What ATS actually reads
Parsers look for fields: name, email, phone, company, title, dates, skill words. They do not score your color palette. So the first job of an ATS-friendly resume is to put those fields in selectable body text.
Get it readable first, then make the first glance work. One file can do both. You do not need two versions you cannot maintain.
resumeflux's Minimal and Campus templates follow Experience, Education, and Skills. Switch skins and the fields stay—no rebuilding Word tables.
Headings the system recognizes
Don'tMy Journey ｜ Superpowers ｜ Highlight Reel ｜ Where I shine
DoExperience ｜ Education ｜ Skills ｜ Projects (if needed)
Use Experience, Education, and Skills. Do not put contact details only in headers or footers—some parsers drop them.
Columns, text boxes, icons
A light split is fine. Full-page text boxes and skills drawn as icons drop words. Photos take field space; skip them for online applications by default. Nested tables and outlined type become images.
Write skills as Python, SQL, Figma—not as circular progress bars. To match job terms, check coverage with AI Review. Analysis stays on your device.
Choose a single column or a light split. Open the template gallery and filter by Minimal / Campus.
Browse templatesText must be selectable after export
Before you apply, drag-select your name and latest job. If you cannot select them, you are sending an image. resumeflux exports are watermark-free and searchable. Turn off browser headers and footers when printing so the URL is not stamped on the file.
Name the file FirstLast-Role-Resume.pdf. After you rewrite sentences for the job, open the workspace, apply a template, and export.
Eight checks before you apply
- Headings are Experience / Education / Skills, not creative labels.
- Name, phone, and email sit in the body header and can be selected.
- Skills are words, not icons or progress bars.
- No full-page text box locking experience in place.
- Single column or light split—not a poster two-column.
- Text in the PDF can be selected with the mouse.
- Browser headers and footers are off for print.
- Filename is FirstLast-Role-Resume.
FAQ
Will a two-column resume always fail ATS?
A light split is fine. Full-page text boxes, skills drawn as icons, and contact details stuffed into headers or footers are more likely to drop fields.
Should you keep two versions: one for the system and one for humans?
For most roles, one single-column or light-split file is enough. Link out to a portfolio. Do not submit a poster as your application file.
Is PDF or Word safer?
If the system asks for Word, send Word. Otherwise a searchable PDF is more common. The key is that text can be selected.
Can a beautiful template hurt parsing?
Color is not the problem. Decorative lines, icon skills, and unselectable text are. resumeflux's Minimal and Campus templates are laid out by field.