Best ATS-Friendly Resume Format for US Employers

Choose a predictable reading order

Give each employer, job title and date range a clear place. Use ordinary section names such as Experience and Education. Put important information in the main body, not only in graphics, icons or a footer. Avoid a second column when it makes the intended order difficult to follow.

A layout you can adapt

An experienced analyst might begin with a short summary, then technical skills and recent work. A graduate may put education and relevant projects before employment. The order should reflect the strongest evidence for the vacancy; it need not follow a purchased template's decorative structure.

• Use consistent dates and legible text at ordinary zoom.
• Keep links readable even when printed.
• Avoid proficiency bars that do not explain actual experience.

Test the file, not an ATS score promise

Greenhouse documents parsing difficulties with image-based content, complex formatting and some header or text-box content. Export a text-based document, copy it into a plain-text editor and inspect its order. If an application autofills employment fields, correct any mistakes before submitting. Parsing success is not the same as meeting a role's requirements.