Why Your Resume Gets Rejected by ATS: Top 10 Reasons and Fixes
If you're submitting dozens of applications without hearing back, your resume is likely being filtered out by the ATS. Studies show that up to 75% of resumes are rejected before a human ever sees them. The good news: most rejections are caused by fixable formatting and content issues. Here are the top reasons your resume gets rejected and how to fix each one.
Formatting Issues That Cause Rejection
The most common reason resumes fail ATS screening is formatting that prevents accurate parsing. When the parser can't extract your information correctly, your data is incomplete or misclassified, leading to low scores.
Multi-column layouts, tables, text boxes, headers/footers, and graphics are the primary formatting culprits. Each of these elements can cause the parser to skip content, merge unrelated text, or scramble the reading order of your resume.
The fix is simple: use a single-column layout with standard formatting. It may look less visually impressive, but it parses correctly—and a resume that parses correctly beats a beautiful one that doesn't.
- Multi-column layouts: text merges across columns during parsing
- Tables: cell content gets jumbled or lost
- Text boxes: often completely ignored by parsers
- Headers/footers: skipped by most ATS parsing engines
- Graphics and images: invisible to text extraction
- Unusual fonts: characters may not extract correctly
Missing or Wrong Keywords
Even a perfectly formatted resume will fail if it doesn't contain the keywords the ATS is looking for. Keywords are the primary scoring factor, and missing required keywords can drop your score below the review threshold.
The most common keyword mistake is using different terminology than the job description. If the posting says 'project management' and your resume says 'program coordination,' you may not get credit for the match.
The fix: analyze each job description and identify required and preferred keywords. Include these exact terms in your resume, woven naturally into your experience descriptions and skills section.
| Rejection Reason | Impact | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong file format | Resume can't be parsed | Use DOCX or text-based PDF |
| Missing keywords | Low relevance score | Mirror job description terminology |
| Complex formatting | Data misclassification | Use single-column, no tables |
| Info in headers/footers | Contact data lost | Put all info in document body |
| Image-based resume | No text to extract | Use text-based document format |
Application Process Errors
Sometimes the resume itself is fine, but errors in the application process cause rejection. Failing knockout questions is the most common process error—answering 'No' to a required qualification question triggers automatic rejection.
Incomplete applications are another common issue. If you upload a resume but skip required form fields, the application may be rejected at the intake stage. Always complete every field, even if the information is redundant with your resume.
File upload errors can also cause problems. Uploading the wrong file, exceeding the file size limit, or submitting a corrupted file will prevent your resume from being processed.
Content and Qualification Gaps
If your resume genuinely lacks the required qualifications, the ATS will score it accordingly. Applying to positions where you meet fewer than 60% of the requirements will consistently result in low scores.
Missing sections can also hurt your score. A resume without a skills section, education section, or professional summary provides fewer data points for the scoring algorithm to match against.
Experience gaps—periods of unemployment—don't directly cause ATS rejection, but they reduce the total years of experience the system calculates, which can affect your experience score.
Pro Tips
Before submitting, do the copy-paste test: Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C, paste into Notepad to verify text extracts correctly
Tailor your resume keywords to each specific job description
Use a single-column, simple format—sacrifice beauty for parseability
Complete every field in the application form, even if it seems redundant
Apply to positions where you meet at least 70% of the stated requirements
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Blaming 'the ATS' for rejection when the real issue is poor formatting or missing keywords
Sending the same generic resume to every job instead of tailoring for each application
Using a Canva or design-tool resume that looks amazing but has no extractable text
Skipping application form fields, causing rejection at the intake stage
Applying to positions where you meet fewer than 50% of the requirements