Resumes and Cover Letters

How to Choose an ATS-Friendly Resume Template

Pick a resume design that stays readable for screening software and human recruiters.

ATS-friendly does not mean plain, boring, or identical. It means the resume structure is easy for screening systems to parse and easy for a recruiter to scan under time pressure.

What matters

Choose readability before visual personality.
Use standard section names such as Experience, Education, and Skills.
Avoid layouts where core text is trapped inside images, icons, or decorative shapes.
Use more expressive templates for networking or portfolio submissions, not every ATS portal.

The safest template patterns

Single-column templates and clean two-column templates are the most reliable choices for corporate applications. In Jobapply, start with Minimal, Classic, Compact, Clean, or Specialist when the application will go through a large employer, a regulated industry, or a high-volume job board.

Use a clear text hierarchy: name, title, summary, experience, education, skills.
Keep contact details as text, not as an image.
Use bullets for achievements and avoid dense paragraphs.
Export PDF unless the employer asks for DOCX or TXT.

Template choice: style vs. screening safety

Don't do this

Pick the most visually dramatic template for every role because it stands out.

Do this

Pick the most readable template for ATS portals, then use stronger design only when the channel rewards it.

When a creative template is safe

Creative templates can work well when the human reader is the first audience: portfolio links, direct recruiter emails, media roles, design roles, or networking conversations. They are weaker when the first audience is a parser trying to extract dates, titles, and skills.

Pre-submit ATS check

Section names are standard.

Work dates and job titles are visible as text.

No important bullet is inside an image.

The resume still reads well in PDF preview.

The file name includes your name and target role.

Keywords from the role appear naturally in experience and skills.

Preview before you apply

Open the preview and check whether the structure is still obvious at a glance.

Open preview guide

Sources

Still need help? Contact support and include your account email and any relevant details.

- RELATED

How to Choose the Right Resume Template

Match template style to role, seniority, market, and screening channel.

How to change your resume template or design

Change template design deliberately while protecting content hierarchy and readability.

How to preview your resume and cover letter

Use pre-export QA checks to catch layout and clarity issues before submission.

How to Write a Resume That Gets Interviews

Build a sharper resume with evidence, targeting, ATS-safe structure, and a repeatable Jobapply workflow.