Free ATS-Friendly Resume Templates

Use our free templates and learn everything you need to know to make your resume ATS-friendly below.

What is an ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?

Applicant tracking systems are software platforms that large companies use to manage the job applications they receive and streamline the hiring process.

If you’ve ever applied for a job and had to upload your resume and then enter your information into an online portal, then you’ve interacted with an ATS before. Greenhouse, Workday, and Jobvite are some of the most common ATS platforms, and are used by companies all over the world.

1. Pantheon resume template

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This template has an ATS-friendly format from top to bottom. The clear hierarchy of information flows naturally from contact details through experience to skills, while the traditional section labels make sure all information is categorized correctly.

2. Elegant resume template

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This template has a minimalist design that’s perfect for ATS scanning. Its single-column layout ensures that all information will be properly parsed by ATSs, while the clean spacing between sections and consistent bullet point formatting maximize both machine and human readability.

3. Milano resume template

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This template’s refined design prioritizes both visual appeal and ATS optimization. The chronological layout follows exact specifications for the content to be categorized correctly, and the skills section uses simple formatting that guarantees accurate keyword matching.

4. Easy resume template

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This template strikes a perfect balance between looking good and working well with ATS. The headers use a soft color palette that stands out without compromising readability, and everything from bullet points to section titles follows a clean, consistent pattern.

5. Connery resume template

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The use of a colored background in this template draws attention to the header while maintaining ATS compatibility. The layout follows a traditional structure with consistent bullet points and a clear hierarchical structure.

6. Chicago resume template

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The Chicago template keeps things simple and effective. The layout strikes an ideal balance between visual appeal and functionality.

The best resume templates for 2025

One of the best ways to make your resume is by filling out one of our free resume templates. All our templates are designed by experts and free to download for Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

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How ATS software impacts you

If you’ve looked up how to write a resume online before, you’ve probably seen claims that over 70% of all job applications are automatically rejected by ATS — before a hiring manager even sees them!

The reality is that the risk of being rejected by ATS is overstated. Most resumes are still reviewed by a recruiter, even if they use ATS software to collect and sort the job applications.

So ATS probably isn’t what’s preventing you from landing a job — but that doesn’t mean it’s not important to optimize your resume. Making an ATS-friendly resume:

• reduces the chance you’ll be rejected because your information wasn’t parsed properly.
• saves you time reformatting or retyping information that’s already on your resume.
• makes your resume better (because ATS best practices are also general best practices).

How to make an ATS-friendly resume

Want to make sure your resume doesn’t run into issues with ATS software? We’ll show you exactly how to make a great resume that’s ATS-friendly and impresses employers.

1. Use an ATS-optimized resume format

Format your resume in a single column so that it can be easily read by ATS software. Avoid templates with sidebars or complicated tables because these often cause problems when uploading your resume.

It’s also important to use a standard resume font like Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. According to HR managers, more obscure fonts can cause issues with the content of your resume rendering properly.

@resumegenius Follow these tips to make an ATS-friendly resume and beat the applicant tracking system #resume #resumetips #jobsearch #jobsearchtips #atsresume ♬ Darling – Trees and Lucy

2. Correctly label your sections

Applicant Tracking Systems organize your information based on common resume headings like “Work Experience” and “Skills.”

With that in mind, it’s best to play it safe by sticking to standard heading titles.

3. Include job-related keywords

Recruiters use ATS software to identify applications that include specific job-related resume keywords.

To make sure that your resume catches the attention of hiring managers, read through the job listing for keywords to include on your resume — these might be specific credentials, types of experience, or skills.

For example, a software company hiring a new front-end developer might use these keywords in the advertisement to describe the hard skills they’re looking for in a candidate:

• HTML
• CSS3
• SASS
• Javascript
• PHP
• Git
• Responsive websites
• Mobile-first approach
• WordPress

Including the right skills for your resume not only helps you get through ATS software, it also makes your resume stand out to hiring managers once they actually review your application.

4. Save your resume as a PDF or .docx

Always check the job listing to see if a specific file format is requested and follow those instructions.

If the employer doesn’t specify what format to save your resume as, a Word document is the safest choice because some ATS software might misread PDF files. However, usually a PDF should be fine. Avoid submitting your resume as other file types.

5. Get a free ATS resume scan

If you follow the steps above, any ATS should recognize that your resume satisfies the job requirements. However, if you’d like to double-check if there’s any room for improvement, you can use an ATS checker.

An ATS resume checker scans your resume and shows you how you can improve it.

Here are some of the best free options available:

Simply upload your resume to receive a report showing if and how it can be improved.

Frequently asked questions about ATS

If you still have questions about ATS and ATS-friendly resumes, check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about ATS below.

1. What is an ATS-friendly resume?

An ATS-friendly resume is any resume that can be easily scanned by ATS software.

The things that make a resume ATS-friendly are the same things that make a resume better for the hiring manager — there’s no special trick.

The most important thing to do is keep your resume format simple by avoiding the following:

• Tables
• Images
• Nonstandard fonts
• Multiple columns

ATS software parses the text on a resume, “reading” it from left to right and top to bottom, so tables and multiple columns can cause problems along with strange or unique fonts..

Finally, make sure you include resume keywords from the job description. Hiring managers use ATS software to identify resumes that match their job descriptions, so use the same wording that appears in the job description when describing your experience, achievements, and skills.

2. How do you check if your resume is ATS-friendly?

To know if your resume is ATS-friendly, go over it and check for the following:

• Single-column formatting
• Chronological work history
• Standard font
• Standard section headings
• No graphics
• No tables
• Skills and keywords from the job description
• File saved as .pdf or .docx

Finally, you can run your resume through an ATS resume scanner.

3. Why do companies use applicant tracking systems?

Companies use ATS software to handle large volumes of applications. These systems help HR teams automatically collect, sort, and filter resumes based on qualifications and keywords.

ATS software also standardizes the information in applicants’ resumes and creates a searchable database of candidates that companies can reference for future openings.

4. Do resumes get auto-rejected by ATS?

Most resumes are viewed by recruiters who decide whether to reject candidates.

However, ATS do use what are referred to as knockout questions. These are separate questions you need to fill out when applying for the job, and are usually about how many years of experience you have or your availability.

If your answer isn’t what the employer is looking for, your application will get automatically rejected. These knockout questions are what people are referring to when they talk about being rejected before a real person even reviews their resume.

5. What is an ATS score?

Applicant Tracking Systems may assign a percentage score to show how well a resume matches the job description or search criteria. Every organization uses these scores differently. Resumes scoring higher than 80% are prioritized by the system, but recruiters still have access to and can read all resumes submitted.

ATS resume checkers also assign a score to a resume showing how well it can be parsed by an ATS. Make sure your resume scores high on an ATS resume checker before submitting it to a large organization that’s likely to use an ATS.

6. What are ATS skills?

ATS skills are specific skills that an employer tells its ATS to scan for in job applications. Applicant tracking systems are generally used to identify candidates with certain hard skills, as opposed to soft skills.

The skills that employers are looking for usually appear in the job description or job listing for the open position. So, check the job listing for the hard skills that you have and list them in the skills section of your resume.