best resume format for scanning

Find if Your Resume is ATS-Optimized with Enhancv’s Resume Scanner

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Ensure your resume makes it past the Applicant Tracking Systems with the help of AI

A free resume scanner that generates a bespoke ats compatibility report based on your resume, comprehensive ats parsability check, resume sections check, skills section check, eliminate redundancies, remove vague wording.

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Vague words and phrases can dilute the impact of your resume. Enhancv’s Resume Scanner will identify and suggest replacements for vague wording, prompting you to include precise, quantifiable achievements.

Referral Link

Having another pair of eyes review your resume can significantly enhance your job search. Share the referral link to your resume with someone who has experience at the company you're targeting, preferably within the same department or role. You can find such connections on LinkedIn or relevant Facebook Groups. Seeking their input on your resume could provide invaluable benefits.

In This Guide:

How our resume scanner determines your resume score, what is an ats and what role does it play in the resume-scanning process, how do i make sure my resume is scannable, what makes your resume unreadable by a scanner.

Our resume scanner app employs a robust algorithm to evaluate the quality of a resume. It begins by analyzing the file type and size to ensure that your document is in a format that's easily processed by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

The scanner also checks the font styles and sizes used, favoring those that are professional and easy to read. More crucially, the scanner examines ATS parsability by looking for key elements like headers, bullet points, and the logical structure of your resume.

By considering all these aspects, our app provides a comprehensive analysis of your resume, helping to ensure it's not only appealing to recruiters but also optimized for ATS systems.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a software tool used by many employers to streamline the hiring process. ATS systems automate the initial stages of recruitment by sorting, scanning, and ranking resumes based on relevant keywords, job titles, skills, and other criteria.

The role of an ATS in resume scanning is vital. Since the majority of large companies and many smaller ones use ATS systems, it's crucial that your resume is formatted and written in a way that's easily parsable by these systems. For instance, an ATS scans for specific job-related keywords to determine if a candidate's resume matches the job description. If the resume doesn't contain the right keywords or is formatted incorrectly, the ATS might reject it, regardless of the candidate's qualifications.

Our resume scanner app considers this by analyzing your resume's ATS compatibility. It ensures your resume is optimized not just for human eyes, but also for ATS systems, increasing the likelihood that your application will pass the initial automated screening and reach the hiring manager's desk.

Creating a scannable resume is done by ensuring you do a few things for each resume you write. Here are the things you need to do to ensure your resume is scannable:

• Keywords : Make sure your resume includes the keywords that are relevant to the job you're applying for. These will likely be the words and phrases used in the job posting itself. However, avoid "keyword stuffing" or using these words excessively, as the ATS and eventually a human will see this and it can lead to the recruiter not calling for an interview.
• Format : Stick to a professional and widely used resume format. ATSs get confused by unusual designs, graphics, and creative layouts. Stick to standard fonts, bullet points, and clearly marked sections. The easiest way would be to use Enhancv’s Resume Builder as we have tested our resume templates and creative sections against major ATS systems to ensure full scannability.
• File Type : Save your resume as a “.pdf” file type. This is the most common file type that ATSs can scan.
• Headings : Use standard headings like 'Work Experience', 'Education', 'Skills', etc. This makes it easy for both the ATS and the human recruiter to find the information they're looking for.
• Spell Check: Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect. An ATS may overlook a keyword because it is misspelled, and a human will likely be put off by errors as well.
• Relevant Information First: Prioritize the most important and relevant information. Use the top of your resume to highlight your most impressive and relevant qualifications.
• Contact Information: Include your contact information at the top of your resume, and avoid placing it in the header. Include your full name, email address, phone number, and LinkedIn profile if applicable.
• Accomplishments Over Duties : While job duties are important, emphasizing your achievements in each position can make you stand out. Using quantifiable metrics, if possible, can make these accomplishments more concrete.

Remember, while these tips can help your resume get through an ATS, your ultimate goal is to impress a human. So make sure your resume is also visually appealing, easy to read, and compellingly presents your qualifications.

When we talk about a resume being "unreadable" by a scanner, we're usually referring to the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Here are a few things that can make your resume difficult or impossible for an ATS to read:

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Free AI-Powered Resume Scanner (Outsmart the ATS 🧠)

In the modern job landscape, your resume is more than a document—it’s your career ambassador.

Our advanced resume scanner is tailor-made to ensure your resume not only meets but exceeds industry standards.

It dives deep into your resume’s core, scrutinizing more than 100 characteristics covering style, content, structure, readability, industry standards, and formatting best practices.

Steps to Elevate Your Resume:

• Upload your existing resume.
• Let the resume scanner provide a detailed analysis.
• Implement the insights to significantly boost your career opportunities.

Transform your resume from a simple document to a career-launching powerhouse.

How to Write an ATS Resume [16+ Templates Included]

Rejection is part of the job search . 

Not everyone gets an interview or job offer. 

Do you know what else is part of the job search, though?

Getting your resume discarded before the recruiter even gets a chance to see it.

To reach the recruiter, in most cases your resume should first pass an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

And here’s the thing - over 70% of job applications fail to pass ! 

Worry not, though. We’ve got your back!

Getting past applicant tracking systems is not hard. In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to do it:

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

• How to Create an ATS Resume?
• How to Run an ATS Check on Your Resume?
• 16+ ATS Resume Templates for 2024.

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software employers use to manage the entire application process. 

This system collects, scans and ranks all of the applications.  

At first, ATS was created for bigger companies.

And you can see that in the numbers: 75% of large companies use an ATS because they receive thousands of applications every day.

But today, companies of all sizes (including over 98% of Fortune Companies ) use an ATS.

Why do so many firms use ATS? 

95% of professionals say that ATS has improved their company for two main reasons:

• Using ATS is very productive for companies: The system narrows down the flood of applications, saving them time and resources . Instead of going through stacks of paper, the online system keeps things organized.
• The system is also non-discriminatory , which means it does not look at factors such as age, gender, or race. At the end of the day, machines can’t be biased!

First, the system creates a job posting for the company. 

It then publishes this posting to company websites, job boards, hiring platforms, or email.

Once an application for the job comes in, the system scans it.

The ATS divides the resume into the different resume sections : Work Experience , Education , Skills, Languages, Certifications, etc.

It then searches for specific keywords and qualifications to see whether you match the job description or not. 

Let’s illustrate this with an example:

You are applying for a tax manager position. 

Your resume summary writes: 

“Highly-driven tax manager with 5+ years of financial experience in managing tax returns and affairs. Proven experience of success, employer satisfaction, and strong communication skills.” 

• “Tax manager”
• “5+ years of experience” 
• “Tax returns and affairs”
• “Employer satisfaction”
• “Strong communication skills” 

Then, matches it to their list of requirements: 

• CHECK: tax manager
• CHECK: 5+ years of experience
• CHECK: employer satisfaction
• CHECK: communication skills
• NOT CHECK: Analytical skills
• NOT CHECK: Microsoft Office 

If your resume doesn’t match the basic list of requirements, it’s automatically discarded.

If it does, then it’s ranked by relevance (i.e. the best resume goes on top of the recruiter’s pipeline).

How to Create an ATS Resume (Step-By-Step)

Now that you know how ATS works, we’re going to teach you how to beat it.

Here’s how to create an ATS-friendly resume, step by step:

Are you new to the workforce? You might want to check out our guide on how to make a resume , before learning how to optimize it for ATS!

Step 1: Pick the right resume format. 

The easiest format for an ATS to read is reverse-chronological. This format emphasizes your work experience by putting it on top of the page. 

Then, it sorts your experience from most to least relevant. 

This format is also the most popular among recruiters. In 99.9% of the cases, reverse-chronological is the best layout to go for. 

Step 2: Choose the appropriate file type. 

A PDF file is universal and can be read by (most) ATS, so that should be your go-to.

PDF files are also great for maintaining the design and format of your resume.

Some applicant tracking systems (the old models), however, are unable to read PDF. Before applying for the position, check what job ad says. 

If it explicitly states that you should apply with a Word document, then that might mean that their ATS CAN’T read PDFs, and you should just submit a .doc file.

Step 3: Use an ATS Resume Template

Many applicants get rejected for using resume templates that ATS can’t read. 

Fancy templates you might have spent money on usually get scrambled in the system. 

It’s crucial to pick a tried-and-tested ATS friendly template. 

Novorésumé resume templates are perfect for writing an ATS-friendly resume. 

Our templates are developed hand-in-hand with recruiters and employers to help you create an amazing resume. 

Step 4: Use a simple layout*

*Did you decide to go with a Novorésumé template? You can skip this step, as the templates come with the right formatting. Otherwise, read on!

Choose a common, simple font . Use bigger font sizes for headers and smaller ones for content. 

To highlight your achievements , stick to bulleted lists . 

Remember to choose a simple bulleted point. 

A solid circle or square is your best shot, as any complicated character might be incompatible with an ATS . 

Here’s what a correct entry looks like:

• Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish 
• Limited working proficiency in French 

For more tips and tricks on resume layout , check out our guide.

Step 5: Label your sections right. 

This part seems intuitive but we had to mention it anyway. 

Make sure to list your work experience under “Work Experience”, “Skills” under skills, etc. 

That’s the only way for the ATS to recognize what it is reading. 

Step 6: Tailor your resume with resume keywords. 

Keywords are words or short phrases related to the specific requirements for a job. 

The system scans for these words to find the best candidate. 

Now, we’re going to show you how to tailor your resume with keywords, and pass the screening: 

To find the right keywords, go through the job ad you’re applying for.

There are two types of keywords you should look out for: (1) job-related skills and (2) action verbs.   

Job-related skills are your primary characteristics and qualifications for the job.

e.g.: data analysis, research, problem-solving, etc.

