How many resumes are rejected by ATS?
If a candidate does not have the correct qualifications for the job being applied to, 81% of recruiters will reject the resume. Only 1 in 10 recruiters will forward an under-qualified candidate's resume through to a hiring manager.Up to 90% of employers, including most Fortune 500 companies, use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage candidate applications. (Forbes) Only 25% of resumes make it past the ATS and in front of a human recruiter! This means that 75% of resumes don't qualify because of formatting, content, or lack of keywords.The Missing Piece – One surefire way to have your resume ignored is to miss the instructions given on the job posting. Many job seekers forget to attach a cover letter or put the wrong verbiage in the subject field.

Is Canva resume ATS-friendly : Key takeaways: Canva resumes do not pass the ATS. Canva resumes utilize improper formatting, like text boxes, tables, and images.

How many job rejections are normal

You need to become comfortable with rejection and accept that it is a common part of the job search experience. Successful applicants in one study had a ratio of applying for 10 to 15 jobs and have received 6 to 10 rejections on average.

Why are most resumes rejected : Most likely the main reason your resume is getting rejected is that it's not tailored for the job you're applying to. Employers want to see that you fit the position they are advertising and are being honest about how your work history fits in with it.

While most employers typically consider it best to stick with one-page resumes, they're not the best for every situation.

If you're wondering whether it's OK to have a two-page resume, the answer is almost always a resounding YES! While a one-page resume used to be the norm, two pagers are now considered best practice in most situations.

Why do resumes get rejected

Another common mistake job-seekers make that gets their resume rejected is using exactly the same resume to apply for many job positions. This can cause your resume to never reach the hands of the HR manager because it might not even pass the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).Modern ATS can now read text from both PDFs and Word documents. However, based on our tests, some ATS systems had some issues with formatting and accurately parsing special characters when it comes to . docx files. It is, therefore, safer to send your resume as a PDF since the majority of ATS can read it accurately.How can I tell if I have an ATS-friendly resume

  1. Avoid placing important details like your contact information in the header or footer of your resume document.
  2. Less is more when it comes to your resume format.
  3. Steer clear of right-hand columns.
  4. Customize your resume with relevant keywords.


In a recent survey of 1,000 job applicants, recruiting platform Joblist delved into the psychology around job applications and rejections. Here are some of the key takeaways: On average, successful applicants applied for 10 to 15 jobs and received between 6 and 10 rejections.

Can you be rejected too many times : Studies show that constant social rejection can make you feel like giving up, which can unfortunately lead to depression. Depression can often look like feeling tired all the time, having no motivation to do anything, or isolating yourself from others. It can make you feel jealous of other people.

How do I not get rejected by ATS resume : Here are some easy hacks to make your resume more ATS-friendly:

  1. Put the literal job title as high up on your resume as possible.
  2. Read the skills, get the skills, write in the skills.
  3. Write out acronyms as well as the full phrase.
  4. Stick to text.

How to avoid resume rejection

Remember that your resume should:

  1. Be specific to the position.
  2. Not include irrelevant details.
  3. Be formatted correctly.
  4. Not have an unprofessional email.
  5. Avoid typos and grammatical errors.


If you're wondering whether it's OK to have a two-page resume, the answer is almost always a resounding YES! While a one-page resume used to be the norm, two pagers are now considered best practice in most situations.1.5 pages will leave too much empty space, and make your application look unprofessional. If you have under ten years of relevant work experience, you should write a one page resume. If you have more than ten years, however, a two page resume is acceptable. Just make sure it's not 1.5 pages long.

Is it better to have a 1 or 2 page resume : The short answer as to whether your resume should be one page is still, ideally, yes. Employers have to look through dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes to fill a position. They want the resumes to be quick and easy to read, so the shorter, the better.