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What Is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
An ATS supports an employer’s recruiting workflow. The University of Waterloo’s CareerHub overview includes ATS, resume and action-verb resources. Features, settings and human processes vary.
What an ATS may do with an application
A system may store files, extract fields, associate answers with a job, enable searches or manage workflow stages. As a product-specific example, LinkedIn Recruiter’s Resume Search documentation describes extracting skills and job titles. That behaviour is not universal.
What an ATS does not guarantee
A readable file does not guarantee a score, interview or hiring outcome. Requirements, screening questions, system rules and human review may all matter.
Why employers may configure systems differently
Products, integrations, fields and screening rules differ. Even the same platform can be configured differently, so no universal ATS score or perfect template exists.
What Makes a Resume ATS-Friendly?
An ATS-friendly resume uses predictable order, recognizable labels and truthful evidence. These are lower-risk practices, not guarantees. The University of Toronto Mississauga resume checklist also emphasizes tailoring, results, consistency and readability.
Element | Lower-risk approach | Why it may help | What to verify |
Layout | One column | Predictable order | Pasted sequence |
Headings | Skills, Experience, Education | Familiar labels | Distinct sections |
| Fonts | Readable common font | Fewer display surprises | Correct characters |
Dates | One format | Clear chronology | Accurate months and years |
Contact Information | Main body | Details stay with text | Working email, phone and links |
| Bullets | Standard text bullets | Searchable achievements | Order and indentation |
Links | Descriptive text and context | Link is not sole evidence | Correct destination |
File Type | Requested format | Follows receiving rules | Opens with selectable text |
Use a Simple, Readable Resume Layout
General Canadian resume structure is separate; here, layout concerns parsing and reading order.
Prefer a clear one-column reading order
One main column is easier to test and may reduce ambiguity. Waterloo’s resume-building guidance recommends one wide column when discussing ATS.
Use familiar section headings
Professional Summary, Skills, Work Experience and Education communicate purpose better than creative labels.
Keep contact details in the main document body
Place your name, phone, email and relevant link near the top as text, not only in a header, icon or image.
Use consistent dates, bullets and spacing
Use one date pattern, bullet style and spacing system. Consistency supports extraction and scanning.
Avoid decorative elements that carry essential information
A graphic, icon or skill bar should not be the only place an important qualification appears.
How to Find Resume Keywords in a Canadian Job Posting
Keywords should connect a posting to genuine evidence. Job Bank recommends researching the role and tailoring relevant accomplishments and terms; it does not justify copying or invention. See its guidance on creating a customized resume.
Start with the exact job title
Use the target title when accurate. Clarify an international title without inflating seniority.
Identify required skills, tools and credentials
Mark repeated skills, tools, methods, language requirements and credentials, then find evidence for each.
Separate must-have requirements from preferences
Prioritize stated requirements; preferences should not displace evidence for essentials.
Note acronyms and spelled-out terms
When useful, write the full term once with its acronym—for example, project management office (PMO).
Use keywords only when they are truthful
Job Bank’s resume guidance stresses honesty. Reject stuffing, false skills, hidden white text and wholesale copying.
Fictional example: A Project Coordinator posting requests schedule tracking, stakeholder communication, Microsoft Excel, risk logs, meeting minutes and an optional certificate.
Job-posting phrase | What it means | Where it could appear in the resume | Evidence the candidate should provide |
| Project Coordinator | Target role | Summary | Comparable coordination scope |
| Schedule tracking | Monitor milestones | Experience | Tool, cadence and context |
| Stakeholder communication | Coordinate updates | Summary or experience | Audience and method |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet capability | Skills and experience | Tracker, analysis or report |
Risk log | Document risks | Experience | Maintenance or escalation |
| Meeting minutes | Record actions | Experience | Volume and follow-up |
Write an ATS-Friendly Professional Summary and Skills Section
Match the target role without copying the posting
Fictional example — Weak: “Hard-working professional seeking growth.” Improved: “Project coordinator with four years of experience supporting schedules, vendor communication and status reporting for construction projects.”
Combine keywords with evidence
A keyword is credible when experience shows its use. Pair “risk tracking” with supported context or outcomes.
Use both acronym and full term when useful
Write “project management office (PMO)” once when useful; do not repeat variants unnaturally.
Keep the skills section specific
Fictional example — Weak: “Communication, computer, leadership.” Improved: “Stakeholder updates; Microsoft Excel trackers; meeting minutes; vendor coordination; English and Persian.”
Turn Work Experience Into Searchable Achievement Bullets
Formula: Action + task or skill + context + measurable result. Results may be quantitative or specific qualitative outcomes; never invent numbers. Fictional examples:
- Before: Helped with schedules. After: Updated weekly schedules for three installation teams and flagged milestone changes for the project manager.
- Before: Wrote reports. After: Built an Excel status tracker that consolidated delivery updates from eight suppliers for weekly reporting.
- Before: Attended meetings. After: Prepared minutes and action logs for bilingual project meetings, assigning owners and due dates.
- Before: Managed risks. After: Maintained the project risk log and escalated permit delays during monthly governance reviews.