Action verbs show what you have accomplished and succeeded in your job position.

e.g.: created, maximized, solved, etc. 

After you’ve scanned the job posting, make a list of these keywords, and mention them in your resume. 

Keep in mind, though, that you shouldn’t just randomly throw the keywords around. 

Your resume WILL be read by a human after it passes the ATS!

• Don’t use acronyms. Some ATS systems can’t recognize short forms. We recommend to both spell a word out and add the acronym. 

e.g.: Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) 

Now, let’s look at a practical example. 

We are searching for a focused expert on social media to draw and connect with targeted members of online communities and networks.

Responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute social media strategy through competitive analysis, network commitment, benchmarking, communication and audience recognition . 
• Generate, edit, publish and distribute regular content (original text, images, video or HTML) which creates meaningful connections and encourages community members to take action.
• Develop constantly by collecting and analyzing appropriate social data/metrics , ideas, and best practices and then acting on it 
• Work with other departments (customer relations, marketing, etc.) to maintain credibility , identify key players and coordinate activities.

Requirements: 

• Good consulting, reporting, editing (photo/video/text), presentation and communication skills
• 3+ years of social networking expertise and social research software knowledge  
• Adequate knowledge of web design, web development, CRO and SEO .
• Knowledge of online marketing and a good understanding of major social media platforms.
• Positive attitude, information and customer focus with good multitasking and organizational capacity
• Previous experience in Business Communications , Advertising , and Public Relations preferred but not required.
• Undergraduate studies in the fields of communications, marketing, business, new media or public relations .

We have highlighted the most important keywords of this job ad. 

Notice how you can group words for each section of the resume. 

For example, keywords like develop, analyzing, or strategy can be used to in the Work Experience section. 

Under the Skills section, you would list the skills the job AD is looking for, like CRO, SEO, Data analysis, multitasking.

While other keywords like software knowledge, studies in Communications, Marketing, fall under the Education section.

Want to learn which keywords are a must-have in your field? Check out our complete guide to resume keywords .

A final word of caution: Avoid images and graphs. 

ATS Resume Example 

Now, let’s put together everything we’ve learned so far in a practical example. 

Here’s what a winning ATS resume example looks like: 

How to Run an ATS Check on Your Resume 

Done writing your ATS resume?

Now, how do you make sure that you got it right?

There is a very easy way to make sure that your resume is compatible with an ATS. 

First, copy your resume information and paste it into a plain-text document. 

Then, paste it into jobscan :

Then, paste the job description you’re applying for, and hit “Scan!”

The software will tell you EXACTLY what your resume is missing.

16+ ATS Resume Templates for 2024

Want to skip all the hassle of formatting your resume for ATS? Just use a Novorésumé template!

Head over to our resume templates page, pick the one that works for you, and get started!

Key Takeaways

In this article, we learned that:

• Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage the application process. This is a system that collects, scans and ranks your resume. 
• ATS makes work easier for recruiters, but harder for employees. 75%+ job-seekers fail to pass the system. 
• To create an ATS-friendly resume, there is a certain format you should follow. Keep everything simple: font, design, and layout. Use bulleted lists. 
• Keywords are key. ATS scans the document for keywords, so you should tailor your resume with resume keywords. Do that by finding relevant keywords on the job posting. Group these words into sections. 

Suggested readings:

• How to Pick the Best Resume Format?
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume [With Tips + Tricks]
• How Long Should a Resume Be [For Any Profession]

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

• Job Search Tips

ATS Resume Test: Free ATS Checker & Formatting Examples (2024)

If you’ve been job searching in the digital age, you’ve probably heard about a type of software called “Applicant Tracking System” or ATS. An ATS resume checker is used by over 90% of employers today to screen resumes and pass the most relevant and qualified candidates forward to the hiring manager. 

Nearly 75% of resumes are rejected by an ATS resume test because they’re not correctly formatted or keyword optimized. This post will tell you how applicant tracking systems (ATS) check your resume and provide an ATS-friendly resume test that can help you improve your odds of getting past the machines. We will also provide an example of a good ATS-friendly resume format and a valuable hack you can use to get past the filters.

How does an ATS resume checker work?

The truth is very few resumes are read top to bottom by a human when deciding who to interview for a job. Instead, many companies use an ATS resume checker to scan each job seeker’s resume for work experience, skills, education, and other relevant information. If the applicant tracking system checker determines that a candidate might be a good match for the position, their resume gets sent forward to the hiring manager.

An ATS resume scanner can make searching resumes easier by automating that part of the hiring process. There are many reasons why it is so hard to find a job , including the huge pool of applicants. With over 250 resumes submitted on average for every job posted online, an ATS saves the hiring team a lot of time and effort. The resumes that don’t meet the predetermined qualifications are rejected, and the resume is never seen by human eyes.

So, what’s the problem?

The problem is that there are many qualified job seekers who are rejected because their resumes aren’t written and formatted with ATS checking in mind. If your resume is not capable of satisfying an ATS resume checker, there is a good chance that no human hiring manager will ever lay eyes on it. That is why it is so important for you to know how to check if your resume will pass that ATS.

How to make an ATS-friendly resume

There are five things you should keep in mind when writing your resume to get past an ATS:

1. Standard formatting for ATS scans

Use a standard resume format free of any images, designs, charts, and tables. A clear and concise resume is easy for an ATS to process–and it’s also what hiring managers prefer.

We have a post about the three most popular formats for resumes in the US. We have also published 200+ resume examples with a downloadable resume template designed for ATS compatibility.

2. ATS keyword optimization

This is one of the most important elements of a resume when it comes to passing an ATS test. Keywords, in this case, refer to words that the ATS resume checker may be looking for that match the industry or job description. The more keywords you have that the employer wants, the greater you’ll score on an ATS scan.

Your resume should already contain core industry keywords, of course. But you should also make sure that you consult the job description. Employers include important keywords in that posting that you will want to insert into your resume to satisfy the ATS.

Making a list of core competencies on a resume allows you to easily swap keywords in and out when applying for different positions.

If a position lists knowledge of Excel and QuickBooks as requirements, make sure those skills are listed in the right place on your resume .

Example of a keyword-optimized skills section looks like this:

3. Send as a Word document

A Word document, specifically a .doc or .docx file, is easily processed by all ATS out there, and it’s also preferred by the majority of hiring managers. Although most ATS systems can now also process a PDF file, some applicant systems still have trouble with them.

Our team of experts believes that it isn’t worth the risk to preserve your formatting on an online job application! Instead, always send your resume as a Word document so you can rest assured that your resume can be read easily by any ATS.

4. Spell out abbreviations

An ATS may not understand all abbreviations, which is why it’s important to spell out any abbreviation you use at least once. The ATS resume keyword scanner may be looking for the non-abbreviated form of the word instead of an abbreviation, so make sure that it can find the text it is looking for.

One final reason to do this is to help anyone looking at your resume understand what you do by avoiding confusing industry-specific jargon. Recruiters and hiring managers are not always familiar with a job’s duties and functions. Make your current resume easy to understand and ATS-compliant during the recruitment process!

Examples of spelling out abbreviations:

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

MBA (Master of Business Administration)

5. Include relevant information

The ATS scans your resume to determine if it contains relevant information and experience for a specific job. Don’t submit two pages of experience from a sales position for an accounting job. The ATS software will most likely reject you because your resume contains very little relevant information .

If you don’t have any relevant experience, try to include education, hard and soft skills, or even reword your past experience so it’s relevant to the position. You can leverage transferable skills on your resume to better match what this new job is looking for.

Now that we’ve gone over all the tips let’s put it all together with a good resume format to use for ATS scans.

ATS resume format example:

How do I know if my resume is ATS-friendly?

Compare your resume to the ATS-optimized example above. Pay attention to these aspects:

Traditional, reverse-chronological format

Relevant keywords used throughout the resume

Simple formatting with clear headings

Degrees and abbreviations are spelled out

All experience relates to the same career target

If you’re having trouble comparing these factors by yourself, we have a free ATS resume scan tool that can help you out.

Free ATS resume test

You can see how your resume performs on an ATS scan with ZipJob’s free resume review tool.

Our in-house applicant tracking system will parse your resume for skills and experience, just like the software used by big employers. Your confidential review will also include some tips from one of our certified resume experts!

This service is free to use. Of course, if issues come up that you want help fixing, we offer resume writing services . Every ZipJob resume goes through our ATS scan at the end of the process to ensure it passes the ATS test.

Join more than 1 million people who have already received our complimentary resume review.

In 48 hours, you will know how your resume compares. We’ll show you what’s working--and what you should fix.

Bonus: ATS resume hack

We already mentioned this ATS hack above but the best way to get past the filters is to use keywords you find in the specific job description.

Let’s take a look at a sample job posting from Indeed:

The words we have bolded here are the types of effective keywords that you can include in your resume.

Accountant Responsibilities

Perform monthly, quarterly and annual accounting activities including reconciliations of bank and credit card accounts, coordination and completion of annual audits , and reviewing financial reports /support as necessary

Analyze and report on financial status including income statement variances, communicating financial results to management, budget preparation and analysis .

Oversee taxes and abide by federal regulations

Accountant skills

5+ years accounting experience

Expertise with QuickBooks

Extensive knowledge of US GAAP

Advanced computer skills in MS Office, accounting software and databases

Additional experience in Audit and International accounting

Experience with SaaS companies

CPA certification

If you can incorporate all of these hard skills and keywords at least once on your resume, you will pass the ATS scan with flying colors, land more interviews, and secure your job dream.

Applying for jobs online today means you must keep the ATS resume checker in mind. If you use the tips discussed in this article, you can ensure that your own resume is properly formatted and optimized to successfully get past any ATS resume scanner.

Good luck with your job search!

