How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume in 2025 (with Examples)

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) filter roughly 75% of resumes before a human ever sees them. **1. Use standard section headings.** Stick to "Experience", "Education", "Skills", "Projects". Fancy headings like "My Story" get skipped. **2. Keep formatting simple.** No text boxes, tables, or graphics inside content. Two columns are OK when tested — our ResumePeaks templates are pre-tested. **3. Match keywords from the job description.** Include exact phrasing ("React Native" vs "React"). **4. Quantify everything.** "Managed team" → "Managed team of 8 shipping 4 releases/quarter". **5. Use standard fonts.** Inter, Calibri, Arial, Helvetica. 10.5–12pt body. **6. Save as PDF (not scanned).** Text-selectable PDFs parse perfectly. **7. Skip photos** (unless you're in EU/APAC where norms differ). **8. One page under 8 yrs experience.** Two pages max for senior roles. **9. Run an ATS scan** — ours is free at /ats.