How to beat the ATS without keyword-stuffing

Applicant-tracking systems reject strong candidates over formatting quirks. Here's how to stay readable and rank well.

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Emma Marsh
Lead Resume Writer · 27 Jul 2026 · 6 min read
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Why ATS matters

Most medium and large employers in the UK now filter applications through an applicant tracking system before a human ever sees them. Getting past that filter is a formatting and keyword exercise as much as a writing one.

The essentials

  • Use standard section headings: Experience, Education, Skills.
  • Avoid text boxes, columns, and tables — many parsers read these out of order or not at all.
  • Mirror the language of the job description for your core skills, without keyword-stuffing.
  • Save as a .docx unless the employer specifically asks for a PDF.

What we do differently

Every resume we write is built to be ATS-parseable first, then designed for the human reader who sees it after. You don't have to choose between the two.

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Written by

Emma Marsh

Lead Resume Writer at Set My Resume with over a decade crafting CVs across tech, finance and healthcare. Emma has helped thousands of clients turn their experience into interviews.

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