Want to check out how well your resume performs on an ATS scan? Get your free resume review from our trusted experts today!

Recommended reading:

The 3 Best Resume Formats

10 Tips To Get Your Resume Past The ATS Scans

Are Resume Writing Services Worth It?

Ken Chase, Freelance Writer

During Ken's two decades as a freelance writer, he has covered everything from banking and fintech to business management and the entertainment industry. His true passion, however, has always been focused on helping others achieve their career goals with timely job search and interview advice or the occasional resume consultation. When he's not working, Ken can usually be found adventuring with family and friends or playing fetch with his demanding German Shepherd. Read more resume advice from Ken on  ZipJob’s blog .

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5 Resume Scanners You Can Use to Develop an ATS-Friendly Resume

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Creating an ATS-friendly resume without help is a trying task, so most people work with resume scanners. However, like every other software, countless resume scanners are available online. A bad resume scanner isn’t likely to make your resume as ATS-compliant as it needs to be, which can negatively affect your job chances.

That said, which resume scanners can you use to improve your resume and make it compatible with applicant tracking software? Here, we’ve compiled a list of the five reliable resume scanners to develop an ATS-friendly resume and tips for using them. Let’s dive in.

1. Resume Worded

Resume Worded is one of the most popular resume scanners used today, and with good reason. Featured in several publications and trusted by over a million people across the globe, this AI-powered resume tool is a top choice.

So, what makes this tool so widely acclaimed? First, it offers multiple free resume scans and returns a score to tell you how ATS-friendly your resume is. It also gives tips and corrective actions to boost this score, depending on its flaws. Furthermore, get free ATS-compatible templates, which you can edit on MS Word or Google Docs to structure and write an ATS-friendly resume .

Moreover, Resume Worded provides a resume keyword scanner, which gives you keywords you can include in your resume for your job description. Besides ATS compatibility, you want to ensure your resume presents you as the best candidate for the job. With this tool, you can scan your skills and experience sections to compare them with employers’ requirements and make adjustments.

This tool is free, but you need the pro version to view more suggestions. Furthermore, you must use it correctly to get the results you need. Ensure your resume is a PDF or DOCX file under 2MB and contains no images or scanned documents. This enables the tool to make proper evaluations and avoid errors. Also, select the right career level for you; for example, don't choose mid-level evaluation as a beginner.

Jobscan is a website that contains multiple tools that you can use to improve your job chances. Its resume section contains several resources for improving your resume, including a resume checker, templates, and written guides. Similar to Resume Worded, this tool is widely used, with reviews from employees in top-rated companies and integrations on several job sites.

You can use this resume tool to rate your existing resume’s ATS compatibility for your job role and get personalized suggestions. Even better, its Power Edit feature lets you implement these suggestions in real-time on the website and optimize your resume for ATS and job keywords. Optionally, you can edit any of the 12 free resume templates to match your job role or use Jobscan’s free resume builder to create the perfect ATS resume.

Reading guidelines and resources is great, but there’s nothing like a practical example to help you create your resume. On Jobscan, you can access 72 free samples from several job roles you can study before creating yours. In addition to these samples, you get in-depth explanations that tell you what makes each sample stand out. This way, you can employ these tips in your resume.

Note that while there’s a free version, you must pay to access certain features. The free version gives you limited resume scans and keywords monthly, but you can pay $49.95 monthly or $89.95 every three months. With the paid versions, you have unlimited resume scans, access to ATS-friendly templates, and other juicy benefits.

3. SkillSyncer

Scaling employers’ ATS tests isn’t enough to land you jobs; you must also ensure your resume ranks highly on the ATS results. To do this, your resume should show the necessary skills and requirements, and SkillSyncer is one perfect tool to help.

As the name suggests, SkillSyncer thoroughly vets your skills against the job description to position you as the right candidate. This tool checks your job listing’s requirements, sifts out the hard and soft skills , and compares this list against your resume’s contents. Then, it outputs the matrics for each, showing you where you need to improve, with a concise list of keywords to include in your resume.

Besides keywords, SkillSyncer also checks for important features that boost your resume’s visibility. These include titles, word count, accomplishments, verb choices, contact information, and date formatting. However, you need to upgrade to premium to view some of these suggestions.

Additionally, the free version gives you two initial scans with an addition every Monday, while you get unlimited scans with paid versions. Upgrading to the premium version costs $14.95 monthly or $34.86 every three months.

Sometimes, you may want to write a fresh resume rather than optimize an existing one. In such circumstances, Zety is the resume checker you need. This tool doubles as a resume checker and builder, depending on what task you want to perform.

Zety is a fantastic resume tool, containing everything from punctuation and grammar checkers to keyword suggestions. After writing (or uploading) your resume, it compares it to the job listing you’re interested in and shows its score and standing with that job role. Luckily, it doesn't just show you what’s wrong but also tells you how to go about each problem.

Its ATS aspects are equally powerful and assess your contact info, ensure your summary is captivating, and suggest phrases with measurable results to intrigue employers.

One stand-out feature of this resume checker is its ability to compare your resume with similar resumes in its database. This way, you can see first-hand how you're likely to perform when competing for a job role with other qualified candidates.

Zety costs $23.70 per month, but you can begin with a two-week trial at $2.70 if you need extra convincing.

5. LiveCareer

Like Zety, LiveCareer is a resume builder with built-in checking and scanning features. First, either import an existing resume or create a new one using any of their eye-catching templates. After this, you can implement the suggested changes using your dashboard's Fix/Improve Resume button.

Clicking this button lets you view mistakes in your resume and corrections you can make to make it ATS-friendly. The scanner can also suggest keywords to help you customize your resume to fit the job listing you input. Implement these changes until your resume score rises to an acceptable standard and you get approved by LiveCareer.

This tool offers similar services to Zety but at a more affordable rate of $5.95 every three months.

Land Your Dream Job With These Tools

Writing a solid ATS-friendly resume is one of the hardest parts of job hunting. But, with modern resume tools, you can do this quickly. Utilize the power of AI resume scanners and builders and improve your chances of landing your dream job.

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Jobscan > Free Resume Builder – Create an ATS Resume

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Many resume builders claim to be free, only to charge you when it’s time to download your resume. With Jobscan’s resume builder, you can create and download unlimited ATS-compatible resumes—without reaching for your wallet.

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Our resumes deliver results – more interviews, more opportunities

Our resume builder focuses on what truly matters—getting results. While flashy resumes may look nice, they often fail to get past applicant tracking systems.

At Jobscan, we understand ATS better than anyone. That’s why our resume builder creates resumes that make it into hiring managers’ hands, leading to more job interviews.

Why should you use Jobscan’s resume builder?

Free ATS-optimized templates

Choose from 9 expertly designed templates that ensure your resume passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Unlimited resume creation and editing

Create and download as many resumes as you need—for free! No hidden fees, just unlimited access to professional resume-building tools.

Skill suggestions tailored to your job title

Get personalized, job-specific skill suggestions that help your resume get found by hiring managers.

Build it your way

Start fresh, upload your existing resume, or import your LinkedIn profile—our flexible tools adapt to your needs.

Resume summary generator

With one click, create a summary highlighting your experience and skills—tailored to the job you’re applying for (paid version only).

Resume bullet point generator

Quickly generate work experience bullet points that showcase your qualifications (paid version only).

How to use Jobscan’s resume builder

• Import an existing resume, create one from scratch, or import your LinkedIn profile.
• Add your job title.
• Select from a list of suggested skills.
• Choose one of our nine ATS-friendly resume templates.
• Fill in your contact information, work history, education, skills, and certificates.
• Click on the “Jobs” button to see personalized job listings.
• Use Jobscan’s resume scanner to optimize your resume.
• Download your resume as a PDF.

Discover what a winning resume looks like

Our resumes are designed to get results with clear, simple formatting that hiring systems can easily read. While flashy graphics might look nice, they can confuse ATS software and hurt your chances. Jobscan’s resume builder ensures your resume is optimized to pass through ATS effortlessly, putting the focus where it belongs—on getting more interviews.

Our resumes are simple and clearly organized

Fancy graphics can make your resume look good, but they might confuse the ATS and prevent it from reading your resume correctly.

Jobscan’s resume builder helps you create a no-frills resume designed to pass through the ATS effortlessly.

Our resume builder is free

Many resume builders claim to be free, allowing you to spend valuable time creating your resume. However, just when you’re ready to download, you’re hit with a fee. That’s not free—that’s frustrating.

At Jobscan, we stand by our word. Our resume builder is free to use, with no hidden fees for basic features. For those looking to unlock advanced AI tools, a paid version is available.

Why use an ATS resume?

Most companies use ATS software to sort through job applications by scanning for specific keywords. If your resume isn’t properly formatted or lacks the right keywords, it might get filtered out before a recruiter ever sees it.

88% of employers report that qualified candidates are rejected simply because their resumes weren’t ATS-optimized.

Jobscan’s resume builder ensures your resume is designed to make it through the system and land you an interview.

Explore our resume library for inspiration

Browse our extensive library of resume examples to see exactly how your resume should look and what key information to include.

Gain insights into best practices across various industries. Find your field, and get inspired to start your job search with confidence.

Get your free resume score

After you build your resume, use our resume score checker to compare your resume to the job listing you’re interested in.

You’ll receive a match score showing how well your resume aligns with the job description, along with personalized recommendations to boost your score. The higher your score, the better your chances of landing interviews and your dream job!

Use Power Edit for faster, smarter resume optimization

As part of Jobscan’s premium tool, Power Edit provides a seamless editing experience to help you create a top-tier ATS resume.

