Its not enough to just impress a recruiter when you send in your CV these days. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a piece of software that organizations use to sort, rank, and shortlist resumes. Your application often goes through one of these systems before a person ever sees it.
If youve applied for a lot of jobs but dont hear back very often, its likely that the ATS is rejecting your CV. The good news is if you know whats wrong, most ATS problems are easy to fix.
Here are 13 clear signs that your CV is not ATS-friendly, coupled with easy, useful modifications that will help your application get to the recruiters desk.
What is an ATS and why is it important?
An Applicant Tracking System looks for keywords, formatting, structure, and relevancy in resumes. Many Indian organizations, especially in IT, BFSI, startups, MNCs, and government-linked PSUs, employ ATS software to handle a lot of applications.
If the resume isnt ATS-compatible, even a good prospect can be turned down.
1. You Used Fancy Templates for Your Resume
The problem: ATS software gets confused by resumes with graphics, columns, icons, or text fields that are very well designed.
How to Fix It:
Make it easy to read by using a single-column format with clear headings like:
Summary of Skills
Experience at Work
School
Use standard layouts.
2. The file type of your resume is wrong
The problem: Resumes that are sent in JPG, PNG, or PDF formats that arent supported can be hard to read.
How to Fix It:
Use a text-based PDF or a .DOC or .DOCX file (the best choice).
Always read the instructions for the job posting.
3. You Didnt Use the Right Words
The Issue: ATS compares job descriptions to resumes. If you dont include the right keywords, your application will be automatically rejected.
How to fix it:
Read the job description very carefully.
Find out what talents, tools, and job titles are needed.
Include them on your CV in a natural way.
For example, if the position says "MS Excel, data analysis, reporting," make sure these exact words are there.
4. You Used Unusual Section Headings
The problem: People could not understand creative headers like "My Journey" or "What I Bring."
How to Make It Right:
Use headings that are recognized by the ATS:
Experience in the workplace Experience in the field Skills Education
5. There are tables or text boxes on your resume
The issue is that ATS tools have trouble reading text in boxes and tables.
How to Fix It:
Take out the tables
Instead, use bullet points
Keep the text on the left
6. You put in headers and footers.
The problem:Scanning information in headers and footers, like phone numbers or email addresses, might not work.
How to Fix It:Put all the important information at the top of the main body of the resume.
7. You Used Pictures or Logos
The issue is that ATS cant read icons, photographs, or graphics.
How to Fix It:
Take down profile pictures
Stay away from emoticons, emblems, and logos.
Only use plain text
8. Your resume is either too long or too short.
The problem:A 5-page resume for a new hire or a 1-page resume with no details for a senior post will affect your relevance score.
How to Fix It:
One page for new students
1–2 pages for 3–7 years of experience
For senior professionals: 2–3 pages
Dont worry about how long it is; just focus on how relevant it is.
9. You used fancy fonts
The problem:ATS software might not be able to read stylish fonts.
How to Fix It:Use typefaces that are safe for ATS:
Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, and Helvetica
Size of font: 10.5 to 12 points.
10. Your job titles dont match what is normal in your field.
The Issue:ATS looks for job titles that are common.
What to Do:If your internal title is different, add a normal one.
For example, "Growth Ninja" becomes "Digital Marketing Executive."
11. You put too many keywords in your text.
The problem: Stuffing keywords makes text harder to understand and can lead to rejection.
How to Fix It:Use terms in a way that makes sense in the context:
Skills part Work history bullet points
12. You Didnt Make Each Jobs Resume Unique
The problem: Not all job descriptions will fit on one basic resume.
How to Fix It:
Make small changes to your resume for each job.
Change your skills and resume to fit the position. This greatly enhances the ATS match score.
13. You Didnt Check Your Resume
The problem is that you cant tell how well your resume does until its turned down.
How to Fix It:
Put your resume in a text editor that doesnt have any formatting.
See if the formatting is broken.
Check your resume online with ATS
You may also upload and test resumes on sites like Rozgar.com to make them more visible.
Extra Tip: A Checklist for ATS-Friendly Resumes
Make sure your resume:
Has basic formatting
Has relevant keywords
Has standard headings
Is saved in the right format
Is tailored to the job before you apply.
| Latest Category Jobs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Job Information | Apply Job | |
Developer III - Software Engineering(3-5 years) | ||
Delivery Manager II - Technical Architecture(15-25 years) | ||
Human Resources Advisor(4-7 years) | ||
SAP Sales and Distribution (SD)(12-13 years) | ||
Technical Lead(7-9 years) | ||
AI / ML Engineer(5-7 years) | ||
Conclusion
Your resume doesnt fail because you dont have the right skills; it generally fails because the ATS cant interpret it correctly. If you solve these common flaws, you will have a far better chance of getting called for interviews.
Make sure your resume works with technology, not against it, if youre looking for a job.
Visit Rozgar.com for more career advice, help with your resume, and job openings.
Good luck in your career search!
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