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Use a simple, single-column résumé with familiar section headings, contact details in the document body, and text that accurately reflects the job description. Follow the employer’s file-format instructions first. These choices make the document easier to read and help preserve its intended order, but no format can guarantee that every applicant tracking system will parse it perfectly.
Use a simple, single-column layout
Build the résumé in one column and use ordinary text, clear spacing, and conventional section labels. CareerOneStop recommends readable fonts and consistent spacing; the University of Texas at Austin CNS Career Services and Pima Community College also advise keeping the layout straightforward. These are practical formatting recommendations, not proof that a particular design will pass a screening system.
Avoid putting essential information into tables, text boxes, sidebars, graphics, logos, or images. Some systems may not read these elements in the order you expect. A human recruiter should also be able to scan the page quickly.
Put contact details in the document body
Place your name, email address, and phone number near the top of the main document body—not only in a page header or footer. CareerOneStop, the University of Virginia Career Center, and the University of Texas at Austin CNS Career Services all advise keeping contact information accessible in the document itself.
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Use familiar headings and a clear order
Use recognizable labels such as “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills.” A practical sequence is contact information, an optional summary or profile, work experience, education, and relevant skills. Include only sections that fit your background, and keep job titles, employer names, and dates consistently presented.
Tailor the résumé without overstating your experience
Review the job posting and use its terminology where it accurately describes your qualifications. For example, if the posting names a tool or responsibility you have genuinely used, include it in the relevant skills or experience entry and explain the context. Do not add skills, credentials, or experience you do not have just to match keywords.
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Keep a full, editable master résumé, then create a tailored copy for each role. This makes it easier to align the document with the position while keeping the claims accurate. The University of Texas at Austin CNS Career Services and Pima Community College recommend using relevant job-posting language rather than sending an unchanged résumé to every employer.
Choose the file format the employer requests
There is no universal rule that every applicant tracking system prefers PDF or every system prefers Word. Career-service recommendations vary: CareerOneStop and the University of Victoria say PDF is appropriate unless the employer requests Word or another format; the University of Virginia says PDF, .doc, or .docx work for most submissions and advises checking what the application allows; Pima Community College recommends PDF or DOCX unless another format is requested.
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Use the application’s instructions as the decision rule. If it requests a particular format, submit that format. If it lists accepted extensions, choose one of those. When no format is specified, use a clean, selectable-text PDF or a DOCX file that the portal accepts, and make sure the result remains easy to read.
| What to compare | What to check |
|---|---|
| Portal compatibility | Does the application request or accept PDF, DOC, DOCX, or another format? Follow the listed requirement. |
| Document integrity | After exporting or saving, does the file retain its layout, and can you select and read the text? |
| Human readability | Are headings, dates, job titles, and bullet points easy to scan? |
Check the file before submitting it
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Save a role-specific copy from your editable master document in the format requested by the employer.
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Open the saved or exported file. Confirm that the name and contact details appear in the document body and that headings, dates, job titles, and bullets remain in the intended order.
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Select and copy the text into a plain-text editor or another blank document. Check that the copied text is readable and that sections and experience entries have not become jumbled.
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Upload the file to the application and confirm that the portal accepts it. If the portal provides a text preview, review that preview for missing or misplaced content; not every application provides one.
These checks can reveal obvious export or reading-order problems. They cannot establish how every employer’s system will interpret or evaluate the résumé.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What formatting can—and cannot—do
Public and university career-service guidance supports simple layouts, common headings, clear contact details, accurate job-related language, and compliance with upload instructions. It is not a controlled comparison of applicant tracking systems. A well-formatted résumé can make information clearer to software and people, but it cannot guarantee a screening result, ranking, interview, or recruiter review.
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