How to Optimise Your Resume for Australian ATS in 2026

The Role of ATS in Modern Hiring

Today, the vast majority of medium-to-large Australian businesses rely on Applicant Tracking Systems to manage high volumes of job applications. Before a recruiter even looks at your profile, the ATS scans, categorises, and scores your resume based on how well it matches the job description.

Many highly qualified candidates miss out simply because their resumes aren't configured for these systems to read accurately. Fortunately, you can change that.

1. Prioritise Standard Formatting Over Complex Design

While a beautifully designed, multi-column resume might look appealing in a PDF, many ATS platforms struggle to parse complex formatting. Text often gets scrambled, and crucial information like your contact details or recent experience can be completely overlooked.

• Stick to a single-column layout: This is the safest way to ensure the ATS reads your work history in the correct order.
• Use standard fonts: Fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Roboto are highly readable by ATS software.
• Avoid graphics, charts, or images: ATS parsers cannot read text embedded in images or properly interpret visual charts depicting your skill levels.

2. Adopt Australian English Spelling

This is a subtle but critical step. If an Australian recruiter configures their ATS to search for specific terms, they will likely use local spelling.

• Use 'optimise' instead of 'optimize'.
• Use 'programme' instead of 'program' (where appropriate).
• Use 'colour' instead of 'color'.

Using US spelling when an ATS is searching for Australian variants could reduce your keyword match score, potentially filtering you out of the candidate pool.

3. Match Your Keywords to the Job Description

The core function of an ATS is to find a match between the employer's needs and the candidate's skills. Identify the key competencies listed in the job advertisement and ensure they appear naturally within your resume.

4. Use Conventional Section Headings

Applicant Tracking Systems are programmed to recognise standard headings. If you get overly creative with your titles, the ATS might not categorise your information correctly.

Stick to accepted industry standards such as:

• Professional Experience (instead of "My Professional Journey")
• Education (instead of "Academic Background")
• Core Competencies or Skills (instead of "What I Bring to the Table")

Beat the Bots with MerlAI

Crafting a resume that appeals to both robotic parsers and human recruiters can be a delicate balancing act. That's where MerlAI excels. Our platform is explicitly designed to generate sleek, ATS-friendly resumes tailored to the nuances of the Australian job market.