Common ATS Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them

You spent hours perfecting your resume, hit "Apply," and then… crickets. Chances are, your resume didn't even make it past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). In 2025, ATS software is the first (and often only) gatekeeper between you and a recruiter — and it's brutally efficient at weeding out resumes that don't match what it's looking for.

Here are the most common reasons your resume gets rejected by an ATS — and exactly how to fix them.

❌ 1. Missing Job-Specific Keywords

📉 The Problem:

The ATS scans for specific keywords and phrases from the job description. If those words aren't in your resume, the system assumes you're not qualified — even if you are.

✅ The Fix:

  • Carefully mirror the language from the job posting.
  • Include exact skills, tools, certifications, and titles.
  • Avoid synonyms unless you're also including the original term.
  • Example: If the job asks for "data visualization using Tableau," don't just write "created dashboards." Mention "Tableau" by name.

❌ 2. Non-ATS-Friendly Formatting

📉 The Problem:

Fancy designs with columns, images, graphics, or custom fonts often break ATS parsing. The system may skip entire sections or extract gibberish instead of real content.

✅ The Fix:

  • Use a clean, single-column format.
  • Stick to basic fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman).
  • Avoid text boxes, tables, icons, and headers in footers.
  • Submit as a .docx or PDF (only if the posting accepts PDF).

❌ 3. Unclear Section Headings

📉 The Problem:

ATS tools rely on predictable section headers to know where to look for experience, education, and skills. If you use unconventional terms like "Career Story" or "Knowledge Arsenal," you're confusing the parser.

✅ The Fix:

Use standard headings:

  • Experience
  • Education
  • Skills
  • Certifications
  • Projects

❌ 4. Overuse of Acronyms or Jargon

📉 The Problem:

If your resume only lists acronyms (e.g., "ETL, EHR, NLP") or company-internal jargon, the ATS might not recognize them, especially if the job post uses the full terms.

✅ The Fix:

  • Use both the acronym and full term: "Electronic Health Records (EHR)"
  • Avoid internal terminology that wouldn't be recognizable outside your company.

❌ 5. Incorrect or Misaligned Job Titles

📉 The Problem:

If your title is too niche or stylized (e.g., "Customer Success Ninja"), it may not be matched to the job post's expectations.

✅ The Fix:

  • Use industry-standard titles or add them in parentheses.
  • Example: "Customer Success Ninja (Customer Success Manager)"

❌ 6. Keyword Stuffing Without Context

📉 The Problem:

Dumping a list of buzzwords at the bottom of your resume might help slightly — but the ATS is getting smarter. Many systems now score context, not just keyword density.

✅ The Fix:

  • Integrate keywords naturally into bullet points that demonstrate how you used them.
  • Example: "Led cloud migration to AWS using Terraform and EC2."

❌ 7. Lack of Contact Info in the Right Format

📉 The Problem:

If your contact information is hidden in a header/footer or embedded in a graphic, the ATS may not see it.

✅ The Fix:

  • Place your name, phone, email, and LinkedIn URL at the top of your resume — not in the header/footer.

🧠 Bonus Tip: Always Optimize Per Role

A generic resume won't cut it. Every ATS is matching against a specific job description, so you need to tailor your resume every time.

That's where our Resume Optimizer comes in — it automatically compares your resume to any job description, identifies gaps, and helps you rewrite your content with ATS-friendly improvements.

🏁 Final Thoughts

The ATS isn't your enemy — it's just picky. Once you understand how it works and avoid these common mistakes, you'll stop being filtered out and start getting interviews.

Need help now? Try our Resume Analyzer and get your resume ATS-ready in minutes.

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