What an ATS actually does
“ATS” covers a wide range of recruiting software. One employer may use it mainly to store applications and move candidates through a workflow. Another may let recruiters search, filter, or rank records. The configuration, vendor, job, and hiring team all matter.
That is why claims such as “this resume has a 92% ATS pass rate” should make you skeptical. No outside tool can know every employer's setup from your resume alone.
The practical checklist
1. Follow the application instructions
If the employer requests PDF, DOCX, or another format, send that format. The instruction on the application is more useful than a universal file-type rule.
2. Use conventional section names
“Experience,” “Education,” “Skills,” and “Certifications” are easy for both software and people to understand. Clever labels such as “My Journey” add ambiguity without adding value.
3. Keep the reading order simple
Complex columns, floating text boxes, charts, and icon-only labels can produce a confusing text order. A restrained layout is easier to test and easier to revise.
4. Use the posting's language where it is true
If the job asks for “customer retention” and that accurately describes your work, use the term. Do not paste a keyword list or claim skills you do not have. A recruiter still has to believe the document.
5. Put important information in the body
Do not rely on a header, footer, image, or decorative side panel for your name, contact information, role, or core qualifications.
6. Check the extracted text
Copy all text from the final file into a plain-text editor. Confirm that the name, dates, headings, employers, and bullets appear in a sensible order. This is a useful parsing check, even though it cannot reproduce a particular ATS.
Match meaning, not just words
A posting that asks for “forecasting” is not satisfied by hiding the word in a skills list. Show the work: what you forecast, the horizon, the method if relevant, and what decision it supported. That helps search software find the term and gives a person evidence to evaluate.
PDF or DOCX?
Use the type the application requests. If it accepts both, export a clean version and test it. Text-based PDFs and ordinary DOCX files are commonly readable; scanned PDFs and complicated layouts create more risk. A file opening correctly on your laptop does not prove that its text extracts in the right order.
What our ATS score means
Roast My Resume checks the extracted text for general readability signals: recognizable structure, clear language, and content that is easier to parse. It does not receive the employer's configuration or job description, so it cannot test whether you will “pass” that company's system. We document that boundary in our methodology.
A trustworthy outside reference
The U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop recommends reviewing the job description, identifying the employer's needs, and using relevant keywords naturally throughout the resume. Its broader resume guide is a useful public starting point: CareerOneStop resume guidance.
Check the writing next
A readable file still needs specific evidence. Run a free roast to find vague bullets and thin claims.
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