Resume Writing

Best resume format for ATS: one column, two pages, or PDF?

Choose the right resume format for ATS parsing, recruiter scanning, seniority, file type, and visual polish without breaking readability.

By Resumely TeamLast reviewed 8 min read

Against Senior product engineer · Oct 12, 14:05
64of 100

Needs improvement: 2 critical fixes are open.

Start with the 2 critical fixes.

Critical2· cost you the most, fix first

1

Missing standard section heading: Experience.

Add plain headings such as Experience, Education and Skills, each on its own line.

Format & structure

2

No email or phone number found near the top of the resume.

Put your email and phone in the first lines of the page body, not in a header or an image.

Format & structure

Recommended2

3

Only 30% of your bullets contain a measurable result.

Add outcomes you can defend: time saved, revenue moved, users served.

Achievement quality

4

3 of 12 key terms from the job description don't appear in your resume.

Add the terms you can honestly claim, in the lines that show the work.

Keyword coverage

Nice to have1

5

Bullets use 2 different markers.

Pick one bullet character and use it for every bullet.

Format & structure

The free check lists every fix by severity and names the line it belongs to.Example
On this page

The best resume format is boring on purpose

In shortThe best resume format for ATS is one column, reverse-chronological, with standard headings, consistent dates and a text-based PDF (DOCX only when the posting asks). Length follows relevance: one page early in your career, two when you are senior.

A format like this should feel obvious. That is the point.

Recruiters do not reward clever formatting when they are reviewing hundreds of applications. ATS systems do not reward it either. Your format should make your evidence impossible to miss.

One page, two pages, or more?

Use one page if you have fewer than 8-10 years of experience or you are early in your career. Use two pages if you are senior, technical, academic-adjacent, or have enough relevant achievements to justify the space.

Do not cut strong evidence just to obey a one-page rule. Also do not fill two pages with old responsibilities that do not support the target role. The rule is relevance, not length.

PDF, DOCX, columns, and design

PDF is usually best because it preserves layout, unless the job posting asks for DOCX. Avoid image-based PDFs, text boxes, tables, headers, footers, icons, photos, and two-column layouts. They can break parsing or scramble reading order.

A good format still has visual polish: clear spacing, strong hierarchy, readable type, and consistent bullets. Start from an ATS-tested template in the Resume Builder, then check the result with the ATS Resume Checker.

Do and don't at a glance

DoDon't
One column, reverse-chronologicalTwo columns, text boxes or tables
Standard headings: Experience, Education, SkillsCreative headings like "Where I've been"
Text you can select and copy from the PDFA scanned or image-only PDF
Contact details in the body of the pageContact details only in the header or footer
PDF, unless the posting asks for DOCXA file type the posting did not ask for
One page early on, two when seniorOld duties that pad out a second page
The same date format throughout (Mar 2023 – Jun 2025)Mixed date formats, or years with no months
Plain bullets and clear spacingIcons, photos, skill bars or charts
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