# Template ATS Resume: Simple Layouts That Still Parse in 2026 Build a template ATS resume that parses cleanly in 2026. Use a single-column layout, clear headings, readable fonts, and job-specific keywords. > Use a single-column template ATS resume in Word or Google Docs, with standard headings, readable fonts, plain contact details, and job-specific keywords. Author: Maya Chen Published: 2026-09-01T22:00:42.161Z Updated: 2026-09-01T22:00:42.163Z Canonical: https://yourunique.cv/articles/template-ats-resume A good **template ATS resume** is plain, single-column, and easy to scan as text. Use Word or Google Docs, standard section headings, a readable font, and normal margins. Avoid design features that place important details inside objects or separate columns. The goal is not to make your resume look empty. The goal is to make every important fact appear in the correct reading order when an application system extracts the file. ## The safest resume structure Use this order for most applications: ```text NAME Phone | Email | City, State | LinkedIn URL SUMMARY SKILLS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE EDUCATION CERTIFICATIONS PROJECTS ``` The last two sections are optional. Include them only when they support the job. A recent graduate may put Education before Experience. Otherwise, keep Experience near the top because it usually carries the strongest evidence of fit. Use standard headings such as `Summary`, `Skills`, `Professional Experience`, `Education`, `Certifications`, and `Projects`. Do not rename a section to something vague such as `What I Bring` or `Career Highlights`. A human may understand it, but standard labels make the file easier to scan. ### Section-order wireframe ```text [Name] [Phone] | [Email] | [City, State] | [LinkedIn URL] SUMMARY Two or three lines targeted to the role. SKILLS Skill | Skill | Skill | Skill PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Job Title, Employer, Location | Dates • Accomplishment with result and relevant tool • Accomplishment with result and relevant process Earlier Job Title, Employer, Location | Dates • Accomplishment with result • Accomplishment with relevant job language EDUCATION Degree, School, Location | Year OPTIONAL EXTRAS Certifications, projects, languages, or volunteer work ``` This structure works in a Microsoft Word file and a Google Docs file. Keep each entry in the main document body. Do not place the header, contact details, or dates in a separate object. For more structure ideas, compare the [ATS-Friendly Resume Template](https://yourunique.cv/articles/ats-friendly-resume-template) and the [ATS Optimized Resume Template](https://yourunique.cv/articles/ats-optimized-resume-template). ## Word and Google Docs template rules Build the document with ordinary paragraphs. Apply bold to headings if you want visual separation. Use paragraph spacing instead of decorative lines or floating shapes. | Element | Safe default | Avoid | |---|---|---| | Page layout | Single column | Two or more content columns | | Font | Calibri, Arial, or Georgia | Decorative, handwritten, or unusual fonts | | Font size | 10 to 12 pt for body text | Tiny text used to force one page | | Name | 16 to 20 pt is usually readable | An image of your name | | Margins | Standard margins, about 1 inch | Extremely narrow margins | | Contact details | Plain text on one line or separate lines | Icons, graphics, or header objects | | Skills | Text separated by commas or vertical bars | Multi-column skill grids | | Dates | Consistent text format | Dates placed in a visual side column | | File | Word or Google Docs source, PDF when allowed | A screenshot or image-based PDF | Calibri, Arial, and Georgia are practical choices because they are familiar and readable. Keep body text between 10 and 12 points. Use standard margins, usually about 1 inch on each side. If your resume is too long, edit weak content before shrinking the font or margins. A plain text link is safer than an icon. Write `linkedin.com/in/name` instead of relying on a LinkedIn symbol. Write the full email address and phone number. Include your city and state if location matters for the role. ## What a downloadable-style example looks like Use this plain-text model as the base for a Word or Google Docs file: ```text JORDAN LEE Austin, TX | 512-555-0147 | jordan.lee@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jordanlee SUMMARY Operations coordinator with 5 years of experience improving scheduling, vendor communication, and reporting for multi-site teams. Skilled in Excel, process documentation, and cross-functional coordination. SKILLS Operations coordination | Excel | Vendor management | Process documentation | Reporting | Scheduling PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Operations Coordinator, Northstar Services, Austin, TX | 2022-Present • Coordinated weekly schedules for 18 field staff and reduced uncovered shifts by 22%. • Built Excel reporting used by managers to track service volume, response time, and open work. • Documented vendor onboarding steps and shortened handoff time for new suppliers. Administrative Specialist, Blue Oak Group, Austin, TX | 2019-2022 • Managed calendars, invoices, and customer records for a team of 12. • Created standard templates that improved consistency across monthly reports. EDUCATION Bachelor of Business Administration, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX | 2019 ``` This example uses one reading path. The name comes first, followed by contact details, summary, skills, experience, and education. Each bullet begins in the same content area. Dates are text, not items positioned in a separate column. ## Three layouts that can fail parsing ### 1. Sidebar resume with two columns A colored sidebar may contain your phone, email, skills, and education while the main column contains your summary and experience. Some systems may read the sidebar first, last, or in an unexpected sequence. Important facts can become disconnected from their headings. A single-column design removes that uncertainty. Put contact details at the top of the document body, then use ordinary headings and paragraphs. ### 2. Resume built from tables Tables can look tidy because they align dates, employers, and job titles. They can also cause extraction problems. Text may be read cell by cell in an order that does not match the visible page. A table used only for layout is not worth the risk. Type the information as regular lines instead: ```text Marketing Manager, Harbor Media, Denver, CO | 2021-Present ``` ### 3. Graphic-heavy resume with icons and text boxes A resume with icons for phone and email, text boxes for every section, progress bars for skills, and a profile