Most ATS rejections come from a handful of fixable mistakes: tables and columns the system can’t read, missing keywords from the job description, non-standard section headings, important details hidden in headers or images, and bullet points that list duties instead of results.
Formatting mistakes
- Tables and multiple columns: many systems read them out of order or drop them entirely.
- Text boxes and graphics: text inside them is often invisible to the parser.
- Contact details in the header/footer: some systems ignore headers, losing your email and phone.
- Unusual fonts or a scanned image of a resume: these can fail to parse at all.
Content mistakes
- Missing keywords: the skills and tools from the job description aren’t on your resume.
- Duties instead of results: “responsible for sales reports” says less than “built 12 weekly dashboards”.
- Creative section titles: “What I bring” instead of “Skills” confuses the system.
- No target: one generic resume sent to every role rarely matches any of them well.
How to fix them
Use a single-column layout with standard headings, put your contact details in the body, match the job’s keywords where they’re true, and lead each role with two or three results that include numbers. Then re-check before you apply.
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