Introduction

Most resumes get filtered out before a human reads them. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) — the software that companies use to handle large volumes of applications — score and rank candidates automatically. If your resume doesn’t match what the system is looking for, it gets deprioritized regardless of your actual qualifications.

This guide covers the full pipeline:

1. How ATS works — what it does and why it rejects candidates
2. Using AI to tailor your resume — with a ready-to-use prompt you can adapt per role
3. Rendering a clean PDF with Overleaf — LaTeX templates that are both ATS-parseable and visually polished
4. Building a GitHub README — your technical profile page, built from the same context as your resume

Part 1 — How ATS Works

What Does an ATS Do?

An ATS collects, parses, ranks, and filters job applications. Popular systems include Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, iCIMS, and Taleo.

When you submit an application, the ATS:

1. Parses your resume — extracts text, strips formatting, breaks it into fields (name, contact, work experience, education, skills)
2. Scores it — compares your text against the job description using keyword matching and semantic similarity
3. Ranks you — among all other applicants. Only the top-scoring resumes reach a recruiter

Why Most Resumes Get Filtered Out

What ATS Actually Evaluates

Modern ATS uses semantic similarity, so it can recognize that “built machine learning pipelines” relates to “ML engineering.” But it still has consistent limitations:

• Multi-column layouts often get parsed in the wrong order
• Content in headers and footers is frequently ignored
• Graphics and icons used as text are invisible to parsers
• Keyword density and placement — especially in the first third of the document — affects ranking

The practical conclusion: your resume needs to be clean, keyword-rich, and targeted to each specific role.

Part 2 — Using AI to Tailor Your Resume

Instead of rewriting your resume from scratch for every job, you can use an AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini — any current frontier model works) to handle the bulk of the work.

The Core Strategy

1. Paste your current resume into the chat
2. Paste the job description
3. Use the prompt below to get a tailored, ATS-optimized resume

The AI Prompt

Copy this prompt and fill in the [ROLE], [COMPANY], and [JD] placeholders:

You are an expert technical resume writer and ATS optimization specialist.

I want you to help me tailor my resume for the following role:

**Target Role:** <[ROLE] — e.g., "Software Engineering Intern">  
**Company:** <[COMPANY] — e.g., "Stripe">  
**Job Description:**  
"""
<[JD] — paste the full job description here>
"""

**My Current Resume:**  
"""
<paste your full resume text here>
"""

Please do the following:

1. **ATS Keyword Extraction** — List the top 15–20 keywords and phrases from the job description that I must include. Separate them into: Hard Skills, Soft Skills, and Tools/Technologies.

2. **Gap Analysis** — Compare my resume against the job description. List:
   - What I already have that matches (strengths to emphasize)
   - What's missing or underemphasized that I should add

3. **Rewrite My Resume** — Produce a fully rewritten, ATS-optimized version of my resume tailored to this specific role. Output it as **LaTeX code** ready to paste into Overleaf (use Jake's Resume template structure). Follow these rules:
   - Use the exact wording from the JD where applicable (keyword mirroring)
   - Lead every bullet point with a strong action verb
   - Quantify achievements wherever possible (use [X]% / $[X] / [X]x as placeholders if I haven't provided numbers — I'll fill them in)
   - Put the most relevant experience and skills near the top
   - Keep formatting clean: single-column, no tables, no images
   - Include a Summary section of 2–3 sentences that directly addresses this role

4. **Section Order** — Recommend the ideal section order for this role (e.g., Summary → Skills → Experience → Projects → Education, or another arrangement if more appropriate)

5. **Honest Feedback** — Flag anything I should actually do (add a project, earn a certification, add a link) to be a stronger candidate for this specific role.

Adapting the Prompt for Different Roles

The prompt is role-agnostic by design. Some adjustments worth making:

• Technical roles (SWE, Data, DevOps): ask the AI to check for tool/tech alignment and suggest GitHub project additions
• Business or operations roles: ask it to weight communication, stakeholder management, and measurable impact more heavily
• Internships: add "Note: I am a student. Emphasize coursework, projects, and transferable skills where work experience is limited."
• Senior roles: add "Note: I have X years of experience. Emphasize leadership, architectural decisions, and scaled impact."

