ATS Resume Format: Fonts, Margins, Sections and File Types
The exact formatting rules that keep your resume readable by applicant tracking systems — fonts, sizes, margins, headings, dates and file types, with reasons for each.
Quick answer
Use a simple layout, standard headings, readable 10–12 pt body text and consistent dates. Keep contact details in the document body, and submit a text-based PDF or DOCX as requested by the employer. Avoid putting essential information in images, charts or floating text boxes.
A resume can be well written and still fail if the software reading it can’t untangle the layout. This page is a reference for the formatting choices that matter, and why.
The short version
| Setting | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Single column | Parsers read left to right, top to bottom |
| Body text | 10–12 pt | Readable on screen and when printed |
| Name | 18–24 pt | Clear hierarchy without wasting space |
| Margins | 0.5–1 in (12–25 mm) | Room to breathe; avoids print clipping |
| Line spacing | 1.0–1.15 | Dense but scannable |
| Headings | Summary, Experience, Skills, Education | Labels the ATS expects |
| Dates | One format, e.g. “Mar 2021 – Present” | Consistent parsing of tenure |
| File | Text-based PDF or .docx | Real text, not images |
These ranges follow widely published ATS formatting guidance and Jobscan’s checklist.
Fonts
Any clean, common typeface works: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, Garamond, Inter or Source Sans all parse fine in a text-based PDF because the text is stored as characters, not shapes. What hurts readability is decorative script, condensed display faces for body text, and very light weights.
Keep it to one or two families: one for headings, one for body — or a single family in two weights.
Layout elements to avoid
- Tables for layout. Cells are often read in an unpredictable order.
- Text boxes and floating shapes. Content outside the normal text flow is frequently skipped.
- Headers and footers for important details. Many parsers ignore those regions.
- Icons instead of words. A phone icon tells the ATS nothing.
- Skill bars and charts. “Python ●●●●○” has no machine-readable meaning, and recruiters don’t trust self-ratings.
- Photos — unless they are expected in your country, and even then they add nothing for an ATS.
Keeping important details in the main text flow reduces reliance on how a particular parser handles tables, text boxes, headers and footers. Review the imported fields when an application portal shows a preview.
Colour
A colour accent on headings or your name is fine. Keep body text dark on white, and make sure accent text meets contrast guidelines so it stays legible when printed in greyscale.
Section order
For most people with work experience:
- Contact details and headline
- Summary (2–3 sentences)
- Experience
- Projects (if relevant)
- Skills
- Education
- Certifications, awards, languages
Students and recent graduates can move Education and Projects above Experience — see the fresher resume guide.
Dates and locations
Write dates the same way everywhere. Month and year (“Jun 2017 – Feb 2021”) is the most informative. If you only remember years, use years consistently. Add city and country for each role when location matters for the job.
Length
One page is right for most people with under about ten years of relevant experience; two pages is normal beyond that. See one-page vs two-page resumes for how to decide.
How Resume Creator handles this
Every template is single-column with real text, standard headings and consistent dates. The PDF stores selectable text with clickable links, the Word export uses real heading styles and bullet lists, and the health check warns you about characters a PDF can’t render, inverted dates and missing contact details.