Best ATS Resume Template for 2025: What Actually Works (Tested)

Jon Irwin
Nov 24, 2025
6 min read

By Jonathan Irwin — Founder, Resilio Partners

When I was searching for the best ATS resume template, I probably downloaded 25 different options. Modern ones, clean ones, colorful ones, minimalist ones... you name it.

Some were beautiful. Some looked like something out of a design agency.

And yet—none of these ATS resume templates helped me get interviews.

In fact, many of the "nice" templates were actually hurting my chances.

It wasn't until I started testing resumes through real ATS systems (Workday, Taleo, iCIMS, Greenhouse, Lever) that I realized something important:

ATS systems don't care how your resume looks. They care how it reads.

A gorgeous resume that Canva promotes as "ATS-friendly" can still get completely scrambled by parsing software. Meanwhile, a simple, boring ATS resume template can get a perfect score.

This article breaks down:

The best ATS-friendly resume templates for 2025
Why many popular templates fail ATS scans
What to avoid at all costs
How formatting affects your chances
And the exact ATS resume template structure that consistently performs best

Let's save you months of silent rejections.

Comparison of ATS resume template scanning showing good vs bad formatting examples — How ATS systems scan different resume templates—simple formatting wins every time

Why Most Resume Templates Fail ATS Scans

Here's what ATS systems hate:

❌ Tables

ATS systems often read table columns from left-to-right—merging unrelated blocks of text in the wrong order.

❌ Text boxes

Text boxes in Canva, Word, or Google Docs can become invisible to ATS scanners.

❌ Two-column layouts

This is a big one. Most ATS systems expect your resume to be read in a single column, top to bottom.

Two-column designs confuse the parsing logic and break your structure.

❌ Icons or graphics

ATS systems either misread or ignore graphical elements. Bullets become empty circles. Icons become strange characters. Lines and shapes interfere with spacing.

❌ Fancy fonts

Some fonts are not machine-readable, especially script or stylistic ones.

❌ Headers/footers

Many ATS systems skip header and footer text entirely. If your contact info is in the header? It might get lost.

These problems don't just make your resume look bad—they make it unreadable to the software responsible for deciding whether a human ever sees it.

Infographic showing 6 resume template mistakes that fail ATS scanning systems — The 6 most common ATS resume template mistakes that cost you interviews

What an ATS-Friendly Resume Template Should Look Like (2025 Standard)

After testing hundreds of resumes across different ATS systems for myself—and for users of my resume tool—I've found the ATS resume template structure that consistently scores highest.

Here's the exact format:

1. One Column Only

No sidebars, no split columns, no vertical blocks. Just one clean, left-aligned column.

2. Simple, ATS-safe fonts

Stick with:

Arial
Calibri
Helvetica
Georgia
Times New Roman
Verdana

These are machine-readable 100% of the time.

3. Clear section headings

Use standard titles like:

Summary
Experience
Skills
Education
Certifications

Avoid creative headers like:

❌ "What I Bring to the Team"

❌ "My Journey"

❌ "Career Highlights"

ATS doesn't know what to do with those.

4. Standard bullet points

Use normal black dots or simple dashes.

Avoid:

❌ Decorative icons

❌ Checkmarks

❌ Blocks

❌ Emojis (yes, people actually use these)

5. No images, logos, or headshots

This breaks parsing 95% of the time.

6. No embedded PDF elements

PDFs exported from Canva often "flatten" layers, which causes ATS misreads.

If you're going to use PDF, export from:

Google Docs
Word
My resume tool (which automatically creates ATS-safe formatting)

Example of best ATS resume template format with one column layout and clear sections — The ATS-friendly resume template structure that consistently scores highest

The Best ATS Resume Template (Based on Real Testing)

The structure that consistently scores highest is:

[Your Name]
City, State | Phone | Email | LinkedIn (optional)
Professional Summary (2-3 sentences)
Not fluffy. Not a biography. Just: Who you are + your value + your industry focus.
Skills (Hard Skills Only)
Forget soft skills. ATS scoring is based on keywords, not personality traits.
Example:
Skills: Salesforce · Excel · SQL · Zendesk · HubSpot · Data Analysis · Project Coordination
Experience
Reverse chronological order.
Each role should include:
- Job title
- Company
- Dates
- 3-5 accomplishment bullets
And each bullet should follow the formula:
Action + Skill/Tool + Measurable Result
Education
Simple and clean.
Certifications (if relevant)

Only include ones that matter for the job you're applying to.