Power Edit features include:

• Real-time resume score improvement
• AI-powered resume summary generator
• AI-powered bullet point generator
• AI-generated keyword phrase suggestions
• One-click personalized cover letter generation
• Suggested keyword synonyms for a better match

“I was having a hard time getting interviews, and every single one I submitted after using the tool received a response – either a screening or an invitation to interview.”

Thelonious B.

“I used Jobscan Pro throughout my job search to compare the job description to my resume. I really liked that there were in-depth tips based on what kind of ATS some jobs use to parse keywords and save time.”

“Jobscan helped me immensely. I applied to over 250 jobs over about 2 years and got only one job interview and no offer. I started using Jobscan, applied to only 12 jobs in 3 months and received 5 interviews and landed an awesome job. […] This software is incredible and worth every penny.”

“Once I signed up for Jobscan, I ran my resume with a job that I had applied for previously and found the my resume was really lacking! I used Power Edit and suggestions to rework the resume and resent it to a company that I really had interest in! Almost immediately, I got a positive response and landed an interview!”

How to build a great resume

Write your name and contact information.

Recruiters and hiring managers will need your personal data to get in touch for an interview. Include your full name, city and state, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL at the top of your resume.

Create your resume summary

Summarize your work experience and accomplishments in one succinct paragraph. You can also use bullet points to highlight your major career achievements. This section should include your job title, measurable results, and relevant keywords.

Think of your resume summary as your elevator pitch – you only have a few seconds to present yourself, so you need to make it count!

Detail your work experience

Let recruiters know what role you played in the success of your former employers. Provide information about your role and your accomplishments. Include measurable results wherever possible. Focus on the most relevant topics of the desired job.

Include your education

The name of the school from which you graduated and the date of graduation is enough for most job seekers. You may also want to include your degree. For recent graduates, your GPA (if higher than 3.5) and details about relevant courses and projects may help add context to your abilities.

Add volunteer experience, certifications, and other relevant information

You can include anything you want on your resume, as long as it is relevant to the position to which you’re applying and helps employers better understand your qualifications.

Write a cover letter

Your cover letter can tell a story that your resume can’t. A matching cover letter that’s tailored to the job can explain your passion for the position, how your experience level aligns with the company’s goals, and why you’re the best fit for the role. Check out our cover letter builder , cover letter examples , and cover letter templates .

More than 1 MILLION Job Seekers trust Jobscan to help them take the next step in their career. And we want to help you, too!

Where can I create a free resume?

The best place to create a free resume is Jobscan’s resume maker. It’s not only free but also ATS-friendly, ensuring your resume is optimized for the computer software used by many potential employers to screen job applications. Jobscan’s resume maker offers text suggestions to simplify the writing process, allowing you to easily craft the perfect resume that stands out to both hiring managers and ATS – without any hidden costs!

How do I choose the right resume template?

Choosing the right resume template from Jobscan’s options is simple. Use the Classic template for a traditional, professional look. The Modern Professional template is best for those in dynamic fields who want a contemporary edge. For new graduates or those with less work experience, the Modern Student template highlights education and skills in a fresh layout. Use Jobscan’s resume scanner to receive content suggestions with just a single click.

How should a professional resume look?

A professional resume format should be organized with clear headings and a readable font style. It should focus on your relevant skills and achievements. Start with your contact information, followed by a brief summary or objective, and then detail your work history, education, and any special skills or certifications. For ATS compatibility, avoid excessive graphics or unusual formatting.

To ensure a polished and professional look, consider using one of our customizable professional resume templates . These templates allow you to easily add additional sections without compromising the formatting, making it the best option for creating a standout resume that showcases different elements of your skills and experience.

Should I make a different resume for every job application?

Yes, you should tailor your resume for each job application. Customize it to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the position you’re applying to. Use keywords from the job description to improve your resume’s chances of passing through software tools like Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Should resumes be one page?

According to career experts, resumes should be one page for early-career professionals or those with less than 10 years of experience. However, for individuals with extensive experience, multiple roles, or significant achievements, a two-page resume can be appropriate to detail their career history fully. Always prioritize clarity and relevance over length.

Should I download my new resume as a PDF or text file?

According to certified professional resume writers, you should download your new resume as a PDF. This will preserve its formatting across different devices and platforms. While text files are universally accessible, they cannot maintain complex formatting. PDFs are widely accepted by employers and are ideal for maintaining the design integrity of your resume, making them the preferred file format for most job applications.

What does ATS-friendly mean?

ATS-friendly means your resume is formatted and written in a way that’s easily readable by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). This involves using a clean layout, standard headings, and incorporating relevant keywords from the job description. An ATS-friendly resume ensures your application is more likely to be seen by a hiring manager by passing through the initial automated screening.

Is there a completely free resume builder?

Yes, Jobscan offers a completely free resume builder. It provides users with tools and templates to create a professional resume easily. Jobscan’s resume builder is designed to help job seekers optimize their resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use to pre-filter resumes.

Can ChatGPT build resumes?

Yes, ChatGPT can build resumes , but it comes with certain limitations. Although ChatGPT can provide advice on structure, content, and formatting, it doesn’t offer the same level of specialization as a dedicated resume builder.

Explore More Features

Resume Worded

How good is your resume, find out instantly. upload your resume and our free resume scanner will evaluate it against key criteria hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ats) look for. get actionable feedback on how to improve your resume's success rate..

Turn your resume into an interview magnet

Get a free ats resume scan, powered by artifical intelligence, companies often receive hundreds of resumes for every job posting they put out. they and their hiring managers don't have the time to go through each resume individually, so they use software, often called applicant tracking systems (ats), to filter through all the resumes they receive. you need to make sure your resume is read correctly by these ats and resume screening software. if it is not, your resume could get instantly rejected by these systems and never make its way to a recruiter or hiring manager. our resume scanner evaluates whether your resume will be read correctly by ats, i.e. if it is ats compliant. in addition, it also gives you detailed feedback on key criteria recruiters and hiring managers look for, for free., how do i make sure my resume is ats-compliant, here are some guidelines you should follow to ensure your resume gets correctly scanned by all applicant tracking systems..

Use standard section titles : Label your work experience and education sections with conventional section titles. For example, use "Professional Experience" instead of "My career in a nutshell".

Use standard fonts : Some newer fonts convert letters to special characters which often get scanned incorrectly by ATS. Where possible, stick to a standard font (Garamond, Arial, Calibri) where possible.

Single-column layouts : Modern ATS are better at scanning multi-column layout but there are several ATS that fail at reading multi-column resumes in the way you'd expect it to.

No tables : Tables rarely get parsed correctly. Use tabs and right/left aligns to structure your resume instead.

No scanned documents, pictures or diagrams : Your resume's text must be highlightable and readable. Avoid using images or diagrams in your resume - this includes pie charts and graphs too!

Find out if your resume passes the ATS resume test

💡  tip: score my resume was built with all applicant tracking systems in mind and acts as a powerful ats resume test. if it is scanned correctly by our platform, you can be confident it will also be processed correctly by all ats..

An example of an ATS friendly resume template that is readable by ATS and resume scanners

Here are the guidelines we outlined above in practice. notice the clean single-column design and how fancy formatting like tables, diagrams and graphs have been stripped out. ats resume scanners either ignore these or read them incorrectly. you want to make sure you stick to text and a standard font with minimal use of special characters. similarly, notice how this resume also uses standard section titles, such as "experience" and "education". resume scanners specifically look out for these core sections and you want to make sure they're easy to find. bonus tip: use reverse chronological order for your dates. many applicant tracking systems try to find your most recent work experience and assumes your resume is in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent first)., the importance of resume keywords, if you're reading until this point, you've understood how to make your resume readable and scanned correctly by applicant tracking systems, or ats. this is a great start - well done however, you're not done yet. you need to now make sure these resume scanners actually rank your resume highly. let's back up for a bit. if you recall at the start of this page, we discussed that companies use ats to filter down the number of applicants they receive. they filter resumes by looking for keywords that match the job description. fortunately for you, our resume keyword scanner helps you identify the right keywords to include on your resume. this tool helps you test your resume against a specific job description, enabling you to optimize for that posting (and of course, dramatically increase your success rate)..

What tests does our ATS resume scanner run?

We'll scan your resume in 30 seconds and evaluate it against a range of criteria that recruiters and hiring managers consider important. our resume test goes even deeper than an ats scan, and gives you feedback on many other areas of your resume such as impact, soft skills and brevity. this enables you to identify gaps on your resume so you can fix them., unlimited ats resume scans, you get several free uploads to our resume scanner. if you have different versions of your resumes (and you should, especially if you are applying to different industries), you can test each of your resumes through our resume scanner. this allows you to evaluate all versions of your resume for not only ats friendliness, but also other key criteria (like impact, hard skills and core competencies), to make sure you get as many interviews as possible. to get started, upload your resume in pdf. if you're wondering if pdfs can be read by ats, the answer is yes unless specified, always use pdf. all ats can read them perfectly as long as you stick to the guidelines we've outlined above - i.e. ensure your resume is not a scan, is not an image and uses standard formatting (it should ideally have been exported by google docs or microsoft word)., an effective free resume scanner, as of 2024, our free resume scanner has supported 5 million job seekers globally. it's an effective platform to determine: whether you have a scannable resume : find out if your resume will be scanned correctly by an applicant tracking system. are your achievements read correctly find out instantly. your ats readability : check that your work experience and skills are identified correctly. note that if your work experience isn't detected correctly, an ats may auto-flag you as unemployed — you want to avoid this since you might automatically get rejected. how well your resume matches the job description : you will be given a resume score, which will help you understand if your resume covers all the right keywords and recruiter checks. you'll also get access to our advanced ai resume writer, which will enhance your resume's existing content and turn it into professional content you can use on your resume. you'll never have to ever ask, "is my resume good enough". you'll know it is..

