How to Get Your Resume Past AI (2026)

Here's the reality of job applications in 2026: over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and most mid-size companies do too. When you submit your resume online, it passes through software that parses, categorizes, and scores it before a human ever looks at it.

The widely cited claim that "75% of resumes are rejected by ATS" has been debunked; a study of 25 recruiters found that 92% say their ATS does not auto-reject resumes based on formatting or content. But that doesn't mean ATS doesn't matter. What actually happens is that ATS ranks and filters candidates based on keyword matches, and with high-demand roles attracting 400 to 2,000+ applicants, recruiters only review the top-ranked resumes. If your resume scores poorly, it sits at the bottom of the pile, functionally invisible.

Understanding how to get your resume past AI comes down to two things: formatting and keyword strategy. Both are fixable.

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How ATS Actually Works

Understanding the system helps you work with it instead of against it.

Parsing. The ATS reads your resume and extracts structured data: your name, contact info, work history, education, and skills. It tries to map your content into predefined fields. If your formatting is unusual (tables, graphics, text boxes, multi-column layouts), the parser may misread or skip sections entirely.

Keyword matching. The recruiter sets up the job listing with required and preferred qualifications. The ATS scans your resume for those terms. If the job asks for "project management" and your resume says "managed projects," some systems will catch the match, but not all. Using the exact phrasing from the job description is safer.

Ranking. Based on keyword matches, experience level, and other criteria, the ATS assigns your application a score or rank. Recruiters typically review candidates starting from the top. Over 75% of recruiters filter candidates by skills, so your skills section carries significant weight.

Search. Recruiters also search their ATS database by keyword when filling roles. This means your resume isn't just scored for the job you applied to; it lives in their system and can surface for future positions if it contains the right terms.

Resume Formatting Rules for Getting Past AI

These aren't suggestions; they're the difference between your resume being parsed correctly and being garbled.

File Format

Use .docx when possible. Despite common advice to use PDFs, many ATS systems parse Word documents more reliably. Some parse PDFs perfectly well, but .docx is the safer default. If the application explicitly accepts PDF, that's fine. If it doesn't specify, go with .docx.

Layout

Single column only. Multi-column layouts confuse most ATS parsers. They read left to right, top to bottom, so if your content is in two columns, the ATS may interleave text from both columns into nonsense.

No tables. Tables look clean to humans but are parsing nightmares for many ATS systems. Your carefully organized skills table might be read as a single jumbled paragraph.

No text boxes or graphics. Anything embedded as an image (including text within graphics, icons, or charts) is invisible to ATS. Your logo, your skill-level bar charts, your headshot: none of it gets parsed.

No headers or footers. Some ATS systems skip content in document headers and footers. If your contact information is in the header, the system may not capture it.

Typography

Standard fonts. Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Georgia. Custom or decorative fonts can cause parsing errors.

Standard bullet points. Use simple round bullets. Fancy symbols (arrows, checkmarks, custom Unicode) may not render correctly.

Consistent date formatting. Pick one format (Month Year, MM/YYYY, etc.) and use it throughout. Inconsistent dates can confuse the parser.

Section Headings

Use standard section labels that ATS systems expect:

• "Work Experience" or "Professional Experience" (not "My Journey" or "Career Story")
• "Education" (not "Academic Background")
• "Skills" (not "What I'm Good At")
• "Certifications" (not "Credentials")

Creative headings might appeal to humans but can cause ATS to miscategorize your content.

Keyword Strategy to Get Your Resume Past AI

Keywords are the single biggest factor in ATS scoring. Here's how to use them effectively.

Extract Keywords from the Job Description

Read the job posting carefully and identify:

1. Required skills: These are non-negotiable. If the job requires "Python" and your resume doesn't mention Python, you'll rank poorly.
2. Preferred skills: Including these gives you a scoring advantage.
3. Tools and platforms: Specific names like "Salesforce," "Tableau," "AWS" carry weight.
4. Certifications: If listed in the job description, include them exactly as written.
5. Job title keywords: If the role is "Senior Data Analyst," use that phrase somewhere in your resume.

Focus on the top 10-15 keywords and incorporate them naturally into your experience descriptions and skills section.

Use Both Acronyms and Full Terms

Recruiters search for both. Include "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" rather than just "SEO" or just "Search Engine Optimization." This covers both search patterns.

Place Keywords Strategically

Skills section. List 10-15 relevant hard skills. This section is heavily weighted by most ATS systems.