photo may look polished. Contact information can be missed if it is stored as an image or floating object. Skill bars also do not explain what you can do or where you used the skill. Use words instead. Write the skill name. Support it in an experience bullet when possible. This does not mean every PDF will fail. It means these features add avoidable extraction risk. See the [Microsoft Word ATS Resume Template](https://yourunique.cv/articles/microsoft-word-ats-resume-template) for guidance on keeping a Word document readable and structured. ## Customize one template for one job Keep the structure stable. Change the content inside the sections. Start by reading the job description. Identify the exact tools, methods, certifications, and job functions it requires. Then compare those terms with your real experience. Do not add a skill merely because it appears in the posting. Use this process: 1. Copy the job description into a notes file. 2. Mark required tools, responsibilities, credentials, and industry terms. 3. Keep the same section headings in your template. 4. Rewrite the Summary so it reflects the role and your actual background. 5. Move relevant skills higher in the Skills section. 6. Replace weaker experience bullets with evidence that relates to the job. 7. Use the employer's wording when it accurately describes your work. 8. Save the file with a clear name, such as `Jordan-Lee-Operations-Coordinator.pdf`. For example, if the posting asks for vendor management, Excel reporting, and scheduling, do not create a new decorative section called `Core Strengths`. Keep `Skills`, then list those terms if you genuinely have them. In Experience, explain where you used them and what changed as a result. Run the file through the [job description keyword extractor](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/job-description-keyword-extractor) to identify must-haves, tools, and nice-to-haves. It can also mark which terms already appear in your PDF. Then paste the same job into [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv) if you want a draft based on your actual profile facts. Review every line before using it. ## Check the file before you apply A template can be structurally safe and still contain mistakes. Check the reading order, section names, dates, and job-specific terms. Open the finished PDF and copy all text. Paste it into a plain text editor. Read the result from top to bottom. Look for: - A missing name or contact detail. - Headings that appear out of order. - Employer names separated from job titles. - Dates appearing before the wrong role. - Bullets that merge into one paragraph. - Symbols replacing letters. - Skills that disappeared during export. If the pasted text is confusing, return to the Word or Google Docs source. Remove text boxes, tables used for layout, icons, and columns. Export again. Also confirm the application instructions. Some employers request a DOCX file, while others accept or request PDF. An online checker can help find problems, but it cannot prove how a specific employer's system will process your document. The [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker) scans an uploaded PDF against a pasted job description and reports a match score, missing keywords, and gaps. The result is not the number from Workday, Greenhouse, or another employer system. If you want to keep a clean layout while creating a targeted version, [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv/sign-up) lets you upload a resume, optionally add a LinkedIn URL, keep the existing layout or select a built-in template, and tailor the content to a job description or job link from your profile facts. ## Common template mistakes to fix Do not put your full street address on the resume unless it is required. City and state are usually enough. Do not put keywords in white text or hide them behind graphics. Keyword stuffing can make the document harder for a recruiter to trust and does not replace evidence. Do not change every heading for every application. Consistent headings make the document easier to navigate. Customize the Summary, Skills, and bullet wording instead. Do not force every resume onto one page. A concise one-page resume is useful when your experience supports it. Experienced candidates may need two pages to explain relevant work clearly. Remove repetition first. Before you apply, you can also review [ATS-Friendly Resume Examples 2025 Templates](https://yourunique.cv/articles/ats-friendly-resume-examples-2025-templates) for plain-text content patterns. Use examples for structure, not for claims that are not yours. ## Apply-today checklist - [ ] Save the resume as Word or Google Docs while editing. - [ ] Export to the requested file type, usually PDF only when allowed. - [ ] Use one column, standard margins, and Calibri, Arial, or Georgia at 10 to 12 pt. - [ ] Keep standard headings: Summary, Skills, Experience, and Education. - [ ] Remove text boxes, layout tables, icons, photos, and multi-column skill grids. - [ ] Add only skills and keywords supported by your real experience. - [ ] Write at least five strong bullets when your experience supports them. - [ ] Copy the final file and paste it into a plain text editor to test reading order. - [ ] Run the PDF through the [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker). - [ ] Confirm the filename, contact details, dates, and application file requirements. A simple template is easier to customize, check, and reuse. Keep the layout stable. Make the evidence specific to the job. ## Questions ### What is the safest layout for a template ATS resume? A single-column layout with standard headings, plain text contact details, standard margins, and no text boxes, tables, icons, photos, or multi-column skill grids is the safest general choice. ### Should I use Word or Google Docs for an ATS resume template? Use either Word or Google Docs if the template uses normal document text, standard headings, and a simple single-column structure. Export the final file as a PDF only when the application instructions allow PDF. ### How can I check whether my resume is readable by an ATS? Upload the PDF and paste the job description into the [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker). It reports a match score, missing keywords, and gaps. Its result is not a Workday or Greenhouse score. ### Can [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv) customize an ATS resume template? Yes. [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv) can use your resume or optional LinkedIn URL, keep your layout or use a built-in template, and create a draft from your profile facts for a specific job description or job link. — YourUnique.cv