The most complete resume toolkit

Targeted resume, try our resume keyword scanner which scans both your resume and the job description you're applying to (like an ats would)., linkedin review, get actionable insights on how to improve your linkedin profile by using our linkedin profile checker., ats resume templates, download ats friendly resume templates that are perfectly readable and compatible with all ats., get your free ats resume scan in 30 seconds, get actionable steps to revamp your resume and land more interviews using our free ai-powered tool.,    optimize your resume for resume screeners, in 2024, your resume will almost certainly pass through an automated screener before it reaches a hiring manager. find out how strong your resume is at getting past this ats software..

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ATS Resume Scanner

Wozber ATS Resume Scanner is an AI-driven service dedicated to boost your interview chances with a resume optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems. It helps you tailor your resume for any job position you seek by revealing the key information recruiters search for.

• English (high accuracy)
• German (medium accuracy)
• Indonesian (medium accuracy)
• Lithuanian (medium accuracy)

Going through the Applicant Tracking Systems

What is an ats.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the software most mid-to-large size companies use to streamline recruiting. It can be seen as a database that stores information about candidates and tracks their application progress.

What is an ATS resume scan?

One of the key ATS features is the ability to filter stored resumes by job description keywords and sort the result by the number of keywords found – or, in other words, to find and rank potential candidates by resume relevance. Among job seekers, this filtering feature is mostly known as an ATS resume scan.

Why do you need a targeted resume?

A targeted resume is a resume created in response to a specific job opening to emphasize the candidate's relevance. The relevance is crucial because many companies must comply with fair and unbiased recruiting standards that legally force recruiters to reject candidates that don't meet the job criteria. Knowing this, a generic resume could easily miss out on some details that a particular company finds most essential and destroy any job interview opportunities.

How to pass the ATS resume scan?

To get past the ATS resume scan and land the interview, you need a targeted resume that matches the specific job position's requirements with the exact keywords found in the job ad. Frankly, it doesn't even matter if the company uses an ATS or not – your resume end goal is to clearly communicate that you are suitable for the position so that anyone reading your resume would see the obvious fit.

Wozber ATS Resume Scanner makes optimizing your resume for ATS super easy.

Scan your targeted job position's requirements.

Find a job opening that interests you on a company's website or your local job search platform. Then come back to Wozber and copy its job requirements into the ATS Scanner.

Reveal what's needed to pass the ATS resume scan

Instantly receive the ATS scan overview of the employer's key criteria, how well your resume matches the job requirements, and what specific resume sections you should tailor more.

Target your resume and track its optimization progress

Tailor your resume for the scanned job position by including the highlighted ATS keywords until you match most job requirements and reach the recommended resume ATS optimization rate.

Gear Up for the ATS Resume Scan

Imagine a recruiter sitting next to you, openly evaluating your fit and sharing feedback even before you choose to apply for a job. That's the magic of the Wozber Resume ATS Optimization tools. First, the ATS Scanner extracts the employer's key criteria for the job position you seek. After that, the real-time ATS Resume Checker helps you track your progress by revealing what's found and what's still missing in your resume simultaneously while you're tailoring your content. It's easy, quick, and a great confidence booster. From now on, you can be fully prepared for the actual ATS resume scan recruiters will engage.

Resume ATS Optimization Rate

The main relevance indicator, showing how well your resume matches the job requirements in real-time.

ATS Resume Keywords

The key information the employer requires and its usage status, helping you keep track of what's still missing in your resume.

Categorized Job Requirements

All the scanned job requirements, separated into different categories to help you write each resume section easier.

Keep score with ATS resume checker

Real-Time Updates

When you use the highlighted ATS keywords from the job requirements in related resume sections, your Resume ATS Optimization Rate will automatically recalculate.

Progress and Tips

Track your progress in different categories directly linked with the main resume sections.

Simulated ATS Resume Checking

Be confident of your resume with the ATS keyword filtering reproduced as closely as possible.

Pass the ATS resume test

Main keywords.

Every requirement is split into the most relevant keywords for specific resume sections.

Real-time Usage Tracking

All keywords impact the Resume ATS Optimization Rate based on the resume section and the usage context.

Virtual Assistant Recommendations

Wozber Virtual Assistant will recommend using relevant keywords based on which resume section you're writing.

Match not only keywords but job requirements too

Requirement type detection.

The job requirements are placed into six main categories, directly linked to the resume sections: Personal Details, Experience, Education, Skills, Languages, and Certificates.

Match Status

You will know how well your resume matches every single job requirement. So, in a way, they will work as a to-do list for your targeted resume.

Virtual Assistant Suggestions

You will see suggestions to match the Experience requirements when you are writing the Experience section, the Education requirements when filling in the Education, and so on.

ATS-friendly resume templates

An ATS may automatically parse your resume and pre-fill the required fields within your job application, such as contact information, education, skills, etc. However, you should know that some resumes can be more challenging for Applicant Tracking Systems to parse than others, and the resume layout can get distorted and extracted information messed up. The ATS resume format ensures all the provided information is machine-readable and finds its proper place in the job application form. With Wozber, you can jump in with any pre-configured free ATS-friendly resume template or easily create your own.

Free Tryout

Digging further into the details, how do recruiters find resumes within an ats, what are the ats keywords, does an ats automatically reject resumes, how to beat the applicant tracking systems.

There's nothing to beat. There're no tricks or hacks that would make you succeed by cheating. Some job seekers try various ways of tricking the system with hidden keywords, but it won't easily slip through recruiters. If you're found cheating or lying on your resume, you will be labeled as "do not hire" for the position you applied for and all the company positions altogether. It's not worth the risk.

Instead, it would be best to focus on tailoring your resume for the specific job position without lying, including the information that the employer asks in the job description. For example, suppose the job posting lists particular experience, education, and skills that a candidate must have. In that case, your resume must reflect the job criteria by including the very same keywords describing it. The good news is that Wozber, with all its ATS resume scanning and optimization tools, makes this process super easy.

How does Wozber ATS Resume Scanner work?

We've built an AI-driven system that can recognize job requirements you provide and automatically segment them into keywords used to check your resume content. Since recruiters will initiate ATS boolean keyword search (a.k.a. ATS resume scan) based on words found in the job requirements publicly available to you, you can leverage that for your own benefit. As long as you include the same keywords in your resume, you can be sure your resume will pop up in the top ATS scan results.

That's what happens entirely automatically after you provide a copy of the job posting to Wozber:

• It will process provided text and identify job requirements, excluding irrelevant content, like details about company or position benefits.
• Next, the key information in every job requirement will be typed and highlighted as keywords.
• Then Wozber will go through each job requirement again and, based on what kind of keywords it entails, put it into the most relevant category linked directly to a specific resume section.
• Once the job requirements are thoroughly analyzed, Wozber will start scanning your resume and compare what you have already written with the keywords found in the job requirements – just like an actual ATS resume scanner would do.
• Finally, your resume ATS Optimization Rate will be calculated based on how well your resume matches each job requirement, their category, and job criteria in general. Every time you make changes to your resume, Wozber ATS Resume Checker will update it.

What is an ATS Resume?

What wozber members have to say.

Asher Harris

“As someone who spent a long time unemployed in the past, I absolutely love this. Well done guys! I really hope this gets wildly popular, it will be valuable to so many people.”

“There are a lot of résumé builders out there, but nothing I've found as powerful as Wozber. When advising my clients on how to craft their creative and professional stories, Wozber has become my go-to tool. I can't recommend Wozber enough for anyone who wants to up their game and chances of securing that dream opportunity.”

Christophe Petignat

“I created my resume with Wozber, and everything went perfectly. It was easy to use and helped me get the job I wanted. Few of my friends also used Wozber and loved it as much as I did.”

Boost your interview chances with a targeted resume

How To Create a Scannable Resume: F-Pattern and Z-Pattern

3 key takeaways

• F-pattern and Z-pattern resume layouts optimize for how recruiters naturally scan documents.
• A scannable resume increases your chances of passing both human and ATS screenings.
• Easily transform your resume layout with Teal’s AI Resume Builder . 

On a resume, it’s not just about what you say—it's also about how you present it. 

Scannable resumes, specifically those designed for F-pattern and Z-pattern reading, help you capture (and hold) a hiring manager’s attention. 

This guide walks you through the psychology behind Z-pattern and F-pattern resumes, how to implement each effectively, and when to use which in your job search.

Struggling to format your resume? Easily create and customize a resume with Teal's resume builder AI .

Understanding F-pattern and Z-pattern reading

Before diving into the specifics of creating scannable resumes, it’s essential to understand the science behind how people read and process information.

F-pattern and Z-pattern reading are two common ways our eyes naturally move across a page. Understanding these layout scanning patterns can significantly improve your resume’s effectiveness by ensuring key information is strategically placed to catch the reader's attention.

What is F-pattern reading?

F-pattern reading refers to the natural eye movement that resembles the shape of the letter F when scanning a document. The initial element forms the first horizontal reading movement, which helps define the structure of the F-pattern. This pattern typically involves:

• A horizontal movement across the top of the content area.
• A second horizontal movement slightly lower on the page.
• A vertical movement down the left side of the content.

This reading pattern is particularly relevant for resumes because it aligns with how recruiters and hiring managers often scan resumes. By structuring your resume to accommodate this natural eye movement, you can ensure your most important information catches the reader’s attention.

What is Z-pattern reading?

Z-pattern reading, as the name suggests, follows a path that resembles the letter Z. This pattern typically involves:

• Starting at the top-left corner.
• Moving horizontally to the top-right corner.
• Moving diagonally down to the bottom-left corner.
• Finishing with a horizontal movement to the bottom-right corner.

