10 Resume Mistakes That Make ATS Systems Reject Your Application
You're qualified for the job. Your resume looks great. So why aren't you getting interviews?
75% of resumes never get seen by a human
They get filtered out by ATS before anyone even glances at them.
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I talked to a recruiter friend last month who told me something that made my jaw drop: at her company, about 75% of resumes never get seen by a human. They get filtered out by the ATS before anyone even glances at them.
And here's the frustrating part — many of those rejected candidates were probably qualified. They just made formatting or keyword mistakes that confused the software.
Using Tables and Columns for Layout
I get it. Two-column resumes look modern and efficient. They're visually appealing. They also completely break most ATS systems.
When an ATS reads a table, it doesn't see "left column, right column." It reads everything in one continuous stream, often jumbling your sections into word soup.
Fix: Stick to a single-column layout. It might feel boring, but boring resumes get read.
Getting Creative with Section Headers
I've seen resumes with sections labeled "My Journey So Far" instead of "Work Experience," or "What I Bring to the Table" instead of "Skills."
Creative? Sure. ATS-friendly? Absolutely not. ATS systems look for standard section headers.
Fix: Use conventional headers: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications. Save creativity for your cover letter.
Submitting the Wrong File Format
Some older ATS systems struggle with PDFs, especially if they contain images or were saved from design software like Canva. Others specifically request .docx files.
Fix: Check the job posting for format requirements. When in doubt, submit a .docx. If PDF is required, ensure it's a native PDF from Word.
Including Graphics, Icons, or Images
That skill bar showing you're "85% proficient" in Excel? That LinkedIn icon? That professional headshot? The ATS sees exactly none of it.
Images and graphics are invisible to text parsers and can create weird formatting issues.
Fix: Remove all images. Write out "LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourname" instead of using an icon.
Using Headers and Footers for Important Info
Many people put their contact information in the document header. It looks clean and consistent across pages.
Problem: many ATS systems completely ignore headers and footers. Your name and phone number might as well not exist.
Fix: Put all important information in the main body of the document.
Forgetting to Include Keywords from the Job Posting
This is the big one. ATS systems are basically keyword matching machines. If the job posting asks for "project management" and you only mention "led projects," you might get filtered out.
Using Unusual Fonts
That artisanal font you downloaded? It might render as gibberish when the ATS tries to parse your resume.
Fix: Stick to universally safe fonts: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Georgia, or Helvetica.
Overcomplicating Your Contact Information
I once reviewed a resume where the person wrote their phone as "(five-five-five) 123-4567." Creative? Maybe. Parseable? No.
Fix: Use simple, standard formatting: (555) 123-4567, name@email.com
Having Typos in Key Terms
If the job requires "JavaScript" and you wrote "Java Script" (two words) or "JavaSript" (typo), the ATS won't match it.
Fix: Triple-check spelling of all technical terms. Copy directly from official sources when possible.
Not Having an ATS-Friendly Version at All
Some people have one beautifully designed resume they send everywhere. For online applications, you need a separate, ATS-optimized version.
Fix: Create two versions — the "pretty" version for networking, the "ATS" version for online applications.
How to Test Your Resume
Before you send out another application, do this:
- 1Copy all the text from your resume
- 2Paste it into a plain text document
- 3Read through it — does it still make sense? Is everything in the right order?
If your resume turns into chaos when stripped of formatting, that's exactly what the ATS is seeing.
Check Your Resume Right Now
Paste your resume and job description to get an instant ATS compatibility score. See exactly which keywords you're missing.
Check My Resume FreeWritten by
DocuTools Editorial Team
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