I work with all kinds of resumes, making sure they’re ATS-friendly—but what does that actually mean? If you’ve ever uploaded your resume into an online AI scan and gotten a “score,” you might be wondering how accurate those results really are.
Recently, a wonderful client sent me feedback from one of these scans, and l was upset to see that these AI programs analyzed her resume in isolation without considering the full resume writing process—including strategy, tailoring, and how real recruiters evaluate candidates.
Because of this, these "scans" can often spit out inaccurate or misleading feedback, flagging non-issues, suggesting generic keywords, or completely missing the mark on what actually makes a resume stand out.
While these tools can give general guidance, they don’t tell the whole story—and they definitely don’t replace an educated, professional resume writer who understands how ATS really works.
🌀 What Makes a Resume ATS-Friendly?
It’s all about making sure your resume gets past the system and into the right hands. That means: 👇🏽
✔ Using clean formatting (no fancy graphics, text boxes, images, or columns)
✔ Optimizing for keywords—but only the ones that matter for the job
✔ Do not put any text or contact information in the header (this will be lost through ATS)
✔ Making sure the file type is ATS-compatible (.docx or PDF, depending on the system)
✔ Structuring it in a way that’s easy for both ATS and humans to understand
✔ Including clear resume headings such as "Education" or "Work Experience"
✔ Using simple fonts like Calibri, Cambria, Arial, Garamond, and Times New Roman
🌀 The Problem with AI Resume Scans
AI resume scanners love to spit out “ATS scores,” but they don’t cross-check your resume against a real job description—which is exactly what an ATS does. That means:
❌ They might suggest generic or irrelevant keywords
❌ They could flag “issues” that aren’t actually a problem
❌ They don’t account for how recruiters actually read resumes
🌀 The Bottom Line
If you’re relying on AI resume scans to tell you whether your resume is ATS-friendly, you might be getting the wrong advice. A professional resume writer does more than just run a scan—we make sure your resume is tailored to the job, optimized for ATS, and compelling for a hiring manager.
Need a resume that actually works? Let’s chat!