Most resumes fail before a human even reads them.
Why? Because Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – the software recruiters use to filter applications – can’t parse overly designed templates. So no matter how pretty your resume looks in Canva, if the ATS can’t read it, your application goes straight to the rejection pile.
That’s why I built and shared a plain, single-column, ATS-friendly LaTeX resume template → ASG ATS Resume Template
In this blog, I’ll cover:
- ✅ Why plain templates are essential
- ✅ Actionable resume writing tips
- ✅ How to structure your resume effectively
- ✅ The LaTeX template I created (and why it’s optimized for ATS + recruiters)
- ✅ Step-by-step guide: How to use the template from GitHub in Overleaf
Why Plain Templates Work Best
Recruiters spend 6–8 seconds skimming your resume.
Fancy graphics, two-column layouts, and headshots only make it harder for both ATS software and humans to parse your resume.
The reality:
- ATS reads resumes line by line, left to right → two columns confuse parsing.
- Logos, icons, and tables often get skipped or jumbled.
- Even recruiters don’t have time for visual clutter – they just want keywords, skills, and impact.
A great resume should be:
- Plain and single-column → ATS-friendly
- Keyword-rich → Matches job description
- Skimmable → Recruiters can pick impact in seconds
- One-page → if you have ≤5 years of experience
Resume Writing Tips 🔑
Here are the tips I’ve followed and baked into the template:
Structure
✅ Start with Work Experience (or Projects if fresher)
✅ Add a Summary section with job-relevant keywords
✅ Use bullet points for all achievements
✅ Place Skills section at the end – prove them earlier in projects/experience
Bullet Points
✅ Keep them one line (70–180 chars)
✅ Don’t end with a period
✅ Show impact with numbers (“Reduced API latency by 40%”)
✅ Don’t overuse action verbs – mix clarity + metrics
General Rules
✅ No photo on your resume – ATS doesn’t process images
✅ Skip 10th/12th school details if you have higher ed or experience
✅ Deployed projects? Add a hyperlink
✅ Only add relevant achievements & hobbies
✅ Use bold smartly – to catch the eye in 2 seconds
Why I Built the ASG ATS Resume Template 📝
When I started experimenting with resumes, I realized most templates online were either:
- Too flashy → not ATS-friendly
- Too plain → didn’t highlight keywords or impact
So I built my own LaTeX template:
Features:
- 📄 Single-column design for ATS parsing
- ✒️ Uses Tinos font (ATS-safe + clean for recruiters)
- ─── Thin dividers (no heavy graphics)
- 🔑 Bold project titles, plain descriptions underneath
- 📌 Bullet points optimized for readability
- 📍 Works 100% on Overleaf, GitHub, or local LaTeX install
👉 Try it here: ASG ATS Resume Template
Technical Deep-Dive: How the Template Works ⚙️
If you’re a developer (and especially if you’ve never touched LaTeX before), here’s what you’ll appreciate:
-
Minimal packages → No bloat, just
geometry,enumitem,hyperref, andfontspec. -
Exact alignment → Uses
tabular*for job/project alignment (role left, date right). -
Custom Section Command → A
\Section{}command renders uppercase titles + thin horizontal rule. -
Consistent spacing →
parskip+ tuned margins for a 1-page layout. -
Font control →
\setmainfont{Tinos}ensures ATS-readable + modern look.
Here’s a small snippet that makes section headers neat:
% Section command: UPPERCASE bold heading + thin rule
\newcommand{\Section}[1]{%
\vspace{6pt}\noindent{\large\bfseries\MakeUppercase{#1}}\\
\noindent\rule{\textwidth}{0.4pt}\vspace{6pt}}
And here’s how jobs/projects are aligned perfectly:
% Job line helper
\newcommand{\JobLine}[2]{%
\noindent\begin{tabular*}{\textwidth}{@{}l@{\extracolsep{\fill}}r@{}}%
#1 & #2\\\end{tabular*}}
That’s the power of LaTeX → precision control while keeping the output clean and consistent.
🚀 How to Use the Template from GitHub on Overleaf
This template works out of the box on Overleaf, so you don’t need to install LaTeX locally.
Here’s the step-by-step:
- Go to the GitHub Repo → ASG ATS Resume Template
- Download as ZIP → Click the green “Code” button → Download ZIP.
- Open Overleaf → Log into overleaf.com.
- Upload Project → New Project → Upload ZIP.
- Switch Compiler → In Overleaf menu → Menu > Compiler > XeLaTeX.
- ⚠️ Important: The template uses
fontspec, which only works with XeLaTeX/LuaLaTeX (not pdfLaTeX).-
Edit
main.tex→ Replace name, work experience, projects, etc. - Recompile → Click “Recompile” and download your PDF.
-
Edit
✅ That’s it – your ATS-optimized resume is ready.
Who Should Use This Template?
- 🎓 Students/freshers → Swap “Experience” with “Projects”
- 👨💻 Software developers → ATS loves tech keywords, this layout handles them well
- 📈 Early-career professionals (1–5 years) → Perfect for a one-pager resume
- 🚀 Anyone applying online → ATS parsing guaranteed
Final Thoughts
Your resume isn’t about looking pretty – it’s about getting seen and understood quickly.
With a plain, ATS-friendly template, you instantly improve your odds of making it past the automated filters and into the hands of a recruiter.
That’s why I built the ASG ATS Resume Template → Grab it here
💬 I’d love to hear from you:
👉 What’s the biggest mistake you’ve seen people make on resumes?
✍️ PS: This template is free to use and customize. If it helps you land an interview, let me know!
Top comments (1)
Great write-up! You nailed it with the point about two-column layouts ruining ATS parsing—so many candidates fall into that trap with Canva templates.
For students or juniors who find setting up XeLaTeX or downloading ZIPs into Overleaf a bit overwhelming, I actually built a free browser-based tool called ihatelatex.com. It compiles clean, ATS-friendly single-column LaTeX resumes 100% offline in the browser without making users write raw .tex code or setup local dependencies.
Definitely worth referencing alongside your GitHub template for anyone who wants a zero-setup alternative!