ATS-Friendly Resume: What to Send and What It Costs
Learn what makes a resume ATS-friendly, what to send your writer, common mistakes to avoid, and typical prices on Hylance.
Key takeaways
- An ATS-friendly resume uses a simple one-column layout, standard section headings, and keywords from the job ad in a text-based file, so both the applicant tracking system and the recruiter can read it.
- Test it yourself: if you can select all the text in the file and paste it into a blank document and it stays organized, the system will probably read it too.
- Send the writer your current resume, one or two target job ads, and your achievements with numbers. Do not send your ID copy or official documents.
- On Hylance, ATS-friendly resume writing starts at about SAR 110 (about $29), and a LinkedIn summary starts at about SAR 30 (about $8) at the time of writing this guide.
An ATS-friendly resume uses simple formatting, standard section headings, and keywords taken from the job ad, so the applicant tracking system many companies use can read it before it reaches a recruiter. To get one from a professional writer, send your current resume, your experience, your achievements with numbers, and one or two job ads you are targeting. On Hylance, this starts at about SAR 110 (about $29) at the time of writing this guide.
This guide is for job seekers and career changers who want to hire a writer for their resume without paying for a pretty colored template the system cannot read, and without wasting the writer’s time on questions they could have answered in the first message.
What does an ATS-friendly resume mean?
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System: software a company uses to receive job applications, store them, and let recruiters search them by keywords. Some of these systems rank applicants by how closely their resumes match the role, while others simply store applications. In both cases, if the system cannot read your resume correctly, or cannot find the keywords the recruiter is searching for, your resume may not appear in the results no matter how strong your experience is.
So compatibility is not a trick to fool the software. It means writing clearly for both the system and the human reader: real text, not an image; familiar section headings; and experience written in the language of the job you are applying for.
What makes a resume readable for screening systems?
The difference between a resume the system reads easily and one it struggles with is usually formatting, not content. Here is a comparison of what is preferred and what is usually best avoided:
| Element | Best for screening systems | What often causes problems |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | One column, read from top to bottom | Two columns, tables, or text boxes |
| Section headings | Standard headings: Experience, Education, Skills | Creative headings like “My Journey” or “What I’m Good At” |
| Name and contact details | In the main body of the page itself | In the header or inside an image |
| Skills | Written as keywords exactly as they appear in the job ad | Bars or stars showing skill level visually |
| File format | Word or a text-based PDF whose words can be selected | Scanned PDF or image |
A quick test you can do yourself: open your resume file, select all the text, and copy it into a blank document. If it stays organized and readable, the system will probably read it too. If it comes out scrambled or cannot be copied at all, the problem is the formatting. And if the job ad asks for a specific file format, follow that request, because it matters more than any general advice.
What should you send the writer before they start?
The writer does not invent your experience. They organize it and rewrite it in the language of the role. The more complete your information is, the more accurate the resume will be and the fewer revision rounds you will need. Send this in your first message:
- Your current resume, no matter how old it is, or a list of your previous jobs and dates if you do not have a resume.
- One or two job ads you are genuinely targeting. The writer will use them to pull the keywords and skills the employer is looking for.
- Your achievements in each role with numbers if available: how many customers you served, how much time or cost you saved, and the size of the team you managed.
- Your degrees, courses, and their dates, and the languages you know and your level in each one.
- The required language: Arabic, English, or both versions.
- Any gap in your work history or career change that you want presented appropriately.
Do not send your ID copy or official document numbers. A resume does not need them. Your name, your city, and a professional contact method that you add yourself in the final file are enough.
How should experience and achievements be written on a resume?
Each experience entry on a resume should start with an action and then a result, not just a list of daily tasks. Recruiters already know what an accountant or marketer generally does. What they want to know is what changed because you were there. Here are examples of the difference:
- Weak: “Responsible for answering customer inquiries.” Stronger: “Answered customer inquiries by phone and email and reduced response time from two days to one.”
- Weak: “Managed social media accounts.” Stronger: “Managed two accounts for an online store with a monthly content plan and regular weekly posting.”
- Use the exact wording from the job ad if it truly describes your work. If the ad says “preparing financial reports,” do not write “preparing accounting data.”
- Do not list a skill you do not have just to match the ad. The interview will expose it.
Keep the resume as short as your level of experience allows, and put the newest and most relevant experience at the top. Ask the writer for a two- or three-line summary at the top of the resume that explains who you are and what you offer, and tailor it for each job you apply to.
Common mistakes that weaken your resume
- A colorful two-column template with icons that looks attractive but confuses screening systems.
- One resume sent to every job without adjusting the summary and skills for each ad.
- A generic summary such as “an ambitious person who enjoys teamwork” that does not say what you offer.
- Spelling mistakes or conflicting dates between jobs.
- Information the ad does not ask for and that does not help the role, taking space away from your achievements.
- A file name that is unclear, such as “cv-final2.” Name it with your own name and the job title.
How much does resume writing cost on Hylance?
The following figures are approximate, based on services published on Hylance at the time of writing this guide. The exact price is shown on each service page in your currency. Writing a professional ATS-friendly resume in Arabic or English is about SAR 110 (about $29). Writing a professional summary for your LinkedIn profile is about SAR 30 (about $8), which is useful because your profile may be opened after your resume and should say the same thing. Proofreading for spelling and language for up to 2,000 words is about SAR 35 (about $9) if you wrote your resume yourself and only want it reviewed. Send your current resume, the job ad, and your achievements in the order chat on Hylance so the writer can start without repeated questions.
You pay from your Hylance wallet, and the amount stays on hold with the platform until you confirm delivery. Before delivery, you can cancel the order and the amount returns to your wallet. After delivery, if the work does not match what you agreed on, you can open a dispute for the platform team to review. And on your first order, you get a 10% discount.
Services that can help you write your resume
ATS-Compatible Professional Resume Writing in Arabic or English
- Writing & Translation
- New service
Professional LinkedIn Profile Summary Writing
- Writing & Translation
- New service
Proofreading and spelling check up to 2000 words
- Writing & Translation
- New service
Frequently asked questions
What is an ATS-friendly resume?
It is a resume written in a simple one-column format, with standard section headings like Experience, Education, and Skills, and wording taken from the job ad, in a text-based file rather than an image. That helps the applicant tracking system the company uses to receive applications read it, and helps the recruiter find it when searching by keywords.
Should I send my resume as a PDF or Word file?
If the job ad asks for a specific file format, follow it. If it does not, a Word file or a text-based PDF whose words can be selected and copied is usually suitable. A scanned PDF or a resume saved as an image is harder for the system to read.
What should I send to a resume writer?
Your current resume, or a list of your jobs and dates, one or two job ads you are targeting, your achievements with numbers if available, your degrees and courses, and the required language. Your resume does not need your ID copy or official document numbers.
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