Mirror the job description's exact keywords and phrasing, don't just paraphrase them.
Use standard section headings like "Experience" and "Education", not creative alternatives.
Avoid tables, text boxes, and columns for anything you need the ATS to actually read.
Spell out acronyms at least once ("Search Engine Optimization (SEO)").
Save and submit as a text-based PDF or .docx, never a scanned image.
Keep critical information out of headers and footers; many parsers skip them.
List your job titles clearly and consistently; unusual titles can fail to match the role being searched for.
Use a simple, widely supported font rather than a decorative one.
Name your file clearly, e.g. "FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf", not "Resume(3)_final_FINAL.pdf".
Tailor your resume per application. A generic resume, however well formatted, will consistently score lower than one tailored to the specific job description.