This is the exact layout I used when I finally started getting interviews—after months of silence.

And eventually, it helped me land the job that gave me:

A four-day work week
Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance for just $42/month
Paid federal holidays starting day one
Vacation + sick time included immediately
A salary aligned to my experience

Getting the template right was a turning point for me.

Before and after comparison of resume template ATS scan results showing improved parsing — Same resume content, different templates—one passes ATS, one fails completely

Why Canva Templates Perform Poorly in ATS (Important)

Canva is amazing for design. But it's terrible for ATS formatting.

Here's why:

Most Canva resume templates use multiple columns
Sections are built with floating text boxes
Lines, shapes, and icons interfere with parsing
PDFs export with hidden formatting layers

I've tested dozens of Canva resumes through ATS systems.

Result?

❌ 50-70% of the content gets scrambled or lost

Especially job titles, dates, and skills.

If you want a design-focused resume for printing or a portfolio—fine.
If you want to apply through online job portals—avoid Canva.

Diagram showing why Canva resume templates fail ATS scanning with 50-70% content loss — Why Canva resume templates lose 50-70% of content in ATS scans

Does ATS Template Really Matter? (Short Answer: Yes)

I'll be honest:

The template won't get you the job.

But the wrong template can stop you from getting the interview.

Recruiters can't read what the ATS can't parse.

And I learned that the hard way.

Once I fixed my formatting—making it simple, clean, and ATS-friendly—my interview rate shot up.

But here's the bigger truth:

Template matters... but tailoring matters 10x more.

An ATS-safe template is the foundation. Tailoring is the engine.

Timeline showing increased interview rate after switching to ATS-friendly resume template — My interview rate after switching to an ATS-optimized resume template

My Resume Tool Uses ATS-Safe Formatting Automatically

When I built my resume optimization tool, keyword analysis was one of the core features I had to get right. Here's what it does:

✔ Extracts keywords from job descriptions

✔ Compares to your resume

✔ Shows which critical keywords you're missing

✔ Scores keyword density

✔ Provides context examples

✔ Generates an optimized version with keywords added The tool uses the same analysis I did manually when optimizing my own resume—just automated and faster.

And you can try it free.. 4 free optimizations per month. See which keywords you're missing and get a fixed version—all in 60 seconds.

Plus, it also:

Analyzes your resume
Matches it to the job description
Rewrites your experience
Adds missing keywords
Generates a cover letter
Emails you a clean, ATS-ready version

If your current resume uses a two-column template—or something from Canva—this will fix everything for you.

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Resilio Partners ATS resume template tool interface showing automated formatting features — OneClick Smart Resume automatically formats your resume for perfect ATS compatibility

Frequently Asked Questions About ATS Resume Templates

What is the best font for an ATS resume template?

Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Georgia, Times New Roman, and Verdana are the safest fonts for ATS resume templates. These are machine-readable 100% of the time and ensure your resume parses correctly across all major ATS platforms.

Can I use a PDF for my ATS resume template?

Yes, but only if exported from Google Docs, Word, or an ATS-optimized tool. Avoid PDFs from Canva as they often contain hidden formatting layers that confuse ATS systems and cause parsing errors.

Do ATS systems prefer one-column or two-column resume templates?

ATS systems strongly prefer one-column resume templates. Two-column layouts confuse parsing logic and scramble your content because ATS reads left-to-right, merging unrelated sections together.

Why does my Canva resume template fail ATS scans?

Canva templates typically use floating text boxes, multiple columns, decorative icons, and hidden PDF layers—all of which break ATS parsing. Testing shows 50-70% of content is lost or scrambled when Canva resumes go through ATS systems.

What should I avoid in an ATS-friendly resume template?

Avoid tables, text boxes, two-column layouts, icons, fancy fonts, headers/footers with contact info, images, and embedded graphics. These elements either confuse ATS parsing or become completely invisible to the scanning software.

If You Want an ATS-Friendly Resume Template Done for You...

You can try my tool for free and get a clean, ATS-safe version of your resume immediately.

👉 Upload your resume and get a tailored, ATS-friendly resume for free(Free plan included. No credit card required.)

It's the same format that helped me get out of the cycle of silent rejections—and into a stable role with great benefits.

💡 Key Takeaway: The best ATS resume template isn't about looking pretty—it's about being readable by machines. Stick with simple, one-column layouts using standard fonts and clear section headers. Your resume's content matters most, but it has to be formatted correctly for ATS systems to actually see it.