Getting Better Output

• Don’t ask it to fabricate — ask it to reframe real experience more precisely
• Verify keyword coverage — after the rewrite, ask: “How many of the top keywords from the JD appear in this resume? List them.”
• Iterate on gaps — use follow-ups like: “The gap analysis flagged X. Help me write a bullet point for my [project] that addresses this.”
• Score it before submitting — tools like Jobscan and Resume Worded let you measure your match rate against a JD

Part 3 — Rendering Your Resume as a PDF with Overleaf

Once you have your tailored content, you need a format that’s both ATS-parseable and presentable to the human reviewer who reads it next.

Overleaf is a browser-based LaTeX editor that produces publication-quality PDFs with no local setup required.

Why LaTeX + Overleaf

• Clean PDF output — no hidden metadata, no Word formatting artifacts
• ATS-friendly — properly exported LaTeX PDFs produce cleanly parsed text
• Better typography — LaTeX handles spacing and alignment more consistently than Word
• Built-in version history — you can track changes and revert easily
• Free tier is sufficient for resume work

Getting Started

Step 1: Create an account at overleaf.com

Step 2: Start from a template

In Overleaf, click New Project → View All Templates and search for:

• Jake’s Resume — single-column, clean, widely used, maximally ATS-compatible
• Awesome CV — slightly more styled, still well-parsed
• AltaCV — two-column option (though single-column is safer for ATS)

Recommendation: Use Jake’s Resume for maximum ATS compatibility. It’s the template most commonly cited by candidates who’ve gone through technical recruiting pipelines at large companies.

Step 3: Fill in your content

Paste the sections from your AI-tailored resume into the .tex file. The main areas you’ll edit:

%--- HEADING ---
\begin{tabular*}{\textwidth}{l@{\extracolsep{\fill}}r}
  \textbf{\href{https://yoursite.com/}{\Large Your Name}} & Email: \href{mailto:you@email.com}{you@email.com}\\
  \href{https://linkedin.com/in/you}{linkedin.com/in/you} & Mobile: +1-234-567-8901 \\
\end{tabular*}

%--- SUMMARY ---
\section{Summary}
  \resumeSubHeadingListStart
    \resumeItem{2-3 sentences from your AI-tailored summary}
  \resumeSubHeadingListEnd

%--- SKILLS ---
\section{Technical Skills}
 \begin{itemize}[leftmargin=0.15in, label={}]
    \small{\item{
     \textbf{Languages}{: Python, JavaScript, C++} \\
     \textbf{Tools}{: Docker, Git, AWS, Figma} \\
    }}
 \end{itemize}

Step 4: Compile and download

Click Recompile → Menu → Download PDF.

Step 5: Name the file correctly

FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf — clean, professional, easy for recruiters to save and search.

Overleaf Workflow Tips

• One project per role variant — duplicate the project for each major variation (e.g., Resume_SWE_Intern, Resume_DataEng)
• Keep a master version — maintain a master.tex with everything included, comment out irrelevant sections per application
• Font size — don’t go below 10pt. Parsers can struggle with very small text
• Margins — keep between 0.5–1 inch. Narrower looks cramped; wider wastes space

Part 4 — Building Your GitHub README Profile

Technical recruiters routinely check GitHub. Your profile README — displayed at github.com/yourusername — is the first thing they see. Most people leave it blank or with auto-generated content.

A well-constructed README functions as your technical landing page.

What to Include

A strong README has five components:

1. Introduction — who you are and what you build
2. Tech stack — languages and tools, shown with icon badges
3. Current focus — what you’re working on or learning right now
4. Featured projects — 1–2 line descriptions linking to your best repos
5. Stats widgets — GitHub activity (optional but useful for showing consistency)

Building It in the Same Chat

The most efficient approach: continue the chat where you tailored your resume, so the AI already has full context about your background.

Now help me build a professional GitHub README profile that complements this resume.

My GitHub username is: <your-username>

Use the same background you already know about me. The README should:
- Open with a 2-3 sentence bio that aligns with the narrative in my resume
- Include a "What I'm working on" section (I'll fill in current projects)
- Have a tech stack section with icon badges from shields.io or devicons
- Include a "Featured Projects" section previewing my best 2-3 pinned repos
- Add my GitHub stats widget
- Keep the tone professional but direct — not a template, not a list of buzzwords

Output the complete README.md in a code block.

