ATS Resume: How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume That Gets You Interviews

You’ve applied to dozens of jobs — maybe even hundreds — and never heard back. The problem may not be your skills. It may be that your resume never reached a human recruiter.

Most medium-to-large Australian employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter applications. ATS scans your resume for keywords, structure, and formatting. If it doesn’t recognise your document, it can reject you automatically.

I’ve worked with international students and skilled migrants who were frustrated: one client submitted over 80 resumes built on Canva templates — zero replies. Once we rebuilt her CV in an ATS-friendly style, she landed four interviews in two weeks.

The solution is simple: create an ATS resume — a document that passes the scan, gets in front of a recruiter, and still looks professional when they open it.

This guide covers everything you need:

What ATS is and how it works.
Why most resumes fail.
Step-by-step tips to build an ATS-friendly resume.
ATS resume examples before and after.
A complete checklist to make sure your resume is compliant, compatible, and optimised.

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software companies use to manage job applications. Recruiters don’t read every resume — they rely on ATS to filter and rank applicants.

Here’s how it works:

You upload your resume to a portal like SEEK or Indeed.
The ATS scans it, extracts text, and stores it in a database.
Recruiters type keywords (e.g., “Python,” “CPA certified”).
The system ranks resumes based on matches.
Only the top-scoring resumes make it to human review.

👉 Think of ATS like Google. If your resume doesn’t have the right “search terms,” you won’t show up.

Myth-busting ATS

❌ “ATS rejects 75% of resumes instantly.”
✅ Reality: It ranks resumes by keyword matches. Poorly formatted resumes just rank too low.
❌ “Creative resumes impress ATS.”
✅ Reality: ATS reads text only. Design-heavy resumes often break.
❌ “All employers use ATS.”
✅ Reality: Large/medium companies do. Some small businesses still review manually.

Why Most Resumes Fail ATS

Common mistakes that block ATS from reading your resume:

Fancy Canva/graphic designs.
Two-column layouts.
Icons and logos.
Tables and text boxes.
Missing job-specific keywords.
PDFs that don’t parse properly.

👉 Your resume may look beautiful to you, but ATS might read gibberish — or nothing at all.

Step 1: Use an ATS-Friendly Format

Formatting is the #1 reason resumes fail.

ATS struggles with:

Columns, tables, graphics, text boxes.
Decorative fonts (like cursive).
Symbols (✓, ★, •).

ATS resume format best practices:

Single-column layout.
Font: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
Font size: 10–12pt.
Black text on white background.
Standard headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills.

👉 ATS style resume = simple, text-based, easy to parse.

Client story: An engineering graduate used a Canva design with icons. ATS dropped 60% of his content. After switching to a plain Word format, he got shortlisted within a week.

Step 2: Include the Right Keywords

ATS ranks resumes based on keywords. No match = no interview.

How to find keywords:

Open the job ad.
Highlight skills, software, and certifications (e.g., “SQL, stakeholder management, CPA”).
Add them naturally to your summary, skills list, and achievements.

Example:
Job ad: “Experience with Asana or Trello.”
Resume: “Coordinated projects using Asana, completing 95% of tasks ahead of schedule.”

Hard skills vs soft skills

Hard skills (critical): Python, Financial Reporting, SEO, CAD.
Soft skills (secondary): Communication, Leadership, Collaboration.

Keyword mistakes to avoid:

Using abbreviations only → write “Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)” and “SEO.”
Ignoring variations → include “Marketing Manager” and “Marketing Lead” if both appear.
Keyword stuffing → unreadable resumes get rejected by recruiters.

👉 ATS optimised resume = keyword-rich, but natural.

Step 3: Save in the Correct File Type

Even perfect resumes fail if saved in the wrong format.

Best: Word (.docx) → safest across ATS systems.
PDF: Sometimes safe, sometimes not. Newer ATS parse PDFs, older ones don’t.
Avoid: .pages, .odt, scanned images.

👉 Always follow instructions in the job ad.

Pro tip: Name your file professionally — Firstname_Lastname_Resume.docx.

Step 4: Use Standard Headings

ATS recognises common section titles. If you get creative, it may miscategorise your content.

Good headings:

Work Experience
Education
Skills
Summary

Bad headings:

“My Story”
“Career Journey”
“Things I’m Great At”

👉 Stick to the basics. Recruiters appreciate clarity.

