What Is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers and recruiters to manage job applications. When you apply online, your resume is often scanned by an ATS before a human ever sees it. The system looks for keywords, formatting cues, and relevant experience — and if your resume doesn't match, it gets filtered out automatically.

Large Australian employers — including government agencies, hospitals, mining companies, and major retailers — almost all use ATS. Even many small businesses use platforms like Seek, LinkedIn, or Indeed that have built-in filtering.

Why Most Resumes Fail ATS

The most common reasons a resume gets rejected by ATS:

• Using tables, text boxes, or columns (ATS can't read them properly)
• Saving as a PDF when the employer's system only reads Word documents
• Using images or graphics instead of text
• Missing keywords from the job advertisement
• Using headers the ATS doesn't recognise (e.g. "My Story" instead of "Work Experience")

How to Format Your Resume for ATS

Follow these formatting rules:

• Use a clean, single-column layout. No tables, no text boxes, no columns.
• Use standard section headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
• Save as both PDF and Word. If the job ad doesn't specify, send Word. If it says PDF, send PDF.
• Use a standard font: Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman. Avoid decorative fonts.
• Don't use headers or footers for important information — ATS often skips them.

Keyword Optimisation

Read the job advertisement carefully. Identify the key skills, qualifications, and phrases used. Then make sure those exact words appear in your resume — naturally, in context.

For example, if the ad says "stakeholder management", use that exact phrase. Don't assume "relationship management" means the same thing to an ATS — it doesn't.

Tools like Jobscan can help you compare your resume to a job ad and identify missing keywords.

Don't Sacrifice Readability for ATS

Here's the balance: your resume needs to pass ATS and impress a human. Once it gets through the filter, a real person reads it. So don't stuff it with keywords at the expense of clear, compelling writing.

The best resumes are ATS-friendly in structure and keyword-rich in content — but still read naturally and tell a coherent career story.

Let Us Handle It

At Resume Righters, every resume we write is ATS-optimised by default. We know the formats that work, the keywords that matter, and how to balance machine-readability with human appeal. Book a consultation to get your resume working harder for you.