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Tips for Formatting Contact Info to Pass ATS Scanners Efficiently
Getting your name, phone number, and email past an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the first hurdle in any job application. Even the most impressive experience section will be ignored if the scanner cannot parse your contact block. This guide walks you through the Tips for Formatting Contact Information to Pass ATS Scanners Efficiently, offering checklists, step‑by‑step instructions, and real‑world examples that you can apply today.
Why Contact Information Matters to ATS
ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software scans resumes for keywords, dates, and structured data. Contact details are the anchor point that tells the system who the candidate is. If the ATS cannot extract a phone number or email, the resume may be flagged as incomplete or even discarded.
- Stat: According to a 2023 Jobscan study, 68% of recruiters reject resumes that contain unreadable contact information before a human ever sees them.
- Source: Jobscan ATS Report 2023
Because the ATS is the gatekeeper, formatting your contact section correctly is a non‑negotiable step in resume optimization.
Core Elements of an ATS‑Friendly Contact Block
| Element | Recommended Format | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | First Middle Last (no titles) | Titles like Dr. or PhD can confuse parsers. |
| Phone Number | +1‑555‑123‑4567 (international format) | The plus sign and hyphens are universally recognized. |
| Email Address | firstname.lastname@email.com | Simple, professional, and free of symbols like + or _. |
| LinkedIn URL | https://www.linkedin.com/in/your‑profile | Full URL, not a shortened link. |
| Location | City, State (optional ZIP) | ATS often extracts city and state for location‑based searches. |
Do not include social media handles that are not linked to a professional profile, and avoid decorative icons or emojis.
Formatting Rules and Do’s & Don’ts
Do’s
- Use a standard font such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
- Keep the contact block on a single line or two lines max.
- Separate each item with a simple delimiter: a pipe
|, a bullet•, or a vertical bar. - Use plain text—no tables, text boxes, or graphics.
- Include a LinkedIn URL if you have a complete profile.
Don’ts
- Do not embed your contact info inside a header/footer.
- Avoid using special characters like
*,#, or@(except the email @). - Never place the contact block inside a graphic or image.
- Skip decorative fonts or colors that may not render in plain‑text parsing.
Checklist: Is Your Contact Section ATS‑Ready?
- Name appears exactly as it does on your LinkedIn profile.
- Phone number uses international format with hyphens.
- Email address is professional and free of numbers unless part of your brand.
- LinkedIn URL is full and clickable in the PDF.
- No tables, text boxes, or images are used.
- Font size is between 10‑12 pt for readability.
- No decorative symbols or emojis.
If you can answer “yes” to every item, you are ready for the next step.
Step‑by‑Step Guide to Build an ATS‑Ready Contact Section
- Open your resume template in a plain‑text editor or a word processor set to “Normal” style.
- Enter your name on the first line, centered or left‑aligned—no bold or caps lock needed.
- Add a delimiter (e.g.,
|) and type your phone number in the format+1‑555‑123‑4567. - Insert another delimiter and type your email address.
- Add a final delimiter and paste your full LinkedIn URL.
- Optional: Add a city and state after another delimiter if the job is location‑specific.
- Save the file as a PDF using the “Standard” export option (no PDF/A or image‑only settings).
- Run a quick test with Resumly’s free ATS Resume Checker to confirm readability.
👉 ATS Resume Checker - Fine‑tune any flagged issues and re‑run the test until you receive a green pass.
By following these nine steps, you eliminate the most common parsing errors.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
| Mistake | Impact | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Placing contact info in a header/footer | Header/footer text is often ignored by ATS | Move the block to the main body of the document |
| Using a graphic for the phone number | Image text is not readable by parsers | Replace the graphic with plain text |
| Adding a personal website with a non‑professional domain | May be flagged as spam | Use a clean domain (e.g., yourname.com) or omit it |
| Including multiple email addresses | Confuses the parser about the primary contact | Keep only one professional email |
Real‑World Example: Before and After
Before (problematic)
John D. ★
📞 (555)123‑4567
✉️ john_doe@email.com
LinkedIn: john‑doe‑profile
Issues: decorative symbols, parentheses, underscore in email, missing protocol in LinkedIn URL.
After (ATS‑Friendly)
John Doe | +1‑555‑123‑4567 | john.doe@email.com | https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-doe-profile
Why it works: plain text, standard delimiters, professional email, full URL.
Quick FAQ
1. Can I include a personal website? Yes, but only if it is a clean, professional domain. Place it after your LinkedIn URL and separate with a pipe.
2. Should I list my full mailing address? Most ATS only need city and state. Including a full street address is optional and can be omitted for privacy.
3. Does the order of items matter? The ATS looks for patterns, not order, but keeping a consistent order (Name | Phone | Email | LinkedIn) helps human recruiters scan quickly.
4. Are emojis ever acceptable? No. Emojis are treated as unknown characters and can cause parsing failures.
5. How often should I test my resume with an ATS checker? Before every major job application, especially after any formatting changes. Use Resumly’s free tool for quick validation.
6. What if my LinkedIn URL is long? You can use a custom LinkedIn vanity URL to keep it short and clean.
7. Does the ATS read PDFs created from Google Docs? Generally yes, as long as you export using the standard PDF option and avoid embedded images.
8. Can I use a resume template from Canva? Only if the template outputs plain‑text PDF without decorative elements. Many Canva designs embed text in images, which ATS cannot read.
Integrating Resumly for a Seamless Experience
Resumly’s AI Resume Builder automatically formats your contact section according to ATS best practices, saving you time and reducing errors. After you craft your resume, run it through the ATS Resume Checker to verify compliance. If you need a polished LinkedIn profile, the LinkedIn Profile Generator can create a matching headline and summary that reinforce the same contact details.
- Build a resume that passes scanners: https://www.resumly.ai/features/ai-resume-builder
- Validate with the free checker: https://www.resumly.ai/ats-resume-checker
- Optimize your LinkedIn presence: https://www.resumly.ai/linkedin-profile-generator
- Explore more career tools in the Resumly Career Guide: https://www.resumly.ai/career-guide
Final Takeaways
Formatting contact information correctly is a small step with a huge payoff. By applying the Tips for Formatting Contact Info to Pass ATS Scanners, you ensure that every recruiter’s software can read your name, phone, email, and LinkedIn profile without hiccups. Use the checklist, follow the step‑by‑step guide, avoid the common pitfalls, and leverage Resumly’s AI tools for a flawless, ATS‑ready resume.
Ready to put these tips into action? Start building your perfect resume today with Resumly’s AI‑powered platform and watch your applications move from the black hole to the interview stage.
