Should I use a resume template?
A simple one-column template is fine. Avoid designs with columns, sidebars, icons or skill bars, even if they look good.
How much does it cost?
Applications come with a plan. Plans start at $39 a month, or $19 a month billed yearly. Each month you get 50 on Starter, 500 on Pro, 1,000 on Max, each with a tailored resume and cover letter. Your first mock interview is free.
More for your job search.
Resumes that get read right.
Every application goes out as a clean, ATS-friendly resume, tailored to that job and checked by you.
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