28 Essential ATS Rules for Resume Optimization

Checks if a single, consistent font is used throughout the document to avoid parsing confusion.

Text should be left-aligned as centered or justified text can cause irregular spacing in parsers.

Tables, text boxes, and images are often invisible to older ATS systems, hiding your data.

Uniform date formats help the ATS calculate your years of experience correctly.

Ensures your CV is in a standard format (.docx or .pdf) that ATS systems can easily parse.

Analyzes text-to-file-size ratio. Extremely large files often indicate unoptimized background bloat.

Detects embedded images and their impact. Too many images can 'blind' some ATS parsers.

Detects hidden data like revision history, track changes, or private properties in the file.

Verifies that font sizes are standard (10-12pt for body) and consistent across sections.

Multiple columns often cause ATS parsers to read across them, garbling your experience.

Standard margins (0.5" to 1") ensure text isn't cut off during printing or digital conversion.

Non-standard bullets (circles, arrows, emojis) can be converted to strange symbols by parsers.

Verifies the internal file structure is valid and compatible with modern parsing engines.

Checks if the fonts used are 'Standard 14' or 'Tier 1' fonts that don't require external embedding.

Checks for WCAG-compliant contrast ratios ensuring text is readable by OCR and human eyes.

Ensures the PDF contains the necessary character maps to allow text selection and extraction.

Verifies that your Name, Headings, and Body text follow a logical size progression.

Recognizable headings help the parser categorize your information (e.g., 'Work Experience').

Ensures essential contact details (Email, Phone, LinkedIn) are present and readable.

Industry acronyms should be either standard or defined at least once to be searchable.

Starting bullets with strong verbs conveys initiative and leadership.

Adding numbers proves the scale and impact of your work to both AI and human recruiters.

Typos can prevent keywords from being indexed and suggest a lack of attention to detail.

A brief overview that synthesizes your career and value proposition for the role.

Measures how well your CV's vocabulary aligns with common industry terminology.

Ensures core skills mentioned in the job description appear multiple times in your CV.

High-priority keywords in your opening summary immediately tell the parser your relevance.

Avoid lists of keywords without context; they should be integrated naturally into your achievements.