Starting a Fresh Chat

If you’d rather start fresh, most frontier models support PDF uploads. Attach your resume and use:

I'm attaching my resume. Based on it, help me build a GitHub README.md profile that:
- Accurately reflects my background and skills
- Is useful to technical recruiters
- Includes: bio, tech stack icons, current focus, featured projects section, and GitHub stats
- Uses shields.io badges for the tech stack

Output the complete README.md in a code block.

Setting It Up

1. Create a new repository named exactly your GitHub username (e.g., abduelmorsi)
2. This is a special repository — its README.md renders on your profile page
3. Make it public, initialize with a README.md, paste your content, and commit

Useful Widgets and Badges

Tech stack badges (from shields.io):

![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/Python-3776AB?style=for-the-badge&logo=python&logoColor=white)
![TypeScript](https://img.shields.io/badge/TypeScript-007ACC?style=for-the-badge&logo=typescript&logoColor=white)
![React](https://img.shields.io/badge/React-20232A?style=for-the-badge&logo=react&logoColor=61DAFB)

GitHub stats widget (github-readme-stats):

![Your GitHub Stats](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api?username=YOURUSERNAME&show_icons=true&theme=tokyonight)

Top languages card:

![Top Languages](https://github-readme-stats.vercel.app/api/top-langs/?username=YOURUSERNAME&layout=compact&theme=tokyonight)

Part 5 — Additional Steps Worth Taking

Track Every Application

Use a spreadsheet or a tool like Huntr to log each application:

This matters when you’re running multiple applications — you’ll know exactly which resume version you sent and when to follow up.

Update Your LinkedIn Headline

LinkedIn’s own search indexes your headline. Recruiters filter by it. Make sure it includes the role title you’re targeting:

❌ "Computer Science Student at YTÜ"
✅ "Software Engineering Intern Candidate | Python · React · AI Systems | Open to Roles"

Score Your Resume Before Submitting

Before submitting any application, run your resume through at least one of these:

• Jobscan — compares your resume to the JD, gives a match percentage
• Resume Worded — scores overall quality and ATS readability
• Enhancv ATS Checker — quick, free

Aim for 70%+ match on Jobscan before applying.

Write a Targeted Cover Letter When Required

Not all ATS systems parse cover letters, but when a recruiter reads one, it does make a difference. Use AI for this as well:

Using everything you know about my background and the [ROLE] at [COMPANY],
write a 3-paragraph cover letter.

Paragraph 1: Why this company specifically — reference their actual product or mission, not generic reasons
Paragraph 2: My most relevant experience or project, mapped to their stated needs
Paragraph 3: Brief closing with a clear call to action

Keep it under 300 words. Professional, direct, no filler phrases.

Follow Up

If you haven’t heard back in 7–10 business days, a brief follow-up email or LinkedIn message to the recruiter or hiring manager is appropriate:

“Hi [Name], I applied for the [Role] position last week and wanted to confirm my interest. I’m particularly drawn to [specific aspect of the role or company]. Let me know if there’s anything else I can provide. Thanks for your time.”

The Full Workflow

1. Find a role you want to apply for
        ↓
2. Copy the full job description
        ↓
3. Open your AI assistant → paste resume + JD → run the ATS prompt
        ↓
4. Review the output, add your real numbers, adjust the tone
        ↓
5. Paste into your Overleaf template → compile → download PDF
        ↓
6. Run through Jobscan → score ≥ 70% → apply
        ↓
7. Continue in the same AI chat → generate or update your GitHub README
        ↓
8. Log the application in your tracker
        ↓
9. Follow up in 7–10 business days if no response

Each cycle gets faster once you have your base templates in place.

Conclusion

ATS filtering is a structural part of modern hiring, especially at companies receiving thousands of applications. Tailoring your resume, using a clean LaTeX PDF, and maintaining a strong GitHub profile are practical steps that directly affect whether your application reaches a human reviewer.

Ten well-targeted applications will consistently outperform a hundred generic submissions. The approach above is designed to make targeting each role fast and systematic.

Questions or feedback? Links are in the footer.