Common ATS Mistakes and How to Fix Them

November 2, 2025 · 1 min read

Common ATS Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Most rejections happen before a human reads your resume. Avoid these ATS pitfalls to keep your application in the running.

1) Fancy design that breaks parsing

Problem: tables, columns, icons. Fix: one column, text labels, simple bullets.

2) Wrong file type

Problem: Scanned PDFs or images. Fix: DOCX or text-based PDF.

3) Missing keywords

Problem: Skills in the JD don’t appear in your CV. Fix: Mirror titles and tools naturally in bullets.

4) Unclear headings

Problem: Creative labels like “My Journey.” Fix: Use standard headings.

5) Hidden contact details

Problem: Icons or headers/footers. Fix: Plain text in the body header.

Quick fix workflow

1. Run the ATS check and note missing terms.
2. Rewrite top 3–5 bullets per job with metrics + tools.
3. Export DOCX and re-scan.

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