Why Your Resume Gets Rejected Before a Human Reads It
Over 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) before a recruiter ever opens them. Indian companies — including TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Flipkart, and Razorpay — all use ATS software to filter thousands of applications.
An ATS parses your resume and looks for specific keywords from the job description. If your resume doesn't contain those exact keywords, it's automatically filtered out — even if you're perfectly qualified.
Top 10 ATS Resume Mistakes Indian Candidates Make
1. **Using tables or columns** — Most ATS systems can't parse multi-column layouts. Use single-column format. 2. **Using images or graphics** — ATS can't read text in images. 3. **Wrong file format** — Always submit .docx or .pdf (depending on the job portal). 4. **Missing keywords from the JD** — Your resume must mirror the job description's language. 5. **Inconsistent date formats** — Use "Month Year" format consistently. 6. **Generic skills list** — List specific technologies: "React.js 18" not just "Frontend". 7. **Missing contact information** — Phone, email, LinkedIn URL at the top. 8. **Fancy fonts** — Stick to Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman. 9. **Job titles don't match** — If your role was "Member Technical Staff" but the JD says "Software Engineer," rephrase. 10. **No action verbs** — Start bullet points with: Developed, Implemented, Reduced, Increased, Led.
How to Boost Your ATS Score to 90%+
Step 1: **Copy the job description into a word cloud tool** — identify the top 10 keywords.
Step 2: **Check which keywords are missing from your resume** — add them naturally.
Step 3: **Match your job titles to industry-standard names** — "Full Stack Developer" not "MERN Stack Ninja."
Step 4: **Use the exact skill names from the JD** — "Python 3.11" not just "Python."
Step 5: **Quantify everything** — "Reduced API response time by 40%" beats "Improved performance."
Step 6: **Run it through an ATS checker** — PrerakAI's ATS Resume Builder gives you an instant ATS score + a list of missing keywords with suggested fixes.
ATS Tips for Specific Indian Job Portals
**Naukri.com**: Keyword-match your resume to Naukri's "profile strength" indicator. Keep your profile updated weekly — Naukri shows recently-updated profiles higher.
**LinkedIn**: Headline is indexed heavily. Use: "Software Engineer | Python | React | Open to Opportunities" not just your job title.
**Company ATS (Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse)**: These are stricter — pure single-column, no special characters in headings, use standard section names (Experience, Education, Skills).