Introduction
Did you know that over 75% of resumes are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems before a human ever sees them? Understanding how to format your document for these algorithms is the single most important step in securing an interview in today's competitive job market.
Understanding ATS Logic
75% of resumes are filtered out
Research from recruitment industry analysts indicates that the majority of Fortune 500 companies utilize automated screening tools that discard poorly formatted resumes.
Top ATS Friendly Resume Fonts
- •Arial: A clean, sans-serif font that is universally recognized by all operating systems.
- •Calibri: The default choice for modern documents, offering excellent legibility in digital formats.
- •Georgia: A highly readable serif font that provides a classic, authoritative look for your career summary.
- •Verdana: Designed specifically for screen legibility, making it an excellent choice for online job applications.
- •Helvetica: A timeless, professional choice that appears sharp and clean on any device.
- •Tahoma: Offers clear spacing between letters, ensuring the ATS parser never confuses similar characters.
Pro Tip
Avoid using text boxes, tables, and headers in your document footer, as many ATS parsers cannot read content within these elements. At LeadRises, our AI-powered resume builder automatically enforces these structural rules to ensure your information is always scannable.
Essential Formatting Rules
Should I use a two-column resume layout?
It is generally safer to use a single-column layout for ATS compatibility. While some modern systems can parse columns, a single-column design guarantees that the reading order is processed correctly from top to bottom.
Is PDF or Word better for ATS?
While PDFs are better at preserving formatting, modern ATS platforms read Microsoft Word (.docx) files most reliably. If you must use a PDF, ensure it is a text-based file rather than a flat image scan.