Formatting Choices That May Cause Parsing Problems
Complex formatting does not produce the same result in every system. These alternatives reduce risk while preserving the information.
| Potential issue | Safer alternative |
| Multi-column layout | One clear reading order |
| Tables or text boxes for core experience | Standard headings and paragraphs |
| Header- or footer-only contacts | Repeat in the main body |
| Unlabelled icons | Write email, phone or skill |
| Charts, skill bars or graphics | Describe proficiency with evidence |
| Image-only resume | Export searchable text |
| Unusual fonts or symbols | Common font and standard bullets |
| Information only in a link | Add context beside it |
PDF or Word: Which File Type Should You Submit?
Follow the posting or portal first. PDF often preserves layout; DOCX is editable and may be requested. Neither is best for every system. Keep an editable master, open the submission copy, and confirm its text selects and copies in order. Job Bank likewise prioritizes the stated application method in its application guidance.
How to Test an ATS-Friendly Resume Before Applying
Copy and paste the text into a plain-text editor
Confirm that names, headings, dates and bullets remain visible.
Check the reading order
Read top to bottom; watch for columns or text boxes that paste out of sequence.
Review section labels and dates
Use recognizable labels and match each date to the correct employer, credential or project.
Confirm links and contact details
Test email, phone and profile or portfolio links; keep visible text meaningful.
Compare the final resume with the job posting
Check the title, must-haves and evidence; remove unsupported terms.
Treat online scanner scores cautiously
A scanner may flag wording or format, but cannot reproduce an employer’s full process.
Five-minute test:
- Open the exact file you will submit.
- Copy all text into a plain-text editor.
- Scan the order of headings, employers and dates.
- Test contact details and links.
- Recheck must-have requirements against truthful evidence.
ATS Resume Myths to Avoid
- There is one universal ATS score. Products, settings and workflows differ.
- Hidden white keywords improve a resume. Hidden text is misleading and harms trust.
- More keywords always work better. Evidence matters more than repetition.
- Every PDF fails. File handling varies; follow instructions and test the file.
- Design alone determines rejection. Qualifications, questions, rules and human judgement also matter.
- An online scanner reproduces an employer’s ATS. It cannot know every setting or decision.
A final check should cover the file, reading order, evidence, links and application instructions. ATS-Friendly Resume Checklist for Canadian Job Applications
☐ The resume targets one clearly identified role.
☐ The layout has one predictable reading order.
☐ Standard section headings describe the content.
☐ Contact details appear as selectable text.
☐ Dates, bullets and spacing are consistent.
☐ The target job title is accurate.
☐ Must-have skills are supported by evidence.
☐ Acronyms are explained where useful.
☐ No skill, credential or result is invented.
☐ Achievement bullets use clear actions and context.
☐ Essential information does not depend on graphics.
☐ The file type follows the employer’s instructions.
☐ Text can be selected and copied in order.
☐ Email, phone and links have been tested.
☐ The final file has a professional name.
☐ Spelling, grammar and application answers are checked.
When an ATS Resume Review May Help
Human review can help with career changes, international experience, repeated applications without response, specialized roles or complex postings. A reviewer can check clarity, evidence and reading order, but cannot guarantee a score or interview. Explore Coachilo’s Career Path & Resume Coaching, the list of coaches, broader Career & Business Coaching, or first-session-free availability.
RESUME GUIDANCE
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ATS mean on a resume?
ATS means applicant tracking system. It is recruiting software an employer may use to receive applications, store candidate records, extract or organize information, search for qualifications and manage workflow stages. Capabilities and settings vary. Writing an ATS-friendly resume means making relevant information clear and text-based, not trying to satisfy one universal algorithm.
How do I know whether a Canadian employer uses an ATS?
You may not know. A branded careers portal, account creation, repeated application fields or status updates can suggest a recruiting system, but they do not reveal every feature or rule. Use a clear resume and follow the portal instructions regardless. If the application is by email, the employer may still store it in recruiting software later.
Is PDF or Word better for ATS applications?
Use the format requested in the posting or portal. PDF can preserve appearance, while DOCX is editable and may be preferred by some systems or recruiters. There is no format that is always superior. Open the final file, confirm its text is selectable, test its reading order and retain an editable master for corrections.
Can an ATS read a two-column resume?
Some systems can process columns, but the result depends on the file and parser. Columns can also create an unexpected reading order when text is extracted. If design is not central to the role, a clear one-column version is a lower-risk choice. Test any final layout by copying its text into a plain-text editor.
How many keywords should I use in my resume?
There is no reliable universal number. Use the job title and relevant skills, tools, credentials and methods only when they match your background. Place them where evidence belongs, in the summary, skills or achievement bullets. Repeating a term without proof does not strengthen the application and can make the resume harder for people to read.
Do graphics, icons or tables affect ATS parsing?
They may, depending on how the file is built and which parser receives it. Do not assume every graphic or table causes failure. The safer principle is to keep essential qualifications in ordinary text and a predictable reading order. Icons can support design, but should not replace labels such as email, phone, skill or credential.
Can an ATS reject a qualified candidate automatically?
Some recruiting workflows can apply employer-defined screening questions or disposition rules, so an application may not advance without immediate human review. That does not mean every ATS makes the final hiring decision or behaves the same way. Read eligibility questions carefully, answer truthfully and ensure the resume clearly shows the required qualifications you actually possess.
Are online ATS resume scores accurate?
An online scanner may identify missing terms, formatting concerns or differences from a posting, but its score is not an employer’s result. The tool usually cannot know the employer’s ATS product, configuration, screening questions, searches or human review process. Treat its feedback as one editing input, then verify accuracy, relevance and readability yourself.