Z-pattern reading can be more effective for visually-driven layouts and resumes in creative industries. It’s also particularly useful when you want to guide the reader's eye in a specific sequence or emphasize certain elements of your resume in a deliberate order.

The psychology behind these reading patterns

Eye-tracking studies have consistently shown that people tend to follow F- and Z-patterns when scanning documents, especially online content. This behavior is largely due to natural reading habits and the way people process information quickly.

Understanding these patterns matters for job seekers because it allows you to strategically place your most important information where it's most likely to be seen and remembered. By aligning your resume's layout with these natural reading patterns, you can:

• Increase the chances of key information being noticed
• Improve the overall readability of your resume
• Make a stronger first impression in the crucial first few seconds

How to create an F-pattern resume

Now that you understand the psychology behind F-pattern reading, it's time to explore how to create an f-pattern resume that leverages natural eye movement to call attention to relevant information.

Key elements of an F-pattern resume

An effective F-pattern resume typically includes:

• A strong header with your name and contact information.
• A prominent skills section or summary statement.
• Strategic use of bold text and bullet points.
• Left-aligned text for easy scanning.

Step-by-step guide to crafting an F-pattern resume

When designing a resume that grabs attention and highlights your qualifications, leveraging the F-pattern layout is key. This guide will walk you through creating an F-pattern resume that places your most important information where hiring managers are most likely to see it.

1. Start with a clear, bold header

Place your name and contact information at the top of the page in a larger font size.

F-pattern resume header example

2. Place a concise professional summary directly below

This is not only best resume practice, it ensures crucial information is in the first horizontal sweep of the F-pattern.

3. Use left-aligned headings for each section

This guides the eye down the left side of the page, following the vertical part of the F.

F-pattern resume work experience example

4. Incorporate bullet points for easy scanning

Use bullets to highlight key achievements or responsibilities under each job role.

5. Use Group key achievements under a bolded header

This draws attention to important information within the body of your resume.

Best practices for F-pattern resume design

When writing an F-pattern resume, be sure to maintain consistent formatting throughout. That means using the same font, size, and style for similar elements to create a cohesive look—and be sure to choose a clean, professional font. Readable fonts include Arial, Calibri, and Helvetica.

You also want to use white space effectively—don’t overcrowd your resume. Allow breathing room between sections to improve readability. You can also improve readability by limiting color use.

Common mistakes to avoid in F-pattern resumes

When creating an F-pattern resume, don’t overcrowd the left side of the page. While it's important to align with the F-pattern, don't sacrifice clarity for layout.

At the same time, don’t leave the bottom right corner of your resume completely blank. While less prominent in the F-pattern, this area shouldn't be wasted.

Creating the Z-pattern resume

While the F-pattern is commonly used, the Z-pattern can be an effective alternative for those looking to create a visually engaging resume that draws attention to specific elements. It's especially useful for more visually-oriented industries or roles.

Key elements of a Z-pattern resume

• Eye-catching header across the top.
• Strategic placement of key information along the Z path, ensuring the scanning pattern quickly delivers essential details to the reader.
• Use of visual elements to guide the eye.

Step-by-step guide to crafting an Z-pattern resume

This guide will take you through the steps to design a Z-pattern resume, ensuring your most important details leave a lasting impression on potential employers.

1. Design a striking header that spans the page width

This forms the top line of the Z.

2. Place your most important information in the top left corner

This could be a brief professional summary or your most relevant skills.

3. Use a diagonal path to guide the eye to key points

This can be achieved through strategic placement of headings or visual elements.

4. End with a strong call-to-action or contact information in the bottom right

This completes the Z-pattern and leaves a lasting impression.

‍ Note: Teal does not recommend this and it’s not considered best practice for a resume.

Best practices for Z-pattern resume design

When creating a Z-pattern resume, you can strategically incorporate subtle visual cues like lines or shapes to help guide the eye along the Z-pattern. If appropriate for your industry, you can also use contrasting colors to emphasize key areas and enhance visual cues.

Common mistakes to avoid in Z-pattern resumes

While you want to guide the reader’s eye, don’t overuse visual elements that can distract from the content. Keep the focus on your important qualifications and achievements—and don’t neglect information if it doesn’t fit the Z-pattern.

Combining F-pattern and Z-pattern techniques

In some cases, a hybrid resume format combining elements of both F-pattern and Z-pattern layouts can be highly effective.

When and how to use both patterns

You can use both an F-pattern resume and Z-pattern resume when: 

• You want to highlight different types of information in various ways.
• Your industry values both traditional and creative approaches.
• You're applying for a role that requires both analytical and creative skills.

To seamlessly integrate both patterns, use an F-pattern for the overall structure of your resume. Then, incorporate Z-pattern elements within specific sections to draw attention to key achievements or skills.

Ensure the transition between patterns feels natural and doesn't disrupt the flow of information.

Balancing visual appeal with content

Remember, while layout is important, content remains king. You want to ensure your resume remains content-focused and still emphasizes your most important qualifications, achievements, and skills.

Use layout to enhance, not overshadow, your qualifications and achievements.

Making a scannable resume: Beyond F- and Z-patterns

While F- and Z-patterns are powerful tools, there are additional strategies to make your resume more scannable and effective.

Optimize for applicant tracking systems (ATS)

Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they reach human eyes. Choosing the right resume format is crucial to ensure your resume is compatible with an ATS system:

• Use standard section headings (e.g., “Work Experience,” “Education”).
• Avoid complex formatting, tables, or graphics that ATS might not read correctly.
• Save your resume in a compatible file format (usually .docx or .pdf).

Enhance readability for human recruiters

Once your resume goes through the ATS, it needs to impress human recruiters. Structure information in easily digestible chunks, including short paragraphs and bullet points. You can use font sizes, different fonts, or different font styles (like bold or italics) to call out headings, job titles, and company titles.

Finally, be sure to incorporate enough white space to avoid a cluttered appearance.

Include relevant skills and keywords

Keywords play a crucial role in both ATS and human scanning. To include the right keywords on your resume, first identify relevant keywords from the job description. These may be in the “responsibilities” section or “qualifications” section. Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your resume, balancing keyword usage with clear, concise language to avoid "keyword stuffing."

Scannable resume examples

Let's look at some practical examples of how these principles can be applied.

F-pattern resume example

This format often follows a reverse-chronological order, which helps in clearly presenting your most recent work experiences to recruiters.

Key elements that make this F-pattern resume effective:

• Strong header with name and contact information.
• Prominent professional summary section at the top.
• Left-aligned headings guiding the eye down the page.
• Bullet points for easy scanning of achievements.

Z-pattern resume example

Key elements that make this Z-pattern resume effective:

• Eye-catching header spanning the page width.
• Key information strategically placed along the Z path.
• Visual elements guiding the eye through the content..

Combo F-Z pattern resume template

Key elements that make this combined resume effective:

• It maintains the overall structure of an F-pattern for familiarity.
• Z-pattern elements draw attention to key achievements.
• The layout is flexible enough to adapt to various industries and roles.

Maximizing your job search success with a scannable resume

Creating an effective scannable resume is an iterative process. Here's how to test, improve, and maximize your success when creating a scannable resume.

Conduct your own eye-tracking test

You don’t need to wait for your resume to go through an ATS or get a recruiter’s eye before you know if you’ve formatted it correctly. Instead, ask a friend or other trusted person to look at your resume for ten to 15 seconds.

Then, ask them what key information they remember. Was it your professional summary? Your skills? One of your work experiences? Note which areas drew their attention and which were overlooked.

A/B test different layouts

If you’re still torn between using an F-pattern resume or a Z-pattern resume, create multiple versions of your resume with slight variations. Then, send different versions to similar job applications. 

You can then track which resume version gets you more responses or interviews.

Tailor your resume for different applications

It’s best to avoid submitting the same resume over and over to every new position you apply to. Instead, adjust your scannable resume for each job application. A functional resume is most useful for job seekers with limited experience, career changers, or those with employment gaps.

This means matching your resume to the job description of the specific company and role you’re applying for—ensuring you’re calling out the most relevant experiences, skills, and qualifications.

Continuously improve your resume

No matter what scannable resume type you choose, you should always regularly update that resume with new achievements and skills. If you learn something new at work, get a certification, or work on a personal project, you should add it to your resume if it’s relevant to the roles you’re applying for.

If you find your resume isn’t getting the response you’ve wanted, be willing to adjust—whether the format, content style, or how you’re writing about your achievements.

Complement your resume with a strong online presence

Your job application is more than your resume. Your online presence, including your LinkedIn, should back up what you’ve put on your resume and boost your professional brand. 

As you’re updating your resume, make a habit of updating your online profiles, too. You can also add resume links to your projects and portfolios that you allude to on your resume.

Crafting your path to success with a scannable resume

Creating a scannable resume using F-pattern and Z-pattern techniques can significantly improve your chances of landing your dream job. By understanding how recruiters and ATS scan resumes, you can strategically place your most important information where it's most likely to be noticed.

Remember these key points:

• F-pattern resumes and Z-pattern resumes optimize your resume for natural reading patterns.
• A scannable resume increases your chances of optimizing for both human and ATS screenings.
• Combining strategic layout with strong content is crucial for an effective resume.
• Continuously test and refine your resume for best results.

As you craft your scannable resume, keep in mind that it's not just about following a template—it's about presenting your unique value proposition in the most effective way possible. Stay informed about industry trends, be open to feedback, and don't be afraid to showcase your personality within the constraints of professional resume design.

With these techniques and mindset, you're well-equipped to create a resume that not only passes initial screenings but also leaves a lasting impression on hiring managers. Your next career move is just a well-designed resume away. Sign up for Teal to get started with a free resume template.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the f format for a resume.

The F format for a resume refers to a layout that follows the F-pattern reading style, where key information is aligned along the top and left sides of the page. This design ensures that recruiters quickly notice important details during their initial scan.

