How long should my resume be?

For most professionals, a one-page resume is ideal if you have less than 10 years of experience. Those with extensive careers or senior-level positions may use two pages, but always prioritize quality and relevance over length.

What is ATS and why does it matter?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System—software used by employers to filter resumes before they reach human recruiters. To pass ATS, use standard formatting, include relevant keywords from the job description, and avoid graphics or unusual fonts.

Should I include a resume objective or summary?

A professional summary is recommended for most candidates as it quickly highlights your key qualifications. Skip the objective statement unless you're changing careers or have limited experience, as it focuses on what you want rather than what you offer.

How to Write a Standout Resume That Gets Past ATS and Lands Interviews

This post breaks down exactly how to build a resume that clears Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and catches a hiring manager's attention — no guesswork, no outdated advice. Most resumes never reach human eyes. They get filtered out by software before anyone reads them. Here's how to make sure yours isn't one of them.

What is an ATS and how does it actually work?

An ATS — Applicant Tracking System — is software that employers use to collect, sort, and rank resumes before a human ever sees them. Companies like Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever dominate this space. Think of it as a digital gatekeeper.

Here's the thing: these systems aren't evil. They're overwhelmed recruiters' lifelines. When a single job posting at a company like Amazon or Deloitte pulls in 500+ applications, someone has to filter the noise. The ATS scans your resume for keywords, formatting, and structure. If your file is a mess — or if it's missing the right terms — it lands in the digital void.

The catch? Most job seekers treat their resume like a design portfolio. Fancy templates from Canva. Columns and tables. Graphics and icons. To an ATS, that's gibberish. It parses text-only documents best. Clean. Simple. Structured.

Worth noting: not every company uses ATS software. Startups and small businesses often review resumes manually. But if you're applying to any company with over 50 employees, assume an ATS stands between you and the interview.

How do you format a resume for ATS compatibility?

The safest approach is a single-column, text-based document using standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Georgia. No text boxes. No headers or footers with important info. No tables — except simple ones that ATS can parse (and even then, use sparingly).

File format matters more than people think. PDFs work fine for most modern ATS platforms — Greenhouse and Lever handle them well. But some older systems (looking at you, Taleo) choke on PDFs. When in doubt, submit as a .docx unless the job posting specifies otherwise.

Save the creative formatting for your portfolio — not your resume. That two-column layout from a "modern resume template" on Etsy? It'll confuse the parser and shove your contact details into the wrong fields. Stick to this structure:

Name and contact info at the top (no graphics)
Professional summary (2-3 lines max)
Work experience with company names, titles, dates, and bullet points
Skills section with hard skills listed plainly
Education (degree, school, year — that's it)

Some applicants try to "beat" the system by copying the entire job description in white text at the bottom of their resume. Don't. Recruiters know this trick. It looks dishonest — and many ATS systems flag it.

What keywords should you include to get past ATS filters?

You need the exact words and phrases from the job posting — not synonyms, not "creative alternatives." If the posting asks for "project management" and you write "led initiatives," the ATS might not connect the dots. Match the language.

Here's where it gets tricky. Job postings are wish lists, not requirements. You don't need 100% of the keywords. Aim for 70-80% of the core requirements — the "must-haves" versus the "nice-to-haves." That said, honesty matters. Don't claim Salesforce experience if you've never logged into it.

Hard skills pass through ATS filters better than soft skills. "Python," "Tableau," "QuickBooks," "AWS Certified" — these are searchable. "Team player," "hard worker," "detail-oriented" — these are fluff to an algorithm. Save soft skills for the interview.

Industry-specific acronyms and full spellings both help. Write "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" or "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)" to catch variations. Some recruiters search for one, some for the other.

Instead of...	Try...
Managed social media	Managed Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn content calendars using Hootsuite
Increased sales	Grew revenue 34% YoY through HubSpot CRM optimization
Good with computers	Proficient in Microsoft Excel, SQL, and Tableau
Led a team	Managed 4 direct reports across remote and in-office locations

How long should your resume be in 2025?

One page for most professionals. Two pages if you have 10+ years of experience or work in academia, medicine, or law. Three pages is a hard no — unless you're a researcher with publications.

Recruiters at companies like Google and Netflix spend about 7.4 seconds on an initial resume scan. That's not a typo. Seven seconds. Front-load your achievements. The top third of your resume is prime real estate. If you bury your biggest win at the bottom of page two, no one sees it.

Older experience gets less detail. Jobs from 10 years ago? One line each. Current role? Four to six bullet points with metrics. Speaking of metrics — numbers beat adjectives every time. "Increased efficiency" means nothing. "Cut report generation time from 4 hours to 45 minutes" means everything.

Should you use a professional resume writer or DIY?

Professional resume writers charge anywhere from $150 to $2,000 depending on experience level and industry. Services like TopResume, Monster's resume service, or local Nashville career coaches (check Nashville Career Advancement Center) can help — but they're not magic.

Here's the thing: a resume writer can't invent experience you don't have. They can polish what exists. They know ATS optimization tricks. They spot weak bullet points. For executives or career-changers, the investment often pays off. For a recent grad with one internship? Probably not worth $500.

If you DIY, use tools like Jobscan or Resume Worded to check your keyword match against specific job postings. They compare your resume to the job description and flag missing terms. Worth the $50-100 for a month during an active job search.

Quick Resume Checklist Before You Hit Submit

Save as "[FirstName]_[LastName]_Resume_[CompanyName].pdf" — not "Resume_Final_FINAL_v2.pdf"
Remove the "References available upon request" line (it's 2025 — everyone knows this)
Delete your full mailing address (city and state are enough)
Check for spelling errors — "manger" instead of "manager" kills credibility
Test your file by opening it on your phone — if it's unreadable there, fix it
Update your LinkedIn URL to something clean: linkedin.com/in/yourname
Remove graduation dates if you're worried about age discrimination

That said, no resume strategy beats applying to the right jobs. Sending 200 generic applications gets you nowhere. Targeted applications to roles where you genuinely match 70%+ of requirements? That's the move. Quality over quantity — always.

The best resume in the world won't land you a job you're unqualified for. But a bad resume will absolutely keep you from jobs you're perfect for. Fix the resume first. Then network, apply, repeat.