The Resume Formatting Gamble You Might Be Losing

Have you spent hours perfecting your resume's layout with neat tables and elegant columns, only to wonder if they're actually sabotaging your job applications?

You're not alone. In fact, that beautifully formatted resume you're so proud of might be completely unreadable to the very systems designed to process it.

The culprit? Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and their notorious struggle with certain formatting elements. And in a job market where up to 75% of resumes are rejected before a human ever sees them, this is a gamble you can't afford to lose.

Let's settle once and for all: Can the ATS actually read tables and columns on your resume? The answer might surprise you.

The ATS Reality Check: What's Really Happening to Your Resume

When you submit your resume through a company's career portal or job hunting sites like Indeed, your document immediately encounters an ATS — software designed to parse, categorize, and rank your application.

Think of the ATS as an impatient, literal-minded assistant with very specific expectations. It's not viewing your resume as a visual document; it's converting it into plain text and looking for specific information in predictable places.

And here's where tables and columns create problems.

Tables: The ATS Stumbling Block

Most ATS systems struggle significantly with tables.

When your resume contains tables, the ATS typically does one of three things:

1. Complete misreading: The system reads across rows instead of processing cells as you intended, creating nonsensical text combinations.
   
   
   

2. Content skipping: The ATS simply ignores information contained in tables, creating gaps in your parsed resume.
   
   
   

3. Order scrambling: The information gets read, but in an unpredictable order that disconnects related information.
   
   
   

For example, a simple skills table like this:

Might be interpreted by an ATS as: "Technical Skills Soft Skills Python, Java, SQL Leadership, Communication Data Analysis Project Management"

The relationship between the skills categories is lost, creating confusion about what skills you actually possess.

Recent testing with popular ATS Resume Checker tools shows that even in 2025, approximately 65% of ATS systems still have difficulty accurately processing tables, despite advances in parsing technology.

Columns: A Slightly Better But Still Risky Choice

Columns fare somewhat better than tables but still present significant risks.

The primary issue with columns is reading order. While humans naturally read from left to right across columns, most ATS systems read down each column separately before moving to the next.

So a two-column format like this:
Work Experience        |  Education
-----------------------|----------------
Marketing Manager      |  MBA
ABC Company            |  University of Michigan
2020-Present           |  2018-2020

Might be interpreted as: "Work Experience Marketing Manager ABC Company 2020-Present Education MBA University of Michigan 2018-2020"

The ATS has correctly captured all the information, but the relationship between your work experience and dates, or education and dates, becomes unclear.

Modern ATS systems are improving at handling columns, but approximately 40% still misinterpret columnar data in some way. Why take the chance when your dream job is on the line?

The ATS-Safe Alternative: Linear Formatting

If tables and columns are problematic, what's the solution?

The safest approach for ATS compatibility is linear formatting — presenting your information in a clear, sequential flow without complex formatting elements.

This doesn't mean your resume needs to be visually boring. You can still use:

• Bold and italic text for emphasis

• Simple bullet points (•) rather than fancy symbols

• Clear section headings

• Horizontal lines as dividers

• Consistent spacing for visual hierarchy

The key difference is that these formatting elements don't disrupt the logical flow of information that the ATS expects.

For skills that you might have previously put in a table, consider this ATS-friendly alternative:

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Programming: Python, Java, SQL

• Analysis: Data Analysis, Statistical Modeling, A/B Testing

SOFT SKILLS

• Leadership: Team Management, Strategic Planning

• Communication: Presentations, Technical Writing, Client Relations

This format ensures the ATS correctly associates skills with their categories while remaining visually organized for human readers.

But What About Modern ATS Systems? Aren't They Better Now?

ATS technology has certainly improved since its early days. Modern systems like Workday, Taleo, and Greenhouse have more sophisticated parsing capabilities than their predecessors.

However, two important facts remain:

1. Companies don't upgrade their ATS systems as frequently as you might think. Many are still using older versions with limited parsing abilities.
   
   
   

2. Even the most advanced systems still prefer simple, predictable formatting to ensure accurate data extraction.
   
   
   

When using Linkedin job search or other job finder applications, remember that you rarely know which ATS system a company uses — or how old their version is. The safest approach is formatting that works across all systems.

When Tables and Columns Might Be Acceptable

Are there ever cases where tables and columns are okay? Potentially, in two specific scenarios:

1. When you're submitting directly to a human 

If you're emailing your resume directly to a hiring manager or bringing a printed copy to an interview, a visually optimized version with tables or columns can be effective.

2. When you're using a two-version strategy 

Some job seekers create two versions: an ATS-friendly version for online applications and a visually enhanced version for direct human sharing.

Job application tracker tools can help you remember which version you used for which application, ensuring consistency in your follow-ups.

How to Test Your Resume's ATS Compatibility

Not sure if your formatting is causing problems? Here are two ways to check:

The Simple Text Test 

Save your resume as a plain text (.txt) file and open it. If the information appears jumbled or out of order, that's likely how an ATS will interpret it.

Use an ATS Resume Checker 

More accurate than the text test, dedicated ATS checker tools simulate how actual applicant tracking systems process your document. They highlight formatting issues and suggest improvements specific to ATS compatibility.

This is where AI-powered job search tools like CareerSwift provide a significant advantage. Rather than just flagging problems, CareerSwift's AI Resume Builder actually reformats your information to be ATS-friendly while maintaining a visually appealing layout for when your resume reaches human eyes.

The Future of Resume Formatting: AI to the Rescue

As job search becomes increasingly competitive, more candidates are turning to specialized AI tools to navigate ATS challenges.

Unlike basic CV builder free options that focus only on templates, advanced platforms integrate ATS compatibility directly into the resume creation process.

CareerSwift, for example, goes beyond simple formatting advice. Its AI-powered platform:

• Analyzes your existing resume for ATS issues

• Reformats your content to maintain visual appeal while ensuring ATS readability

• Suggests content improvements based on the specific job you're targeting

• Provides a complete solution that includes an AI Cover Letter Generator and AI Interview Answers Generator

The platform's approach recognizes that ATS compatibility is just one part of a successful job search strategy — though it's a critical part that can make or break your application.

Key Takeaways: Formatting for Success

To summarize what we've learned about ATS and resume formatting:

1. Avoid tables entirely for online applications — they remain the riskiest formatting element.
   
   
   

2. Use columns cautiously, if at all, and only for information that makes sense when read vertically.
   
   
   

3. Choose linear formatting with clear section headings for maximum ATS compatibility.
   
   
   

4. Test your resume with an ATS checker before submitting applications.
   
   
   

5. Consider an AI-optimized approach that balances ATS requirements with visual appeal.
   
   
   

In 2025's competitive job market, giving yourself every possible advantage matters. While you can't control how many people apply for the same position, you can ensure your qualifications actually reach the hiring manager's desk by creating an ATS-friendly resume.

Ready to Make Your Resume ATS-Proof?

Stop wondering if your resume formatting is costing you interviews. CareerSwift's AI-driven platform can analyze your current resume for ATS compatibility issues and help you create a version that satisfies both automated systems and human recruiters. Check out our free resume scan today to see how your formatting stacks up against modern ATS systems, and take the guesswork out of your job applications.