Common ATS Mistakes to Avoid

Using Tables for Layout

Tables are often used to create clean layouts, but most ATS systems cannot properly parse table data. When an ATS encounters a table, it may:

• Read across rows instead of down columns
• Jumble information from different cells together
• Skip table content entirely

Solution: Use standard formatting with clear section headings and simple bullet points instead of tables.

Headers and Footers

Many candidates place contact information in headers or footers to save space, but most ATS systems ignore these areas completely.

Solution: Place all essential information, especially contact details, in the main body of your resume.

Columns and Text Boxes

Multi-column layouts and text boxes can confuse ATS parsing algorithms, causing them to read across columns rather than down each column separately.

Solution: Use a single-column layout with clear section breaks for optimal ATS compatibility.

Fancy Bullets and Special Characters

Decorative bullets, arrows, and special characters may look appealing but can be misinterpreted or completely ignored by ATS systems.

Solution: Stick to standard bullet points (•) and avoid special characters or symbols.

Excessive Formatting

Heavy use of bold, italics, underlining, and different font sizes can interfere with ATS parsing.

Solution: Use formatting sparingly and consistently—bold for headings, regular text for content, and minimal italics only when necessary.

Missing or Non-Standard Section Headings

ATS systems look for standard section headings to categorize information correctly. Creative or non-standard headings can cause the ATS to misclassify or miss important information.

Solution: Use standard section headings like "Experience," "Education," "Skills," and "Contact Information" rather than creative alternatives like "Where I've Made an Impact" or "My Learning Journey."

Inconsistent Date Formats

Varying date formats across your resume can confuse ATS systems trying to calculate your experience duration.

Solution: Use a consistent date format throughout your resume (e.g., MM/YYYY or Month YYYY).

Lack of Location Information

Many ATS systems filter candidates by location, but can't do so if location data is missing or inconsistently formatted.

Solution: Include city and state for each job position and your current location in your contact information.

Abbreviations and Acronyms Without Context

Industry-specific abbreviations or company-specific acronyms may not be recognized by ATS systems if not properly defined.

Solution: Spell out acronyms at least once with the abbreviation in parentheses, e.g., "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)".

Overly Complex Job Titles

Creative or non-standard job titles can prevent ATS systems from properly categorizing your experience.

Solution: If your official title is unusual, include a standardized equivalent in parentheses, e.g., "Chief Happiness Officer (Human Resources Manager)".

Using a Generic Resume for All Applications

Submitting the same resume for every job application significantly reduces your match rate with position-specific ATS requirements.

Solution: Customize your resume for each position, adjusting keywords and highlighting relevant experience based on the specific job description.

Ignoring Application Form Fields

Many candidates focus solely on their resume and neglect to complete all fields in the online application form, which are often weighted heavily in ATS scoring.

Solution: Fill out every field in the application form completely, even if the information is already in your resume.

Incorrect File Naming

Generic file names like "resume.pdf" or names with special characters can cause issues in some ATS systems.

Solution: Use a professional, searchable file name format like "FirstName-LastName-Position-Resume.pdf".

Submitting Multiple Resumes for the Same Position

Submitting multiple versions of your resume for the same position can confuse the ATS and may flag your application as spam.

Solution: Submit only one carefully tailored resume per position.

Use an ATS Resume Checker

Specialized tools like ATSScan can analyze your resume against ATS criteria and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Perform the Copy/Paste Test

Copy all text from your resume and paste it into a plain text editor. If information is missing, out of order, or contains strange characters, an ATS will likely have similar problems.

Check for Keyword Match

Compare your resume against the job description to ensure you've included key terms and phrases that the ATS will be scanning for.

Review File Properties

Check that your file is properly named, is in an ATS-friendly format, and doesn't have security restrictions that would prevent an ATS from reading it.