Experience bullet points. Weave keywords into your accomplishment descriptions. "Managed social media campaigns using Hootsuite and Sprout Social, increasing engagement by 45%" is better than "Managed social media."

Summary/Profile section. If you include a professional summary, use 3-5 high-priority keywords here. The top of the resume often gets extra weight.

Don't keyword-stuff. Including the same term 20 times won't help and may trigger spam filters in modern ATS systems. Natural usage across multiple sections is the goal.

Mastering AI-powered job search tools gives you a real edge over other applicants. Our AI Academy covers these techniques in depth, from resume optimization to interview preparation with AI.

Tailor for Every Application

This is the step most people skip, and it's the most impactful. Adjust your skills section and rephrase experience bullet points to match each job description. You're not fabricating experience; you're describing the same experience using the employer's language.

AI tools can help here. Our guide on how to use ChatGPT for resume writing covers how to quickly tailor resumes for specific positions, and our step-by-step guide on using AI to tailor your resume automates the process end to end. Our AI for job search guide covers the full application optimization workflow.

Common Mistakes That Sink Resumes

Mistake 1: Fancy Designs

Canva templates, infographic resumes, and creative layouts look impressive on screen but fail in ATS. Save the design for your portfolio website; keep your resume clean and parseable.

Mistake 2: Generic Submissions

Sending the same resume to every job is the most common cause of low response rates. When the ATS compares your generic resume to a job description, the keyword match score will be mediocre at best.

Mistake 3: Missing Measurable Results

Both AI screening and human recruiters value quantified achievements. "Increased sales by 32% over 6 months" is stronger than "Responsible for sales growth." Numbers stand out in both automated scoring and human review. If you're writing about AI-related accomplishments, our guide on how to use ChatGPT for work covers the kinds of measurable outcomes to highlight.

Mistake 4: Outdated Keywords

Job descriptions evolve. "Social media management" might now be described as "social media strategy and analytics." "Data entry" might be "data operations." Check current job listings to ensure your terminology is up to date.

Mistake 5: Hiding Important Information

Some candidates bury key qualifications in long paragraphs. ATS can extract keywords from paragraphs, but recruiters scanning quickly may miss them. Use clear bullet points for your most important qualifications.

Tools to Test Your Resume Against AI

Before submitting, test your resume against ATS to catch problems:

Jobscan compares your resume to a specific job description and scores the keyword match. The free version gives you limited scans per month.

Resume Worded provides ATS compatibility scores and specific suggestions for improvement.

CVCraft is a free ATS resume scanner that checks formatting and keyword alignment.

The manual test: Copy your resume text and paste it into a plain text document. If it reads correctly in order with no garbled sections, it will likely parse well in ATS. You can also use AI to help rewrite bullet points; see our guide on how to use ChatGPT to write an essay for techniques on structuring clear, persuasive writing that also applies to resume content.

Beyond the ATS: What Happens After

Getting past ATS is step one. Once a recruiter sees your resume, different rules apply.

The 6-second scan. Recruiters spend an average of 6-7 seconds on an initial resume review. Your most important qualifications need to be visible immediately: strong summary, recent relevant experience, and key skills at the top.

Tailored cover letters. For roles you're serious about, a brief cover letter that connects your experience to the specific role can move you from "maybe" to "interview." Our guide on how to use ChatGPT for job search covers how to draft these efficiently.

LinkedIn consistency. Recruiters frequently check LinkedIn after reviewing a resume. Make sure your LinkedIn profile matches your resume in terms of job titles, dates, and key skills. Discrepancies raise red flags.

If you want to stand out beyond just formatting, demonstrating AI skills on your resume signals that you're ahead of the curve. The AI Academy gives you the hands-on projects to back that claim up.

The ATS Optimization Checklist

Before every application, run through this:

• .docx format (or PDF if specified)
• Single column, no tables or graphics
• Standard section headings
• Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• 10-15 keywords from the job description included
• Both acronyms and full terms used
• Quantified achievements in experience bullets
• Consistent date formatting
• Contact information in the document body (not header/footer)
• Tested with at least one ATS scanning tool

Start Optimizing Your Applications

ATS optimization isn't about gaming the system. It's about presenting your real qualifications in a format that both machines and humans can read clearly. The same practices that improve ATS scores (clear formatting, relevant keywords, quantified results) also make your resume more effective with recruiters.

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