Common resume mistakes that fail ATS

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are often the first gate your CV needs to pass. Small formatting mistakes can cause otherwise strong candidates to be filtered out before a human ever sees their profile.

Typical ATS-breaking mistakes

• Using images or text embedded in images instead of real text.
• Overly complex multi-column layouts that confuse parsers.
• Missing or non-standard section headings for experience and education.
• Keyword stuffing that makes content look artificial.

How HyperApply helps

HyperApply keeps your generated PDFs ATS-friendly by:

• Using clean, machine-readable text and headings.
• Encouraging clear section structure instead of complex layouts.
• Highlighting the right keywords naturally in context.

To learn more about how HyperApply works with ATS-safe formatting, visit the Docs or explore our Learn guides.