Best Resume Format for ATS in 2026
Founder, ResumeAI
Kayvan is the founder and lead engineer of ResumeAI. He writes the product and the code, and recently open-sourced the State of ATS 2026 dataset that maps the Applicant Tracking System used by 743 large employers.
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The Three Resume Formats
There are three main resume formats, and they each interact with ATS differently.
Chronological (Recommended)
Lists your work experience in reverse chronological order — most recent job first. This is the gold standard for ATS because it's the format these systems were designed to parse. Best for: Most job seekers, especially those with a steady career progression.
Functional (Not Recommended)
75% of resumes are rejected by ATS
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Focuses on skills rather than work history. Groups experience by skill category instead of by job. Why ATS hates it: ATS systems look for job titles, companies, and dates in a specific order. Functional resumes scramble this structure, leading to poor parsing and low scores.
Combination/Hybrid (Use Carefully)
Blends both approaches — a skills summary at the top followed by chronological work history. ATS compatibility: Good, as long as the chronological work history section is complete with titles, companies, and dates.
Formatting Rules for ATS
Fonts
Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Times New Roman. Avoid decorative fonts.Font Size
10-12pt for body text, 14-16pt for your name. Never go below 10pt.Margins
0.5 to 1 inch on all sides. Don't squeeze margins to fit more content.File Type
PDF is generally safe in 2026. Most modern ATS handle PDF well.Sections (In Order)
Check Your Format
Not sure if your format is ATS-friendly? Run it through our free ATS checker to find out instantly.