What "parsing" means and why it fails
When you upload your resume to an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) like Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, or iCIMS, the system attempts to extract structured information from your file — your name, contact details, work history, education, and skills. This process is called parsing.
Parsing fails when the ATS can't interpret your file's structure. The most common causes:
1. Complex formatting. Tables, columns, text boxes, headers, footers, and graphics confuse ATS parsers. What looks clean to a human's eye is often unreadable to a parser that's trying to extract sequential text.
2. Wrong file format. Most ATS systems strongly prefer .docx or a standard (not image-based) PDF. Files saved as .pages, .odt, or as a scanned image PDF (where the text is actually a picture, not text) will fail to parse.
3. Infographic-style resumes. If your resume uses skill bars, icons, or decorative elements from Canva or similar tools, the ATS may not be able to extract any text from those sections.
4. Non-standard section headings. Some ATS systems look for specific labels like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Creative headings like "My Journey" or "What I Know" may confuse the parser.
The 5-minute fix
1. Convert to a single-column format. Remove all tables and columns. Use plain left-aligned text for all sections.
2. Save as .docx or a clean PDF. If saving as PDF, use "Save as PDF" from Word or Google Docs — never scan a physical document. The resulting file should be text-selectable.
3. Move content out of headers and footers. ATS parsers often skip header and footer regions entirely. Put your name and contact information in the main body of the document.
4. Use standard section headings. Rename sections to "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," "Certifications." Boring, but parser-friendly.
5. Remove graphics and decorative elements. Skill bars, profile photos, and icons should be removed entirely.
After making these changes, test your resume by using LoopCV's free AI CV Checker — it will confirm whether your resume is ATS-parseable before you apply.
Which ATS systems have this problem most often?
Workday and iCIMS have historically had stricter parsers that struggle more with complex formatting. Greenhouse and Lever tend to be more forgiving but still have limits. SmartRecruiters and BambooHR are generally the most lenient.
The safest approach is to have one clean, plain-text-forward resume format that works across all systems, and a separate beautifully-formatted version to send directly to human contacts via email.