How to Create a Resume That Is Both ATS and Recruiter Friendly
15 May 2025 • 10 min read
Wisedoc
Wisedoc
Wisedoc Expert Team

The perfect resume needs to do two things: pass through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and convince a recruiter to call you for an interview. Balancing both can feel like walking a tightrope, but it’s absolutely doable with the right approach. In this blog, you’ll learn how to craft a resume that is ATS-optimized without losing the human appeal—with actionable formatting, keyword, and content strategies, plus insights into how Wisedoc automates this process for job seekers.

Contents

  1. What Does It Mean to Be ATS-Friendly?
  2. What Recruiters Look For in a Resume
  3. Common Conflicts Between ATS and Human-Friendly Design
  4. Step-by-Step: Crafting the Perfect Resume for Both
  5. Resume Structure Breakdown: ATS vs. Recruiter Perspective
  6. Formatting Guidelines for Dual Optimization
  7. Smart Keyword Usage Without Keyword Stuffing
  8. Visuals, Fonts & Layout: What Works and What Doesn’t
  9. Wisedoc’s Role in Building Dual-Compatible Resumes
What Does It Mean to Be ATS-Friendly?

An ATS-friendly resume is one that:

  • Can be read and parsed by resume-scanning software
  • Contains job-relevant keywords
  • Uses standardized headings and file types
  • Avoids design elements that confuse algorithms

In short, it’s structured for machine readability.

What Recruiters Look For in a Resume

Recruiters want a resume that:

  • Clearly communicates relevant skills and achievements
  • Is easy to scan in under 10 seconds
  • Has a clean layout
  • Highlights quantifiable accomplishments
  • Demonstrates career progression and context

⚖️ The goal is to merge technical clarity with human readability.

Common Conflicts Between ATS and Human-Friendly Design
Feature ATS Perspective Recruiter Perspective
Tables & Columns Often unreadable Visually appealing
Icons or Graphics Confuse parsing engines Adds personality
Fancy Fonts May break readability Stylish but risky
Color Blocks/Images Not scannable May increase engagement

Solution: Use minimalist design that still looks polished.
Step-by-Step: Crafting the Perfect Resume for Both

Step 1: Use a Simple, One-Column Layout

No tables, no columns, no charts.

Step 2: Use Standard Headings

Stick to: Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications

Step 3: Customize Keywords for Every Job

Use the job description to identify and match key phrases.

Step 4: Use Bullet Points for Readability

Each should start with a strong action verb and include results.

Step 5: Include a Skills Section

Highlight both hard and soft skills in a list form, using exact phrases from the job post.
Resume Structure Breakdown: ATS vs. Recruiter Perspective
Section ATS Reads Recruiter Focuses On
Header Contact info only Location, phone, LinkedIn
Summary Keywords & relevance Clarity and motivation
Experience Titles, dates, keywords Achievements and growth
Skills Keyword match Relevance to the role
Education Degree & dates School reputation, GPA
Formatting Guidelines for Dual Optimization
  • Save as .docx or clean .pdf (unless specified otherwise)
    		•
  • Use fonts like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman
    		•
  • Stick to font size 10–12 pt
    		•
  • Use bullet points, not paragraphs
    		•
  • Keep section titles bold and left-aligned
    		•

    🚫 Avoid:
    • Columns
      		•
    • Headers/footers
      		•
    • Logos, icons, and images
      		•
    • Bright colors or unusual fonts
      		•
      Smart Keyword Usage Without Keyword Stuffing

      Right way:

      "Led a cross-functional team to launch a Java-based automation tool, reducing processing time by 30%."

      Wrong way:

      "Java Java Java automation Java team Java."

      💡 Tip: Use synonyms and context-rich sentences. Tools like Wisedoc automatically highlight missing keywords and suggest placements.

      Visuals, Fonts & Layout: What Works and What Doesn’t
      Feature Use It? Why
      Color accents ✅ Yes Use subtle shades sparingly
      Icons/logos ❌ No Not ATS-compatible
      Graphs/charts ❌ No ATS can’t parse them
      Bold/italic ✅ Yes Use for emphasis only
      Section breaks ✅ Yes Horizontal lines are fine
      Wisedoc’s Role in Building Dual-Compatible Resumes

      Wisedoc was built for both humans and machines.

      🧠 Wisedoc Helps You:
      • Format in real-time for ATS rules
        		•
      • Analyze and insert role-specific keywords
        		•
      • Score your resume for both ATS and recruiter appeal
        		•
      • Preview how your resume appears to hiring tools
        		•
      • Auto-adjust spacing, alignment, and formatting
        		•

        🔁 You can even version-control resumes for multiple job roles without starting from scratch.
        Final Best Practices for Success
        • Customize every resume for each application
          		•
        • Balance keyword density with natural language
          		•
        • Keep formatting clean and linear
          		•
        • Focus on outcomes, not duties
          		•
        • Test your resume with ATS checkers before submitting
          		•

          📌 Remember: Your resume has two audiences. A robot, and a real person. Optimize for both.

          In today’s job market, your resume needs to perform double duty—clearing the hurdles of ATS while making a human recruiter pause and say, “Let’s talk.” Fortunately, it’s not about choosing one or the other. With the right structure, keyword strategy, and formatting, you can confidently build a resume that does both.

          With Wisedoc, crafting a resume that satisfies algorithms and humans alike isn’t just possible—it’s effortless. Let technology work in your favor, so your resume lands where it should: in the hands of someone ready to hire you.
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          Wisedoc Expert Team
          Wisedoc's team of experts organizes the key learnings of career growth from recruiter's point of view and help users to add right content in their career profiles.