Before you start
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is the software many employers use to collect and search applications. There are many ATS products, they change often, and vendors do not publish in detail how their parsers work. So this guide does not claim that any specific system does or does not do something. Each check is a commonly recommended practice that makes your resume easier for software, and for the person reading it, to handle.
After a layoff, the usual starting point is an old resume in a designed template that now has to go out in several versions. Finish the content first, then run these five checks on every version you send.
Check 1: the file is .docx or a text-based PDF
What to check. Look at the file you are about to upload. It should be a .docx or a text-based PDF, unless the posting asks for something else.
Why it matters. These two formats are the most commonly recommended for uploads. Some systems may handle other formats, such as .pages, .odt or image files, poorly, or reject them.
How to fix it. Follow the posting's instructions first. If it says nothing, export a .docx from your editor, or save as PDF with "Save as PDF" or "Export" rather than "Print to image".
Check 3: the plain-text test passes
What to check. Whether your resume still makes sense once the formatting is stripped away. This takes about two minutes and catches most layout problems.
Why it matters. Copying everything into a plain-text editor shows roughly what a parser has to work with: the reading order, any missing text and any garbled characters.
How to fix it.
- Open the PDF or .docx and select all.
- Paste into Notepad, or into TextEdit in plain-text mode.
- Read it from top to bottom.
- Fix anything that is missing, out of order or scrambled, then run the test again.
Check 4: section headings use standard names
What to check. Read only the headings of your resume. Each one should be a label a stranger would expect to see.
Why it matters. Standard names are commonly recommended because software and recruiters look for familiar labels. Creative names like "My Journey" or "Toolbox" may not be recognized as sections.
How to fix it. Use headings such as Summary, Experience (or Work Experience), Education, Skills, Certifications and Projects.
Check 5: no tables, columns or text boxes hold key information
What to check. Look for a sidebar, a two-column layout, a text box or a table that contains something a reader needs, such as your skills, dates or contact details. Designed templates often rely on these.
Why it matters. Multi-column layouts and text boxes are commonly reported to come out of parsers in the wrong order, or not at all.
How to fix it. Use a single-column layout. Move skills or other sidebar content into a normal section. Use tabs or simple line breaks, not table cells, for alignment. Then repeat the plain-text test from check 3 to confirm the order is right.
Check 12: keywords from the job description appear where they are true for you
What to check. Put the posting and your resume side by side. See whether the skills, tools and qualifications the posting names appear in your resume, in the same words, wherever you really have them.
Why it matters. Recruiters commonly search candidate databases for skills, tools and certifications. Matching the posting's wording, when it is accurate for you, helps you show up in those searches and shows a clear fit.
How to fix it. List the hard skills, tools and qualifications in the posting. For each one you really have, use the posting's exact wording at least once, ideally inside an experience bullet that shows how you used it. Leave out anything you do not have.
The other 15 checks
These five come from a 20-check list, which is why the numbers above skip. The other 15 cover the PDF text layer, headers and footers, images and icons, contact details, dates, role layout, job titles, keyword stuffing, acronyms, fonts, special characters, file names, tailoring, length and a final proofread.
The full list is one of four Markdown files in the Tech Layoff Job-Search Kit, sold for USD 12 on Gumroad. The kit page describes each file, the delivery method and the refund policy.