Step 5: Avoid Abbreviations Without Context

ATS may not recognise abbreviations by themselves.

Bad: “PMP certified.”
Good: “Project Management Professional (PMP) certified.”

Bad: “SEO specialist.”
Good: “Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) specialist.”

👉 Write the full term first, then the abbreviation.

Step 6: Optimise for Humans Too

Passing ATS is step one. You still need to impress recruiters.

Bad bullet (robotic):
“Python SQL data analysis Tableau Excel reporting.”

Strong bullet (ATS + human friendly):
“Performed data analysis using Python and SQL; built Tableau dashboards that improved reporting speed by 30%.”

👉 Balance is key: readable for humans, recognisable for ATS.

Step 7: Avoid Common ATS Mistakes

These mistakes can ruin even a strong resume:

Contact details hidden in headers/footers.
Uploading scanned PDFs.
Missing contact details entirely.
Decorative symbols (✓, ★).
Using “Resume_2024_final_final.docx.”

👉 Small errors, big consequences.

Step 8: Keep Updating for ATS Trends

ATS systems evolve. What worked in 2018 may fail in 2024.

Update checklist:

Refresh format yearly.
Add recent keywords (new software, updated titles).
Test your resume with free ATS checkers (Jobscan, Resumeworded).
Tailor for each job ad — never send a “one-size-fits-all.”

ATS Resume Examples (Before & After)

Before (fancy, ATS-unfriendly):

Two-column Canva template.
Graphics for skills.
Missing keywords.

After (ATS-friendly):

Single column.
Keywords: “Python, SQL, Data Analysis.”
Achievements: “Built dashboards in Tableau, cutting reporting time by 30%.”

Industry-specific examples

IT Resume:

❌ “Worked on systems.”
✅ “Managed cloud migration to AWS, reducing downtime by 20%.”

Marketing Resume:

❌ “Created campaigns.”
✅ “Designed SEO campaigns that increased organic traffic by 145%.”

Engineering Resume:

❌ “Worked on construction projects.”
✅ “Delivered $5M road upgrade 2 weeks early, saving 8% in costs.”

Audit Your Resume: 15-Point ATS Checklist

Is it single-column?
Did you use standard fonts?
Is it saved as .docx?
Are section headings standard?
Are job-specific keywords included?
Did you expand abbreviations?
Is contact info in body text?
Did you remove tables, icons, graphics?
Does it read well in plain text?
Did you proofread for typos?
Is it 2–3 pages (1 for grads)?
Did you tailor it to this role?
Is it updated with recent skills?
Is the filename professional?
Would a recruiter enjoy reading it?

👉 Score yourself. If you answered “no” to more than 3, revise before applying.

FAQs

Q1: What is an ATS resume?
A resume formatted so ATS can scan it accurately and recruiters can find it in searches.

Q2: What’s the best ATS resume format?
Simple Word (.docx), single column, standard headings.

Q3: Should I use Word or PDF?
Word is safest. Use PDF only if the ad allows.

Q4: Will an ATS-friendly resume look plain?
No — clean and professional is preferred by recruiters.

Q5: How many keywords should I use?
Include all essential ones from the ad, without stuffing.

Q6: How long should my resume be?
2–3 pages for professionals, 1 page for students/grads.

Q7: Do all companies use ATS?
Most medium-to-large employers do. Small businesses may review manually.

Q8: Should I include graphics like software logos?
No. Write the names in text so ATS can parse them.

Q9: Should I include a cover letter?
Yes. ATS may store it too, and recruiters value personalised letters.

Q10: How do I test my resume?
Paste it into a plain text editor. If everything shows correctly, it’s likely ATS-friendly.

Final Thoughts

If your resume isn’t ATS-friendly, it may never reach a recruiter. That doesn’t mean you’re unqualified — it just means your document wasn’t built for the system screening it.

By using the right format, keywords, headings, and file type, you can pass ATS filters and land interviews.

I’ve seen countless students and migrants go from silence to multiple job offers by creating an ATS-optimised resume.

👉 Your skills matter. Make sure your resume gives them a fair chance.

Ready to Create Your ATS Resume?

If you want to save time and ensure your resume gets noticed, download my free resource designed for international students and migrants in Australia.

🎁 Download the Skilled Job Starter Kit — it includes:

An ATS-friendly resume template
A proven cover letter guide
A LinkedIn checklist
Interview strategies to turn offers into jobs

👉 Get Your Free Skilled Job Starter Kit