What is the F-shaped reading resume?

An F-shaped reading resume is one that strategically places information where the reader's eye naturally moves in an F-shaped pattern. This typically means having a strong header, a prominent summary or skills section, and key details aligned along the left side of the page.

What is the F zone on a resume?

The F zone on a resume refers to the areas where the reader's eye first lands and focuses, typically the top and left sides of the page. Placing your most critical information in these zones ensures it’s seen during quick scans by recruiters.

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Your Complete Guide to Resume Formats (and How to Pick the Best One for You!)

It’s not easy to take years’ (or decades’!) worth of your work history, skills, and accomplishments and wrangle it into a one-page document that’s optimally organized to convince a stranger to give you a job and the salary and benefits that go with it. But it is possible.

While there are endless decisions you could make about your resume (font! colors! number of bullets!), the biggest one is simply: What format should you use? Here’s everything you need to know about the three most common resume formats and how to pick the right one for you.

The Chronological Resume

The functional resume, the combination resume, what to know about resume formats and applicant tracking systems.

When someone says the word “resume,” the image that comes to mind is probably a chronological resume, since it’s the kind that job seekers use most frequently and therefore the one recruiters and hiring managers see most often. Also known as a reverse-chronological resume, which is a slightly more accurate label, it puts the spotlight on your work experience listed from most recent to least recent.

What Goes Into a Chronological Resume?

A chronological resume contains the following components, roughly in this order:

• Name and contact information
• Summary statement (optional)
• Work history (or relevant work history) including the role, company, location, and dates as well as details about your accomplishments in that role, with your current or most recent job listed first
• Hobbies , interests, activities, volunteer experience , awards, and/or any other relevant section (optional)

Should You Use a Chronological Resume Format?

Most job seekers could make good use of a chronological resume, from recent graduates to seasoned executives. It’s an especially natural fit for anyone who’s pursued a relatively linear and consistent path without any major pivots or big gaps.

There are two major advantages to this format. Because the chronological resume is so common, recruiters and hiring managers are familiar with the format and know how to read it. They can quickly and easily see how you built your career. This resume format also tends to pass through applicant tracking systems more smoothly than other formats. (An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is software that helps employers manage the hiring process, including scanning applications. More on resume formats and applicant tracking systems below.)

The downside is that if you’re changing careers, have had a complicated or varied path, or are returning from a long period away from the workforce, the chronological resume could highlight those gaps and make it difficult for those reading it to decipher what skills you bring to the table that would make you a strong candidate for this particular role.

Example of a Chronological Resume

What does this all actually look like? You can take a look at an example chronological resume below and click here to download a copy.

Read more about the chronological resume

A functional resume, also known as a skills-based resume , takes a different tack. Instead of focusing on your work history, it gives the most space and attention to key skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. You’d still include a brief section about your work experience, but wouldn’t include any further description or detail.

What Goes Into a Functional Resume?

A functional resume contains the following components, roughly in this order:

• Skills/areas of expertise, typically grouped into a few subcategories relevant to the role, with related accomplishments and details below each skill or group of skills
• Work history (or relevant work history) including the role, company, location, and dates
• Additional skills, hobbies, interests, activities, volunteer experience, awards, and/or any other relevant section (optional)

Should You Use a Functional Resume Format?

Functional resumes are sometimes recommended for job seekers who don’t have any recent work experience (or any traditional work experience at all), those who are making a major career change, and folks whose work history is all over the map.

But should you really use a functional resume? The answer in most cases is probably not, according to Muse writer Jaclyn Westlake, a recruiter and former HR manager. Recruiters are often suspicious of functional resumes , and might assume that an applicant using one is trying to hide something.

Recruiters and hiring managers are sifting through a lot of resumes, so your goal as a job seeker is to make it as easy as possible for them to read and understand yours. Since the functional resume is far less common than the typical chronological resume and includes only the bare bones of your work history toward the bottom of the page, it can be harder to parse.

Besides the fact that “recruiters and employers are distrustful of them,” functional resumes “become a garbled mess when they pass through the ATS,” says Amanda Augustine, career expert for TopResume . Augustine urges job seekers to avoid the functional resume even if they’re making a pivot. “You’re better off using the professional summary section of your combination resume to highlight your relevant skills, rather than resorting to a functional resume format.”

Example of a Functional Resume

You can take a look at an example functional resume below and click here to download a copy.

Read more about the functional resume

If the chronological and functional resume formats sit on two ends of a spectrum, the combination resume can be found somewhere in the middle. Sometimes referred to as a hybrid resume, it features relevant skills at the top and a section with your detailed work history listed in reverse-chronological order. In other words, it’s a format that allows you to emphasize both aspects on relatively footing.

What Goes Into a Combination Resume?

A combination resume contains the following components, roughly in this order:

• Relevant/key skills
• Work history (or relevant work history) including the role, company, location, and dates as well as details about your accomplishments in that role

Should You Use a Combination Resume Format?

The combination resume might be a good choice if you’re not sure your work history alone would tell the right story about you as a candidate for the kinds of roles you’re interested in. If you’re a career changer, a veteran, or a recent graduate, the combination resume could serve you well. This format can also be helpful if you have a lot of experience, a multi-track job history, or big gaps in employment.

The combination resume carries some of the same risks as a functional resume in the sense that some employers might assume you’re trying to hide something. However, because it does include the chronological work history that recruiters and hiring managers expect to see, it’s less likely to feel cagey. It also lets you to take a little bit more control of the story you’d like to tell and highlight why you’d be a great fit for the job even if your past roles don’t immediately say so.

It “allows the recruiter, like me, to pay very close attention to skill sets first. What do they think they’re really good at?” recruiter Steven Davis, a Muse career coach, told The Muse.

Example of a Combination Resume

You can take a look at an example combination resume below and click here to download a copy.

Read more about the combination resume

Now you know all the basics about the big three resume formats—and perhaps have a sense of which one might be the best fit for you and your job search. But before you go off and craft the perfect document, there are a few other things you should know about your resume format.

We’ve talked a lot about how your resume will look and feel to recruiters and hiring managers. But in this day and age, your application might never reach a human hand if it doesn’t “impress” the applicant tracking system first. Companies often use this software to scan incoming resumes and surface ones that are more likely to be a good fit for the role. Using the right keywords , of course, is crucial, but it’s not enough on its own.

“ATS-parsing technology favors documents that have a clear hierarchy to their information, so combination and chronological resume formats work best,” says Augustine. She also recommends keeping your name and contact information (or any other pertinent details) out of the header and footer of the document so it doesn’t get lost. In other words, yes, put your name and contact info at the top of the page, but don’t literally double-click into the separate part of document that Word calls the “Header” and put it there.

And don’t go wild with the visuals! “When it comes to your format, less is often more,” says Augustine. “Stick to a simple, clean resume design without including charts, images, or unusual fonts. Save the creative design elements for your online profile or portfolio.” The same goes for fonts—stick to a standard font like Times New Roman or Arial rather than getting too fancy.

If you want to do a quick proxy test to see whether an ATS will be able to read your resume, Augustine suggests copying and pasting it into a plain text file. “If this version of your resume is missing details, includes odd characters, or looks disorganized, then you know your format will require some changes before it will pass safely through the ATS,” she says.

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Best Practices for Efficient Resume Screening

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The average resume contains 800-1,200 words . If your team has a queue of 250 or more resumes, reading and reviewing so many words on resumes becomes time-consuming and tedious for your team. “Resume fatigue” is a real thing. At the same time, unconscious bias and evaluation errors cloud the hiring process and negatively impact your selection decisions, which can have legal and ethical ramifications for your company. 

But fear not! Digitized resume screening allows HR pros and hiring managers to quickly review top talent without reading hundreds of documents with hundreds of words. You can smooth your resume screening process, reduce time-to-hire, and improve the quality of your hires, all with automation. 

Below, learn the challenges of manually reviewing resumes, how technology can help, the best resume screening tools, and more. 

Why is resume screening so important?

In simplest terms, resume screening is quickly reviewing resumes to determine whether someone is qualified for one of your job roles. It involves scanning specific keywords, abilities, skills, and qualities, almost always with specialized software, so you don’t have to read hundreds or thousands of docs.

As you already know, talent acquisition (TA) teams spend way too many hours on administrative tasks, such as reviewing heaps of resumes. According to our 2024 Hiring Insights Report , 37% of recruiters across multiple industries want to improve their overall efficiency. On top of that, 20% of TA leaders say their teams struggle with unmanageable workloads, while 45% anticipate more challenges this year because of recruitment team turnover.

Digitizing resume screening won’t free up all the time your HR pros spend on interview management. However, it will dramatically reduce the hours they dedicate to resume reviewing and its many tasks, including identifying keywords, assessing skills, and shortlisting candidates. 

Think about the last time you advertised a job and the number of resumes you received. Now imagine you didn’t have to painstakingly review every one of these documents and almost instantaneously found the best talent to interview for that role. Wouldn’t life for your team have been so much easier? The best thing about screening resumes is it optimizes your time and resources, meaning HR experts can spend their time on far more valuable tasks.

Resume screening has other benefits. By automating the earliest stage of recruitment, you can ensure candidate quality and that the most qualified and talented applicants move on to the interview stage. You’ll also reduce some bad things that naturally happen when reviewing resumes, such as unconscious bias. We’ll explain why this is so important in the next section.

Challenges of reviewing resumes

Looking through resumes and selecting candidates for an interview used to be a simple process. Not anymore. HR teams need to deal with high volumes of applications while trying to identify niche skills. And they need to do all this while eliminating bias and adhering to ever-complicated hiring laws.

High volume of applications and longer-than-ever resumes

Gone are the days when employers received a handful of short, simple resumes and had the time and resources to review them. Over the last five years, the average resume has doubled in length from one page to two. Plus, with the increase in the American population, more candidates are in the job market in many industries than ever before . That means your HR team could receive hundreds or even thousands of resumes, many containing more information than necessary.

The sheer number of resumes you might receive can be daunting, especially if you have a small HR team. With limited resources, it’s easy to overlook candidates that would be perfect for a job, while time constraints may lead to inconsistent selection processes and costly hiring mistakes.

Say you get 500 resumes for a job position, but you only have a few people on your team to review them. A short hiring time means you may move faster than you should through the stack of resumes. Making a decision too quickly could mean you forward the wrong people to the interview stage.

Interview management tools, such as GoodTime Hire, trusted by big-name companies like HubSpot and Spotify, can help with high-volume hiring. By automating low-level tasks such as interview scheduling , you can focus on human decision-making and finding top talent that adds value to your company. Your HR team will thank you for making their lives so much easier!

Identifying key skills

It’s harder than ever to know whether candidates have the skills required for a job role.

Say you’re looking for someone with extensive customer service experience. Applicants might use different terminology for “customer service” that essentially mean the same thing, such as “customer support,” “customer success,” and “customer care.”

When time is of the essence, your brain might overlook these terms, meaning you’re passing on qualified candidates without realizing it. It can also be difficult to accurately pinpoint critical skills when resumes are so long.

Candidates might also use vague descriptions when writing about their skills and experience. For example, “strong communication skills” could mean anything , from simply talking on the phone to giving international TED talks. That makes it tricky to identify someone’s true abilities for a job role, and, again, you might pass on qualified candidates.

Resume-screening tools come to the rescue here, too. They automatically scan resumes for keywords—and all their variations—so you don’t have to, helping you find the most competent candidates for your company.

Unconscious bias

Now, here’s where things get serious. All HR professionals and hiring managers, even you, have deep-rooted unconscious biases. It’s just human nature. While you can’t help it, biases can seriously impact job candidates and overall recruitment processes and outcomes, especially when they lead to accidental discrimination.

“Unconscious bias in recruitment is not a new phenomenon,” says HR leader Mo Al-Tamimi . “It has been an undercurrent in the hiring landscape since the inception of organized employment. These biases, hidden beneath the surface of conscious thought, are shaped by our background, cultural environment, and personal experiences.”

There are various theories as to why humans have biases. Perhaps we organize “social worlds” by placing people into different categories. Our brains may also automatically make quick judgments because of our experiences and societal stereotypes. Whatever the reason, we should become aware of our biases so we don’t discriminate against people during the hiring process.

Resume-screening tools can help here, too. Of course, software might still discriminate because, ultimately, humanscreated it. However, well-designed computer algorithms frequently determine outcomes that are equally or more equitable than human decision-making processes . Ultimately, that may reduce biases.

You can reduce biases further post-screening by implementing advanced interview training . When HR teams receive proper training, they can interview candidates more fairly and make more equitable hiring decisions.

Complicated hiring laws

HR teams struggle to find eligible candidates when reviewing resumes and must comply with an ever-growing body of laws, rules, and regulations that often overlap each other. These include the:

• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Civil Rights Act (and subsequent laws)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act
• State and local employment laws
• Industry-specific guidelines and regulations
• Internal fair employment practices

That’s a lot of stuff to comply with!

If you’re trying to fill a job position and receive resumes from a few hundred people, you’ll need to ensure you don’t discriminate against these candidates based on:

• Race, religion, gender, or other factors (as per the Civil Rights Act and other federal and state legislation)
• Age (Age Discrimination in Employment Act)
• Disability status (Americans With Disabilities Act)

So, how can you do this? Well, the best resume screening platforms remove all kinds of human biases and help you evaluate applicants based on objective criteria. As a result, you’ll improve compliance with equal employment opportunity (EEO) legislation, industry regulations, and other rules. You can also avoid an anti-discrimination lawsuit, such as reputational damage and expensive penalties.

Best practices for resume screening

Right now, you have two options for reviewing resumes:

• Continue manually screening them, which can be challenging with high volumes.
• Invest in an automated tool that screens resumes for your team, helping you identify critical skills, remove biases, and comply with EEO laws and regulations.

Opting for the latter improves collaboration between team members by providing a centralized platform where users can access and review resumes in one place. However, it won’t magically solve all the challenges they face when reviewing these documents, and you’ll still need to fine-tune your recruitment workflows to guarantee a fair screening process.

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Standardize screening

Structured resume screening is an assessment method that lets you measure job candidates’ competencies according to a standardized set of criteria. For example, you can evaluate all applicants based on their academic qualifications and work experience rather than their appearance, age, industry connections, or non-job-related activities. The best screening tools let you customize assessment criteria, allowing for fairer hiring outcomes.

Implement “blind” screening

Removing all personally identifiable information (PII) from resumes before you manually or digitally screen them further removes biases, ensuring a more equitable and impartial hiring process. For example, you can eliminate personal identifiers such as names, addresses, and photos so all candidates enter your screening process on an equal footing.

Use AI-based screening tools

Advanced screening tools use the latest AI algorithms and logic to automate resume reviewing and reduce human biases, ensuring fairness recruitment workflows that you can be proud of!

Although not a resume-screening tool, AI-powered GoodTime Hire lets you pre-screen candidates in later recruitment stages. You can set questions on experience, education, and abilities before the system determines whether someone is a good fit for a role. The platform also streamlines interview scheduling. 

“AI-based resume tools offer a compelling alternative, potentially revolutionizing the way HR representatives view applications,” says Aspen HR , which offers white glove HR, payroll, and benefits for the world’s leading alternative investment funds. “They offer a faster, more accurate, and significantly more efficient way to identify top talent and ensure your company doesn’t miss out on the perfect fit for your team.”

Best resume-screening tools

With so many resume screening platforms on the market, where do you start? Here are some of the most popular that you need to know about.

Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit is a tool that automatically scans multiple resumes and transfers candidate information to your database, helping you find the best applicants quickly. You can also standardize resume details so data displays correctly in your ATS. 

Other features include saving resumes received through job board websites and tracking candidates at different stages of the hiring process. 

SmartAssistant

This AI-powered software reviews new and existing resumes at “lightning speed,” according to its creators. It then finds and scores talent based on custom criteria so you can forward the most successful candidates to the interview stage.

One of the best things about SmartAssistant is that it scrubs PII from resumes before assessing them. It also doesn’t factor your previous hiring decisions into its algorithm, further reducing human bias.

Freshteam manages various aspects of recruitment, including resume screening. It also integrates with skills testing applications, streamlines candidate reporting, and lets you create job ads directly from a simple dashboard.

Many popular ATSs now have resume-screening features. Workable , for example, enables anonymized screening to reduce bias when reviewing candidates’ documents.

How to choose the right tool

We’ve barely scratched the surface of the options available to you for automation and resume screening. So, how do you choose just the right software or tool for your business?

• Start by evaluating your specific requirements and why you want to digitize resume screening in the first place. 
• Consider investing in one of these technologies to improve candidate quality or free up time for your HR team. 
• Compare and contrast features that optimize resume reviewing, such as AI-powered candidate matching, customizable filters, data security, and integration with your applicant tracking system (ATS). 
• Read online reviews and customer testimonials to help you choose the best software.

Measure resume screening effectiveness

You’ve signed up for a resume screening tool and want to know whether it was worth the investment. Measuring different key performance indicators (KPIs) helps you do that. Here are some of the best ones to track:

• Cost per hire: Tells you how much money you spend hiring a new employee by considering all your recruitment costs, including marketing.
• Quality of hire: Reveals the overall value new hires bring to your company after onboarding by analyzing job performance, cultural fit, and other factors.
• Time to hire: Also known as time to fill, this KPI measures the time between when someone enters your recruitment funnel, typically just after they submit their resume, and when they accept a job offer.
• Offer acceptance rate: Measures the percentage of applicants who accept a job offer from your company.

Rather than calculating metrics like these manually, you can use an interview management tool to do it for you. GoodTime unlocks your hiring data by presenting it on dashboards, letting you access more insightful recruiting analytics .

Make resume screening less of a chore

Manually reading and reviewing resumes is hard work. Invest in a tool that:

• Handles high volumes of applications
• Identifies key skills
• Reduces unconscious bias
• Complies with EEO legislation, industry guidelines, and internal practices
• Lets you communicate with candidates via text recruiting software other technologies

[Graphic suggestion using the 4 bullet points above: “What to Look For in a Resume Screening Tool”]

Digitizing resume screening, which is far easier than you think, leads to more successful recruitment outcomes. It’s as simple as that.

However, you’ll still need to adopt best practices , such as standardizing your screening processes, to ensure fair hiring practices. We also recommend adopting AI recruitment tools , or preferably human-centric AI ones, when reviewing resumes so you can continue to automate and reduce biases.

Human-centric AI strives to augment human capabilities rather than replace them, which we passionately believe in. We know some HR professionals are worrying about the future of their jobs right now as AI takes over more industries. But no technology can substitute your talented team!

Ready to learn more about weaving human-centric AI into your workflows? See how GoodTime’s must-have-now software improves interview scheduling, reduces time to hire, enhances candidate quality, and frees up time for HR professionals in multiple industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services.

Additional resources to continue learning:

• Human-centric AI is the future of hiring
• The 7 Talent Acquisition Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2024
• Mastering Full Cycle Recruiting: A Comprehensive Guide

About the Author

Kirk is a freelance content writer with over 10 years of experience. He has worked for clients such as Travelocity, StubHub, and Ziff Davis. His talents include SEO-optimized blog posts and website pages, press releases, email newsletters, product descriptions, social media posts, and long-form content.

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