In this guide
ATS and application systems
Two-column resumes, tables and graphics: what can break and how to fix it
Why columns, tables, icons and skill charts can scramble a resume when its text is extracted, which elements carry the most risk and how to rebuild safely.
Why layout matters once text is extracted
A person sees your resume as a page. Software that stores and searches applications usually works with the text inside the file. To get that text, it has to decide what order to read things in, and a layout that looks obvious to a person can be ambiguous to a program.
Two columns are the classic case. If the extraction reads straight across the page, a line from your skills column can land in the middle of a sentence about your last job. Whether that happens depends on how the file was built and how the employer's system is configured, which you cannot see from outside.
Risk by element
| Element | Risk | Why | Safer alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill bars, star ratings, charts | High | The level is a picture; the text may say nothing at all | Name the skill and show it in a bullet with evidence |
| Text inside images or logos | High | Images contain no readable text | Type the words as ordinary text |
| Icons used instead of labels (phone, email) | Medium | The icon may be dropped, leaving an unlabelled number | Write 'Phone' and 'Email' or use plain text |
| Two-column layout | Medium | Lines from each column can be interleaved | One column, with a short skills line under the profile |
| Tables for layout | Medium | Cells may be read row by row or skipped | Plain paragraphs and bullet lists |
| Text boxes and shapes | Medium | Often stored separately from the main text | Keep all content in the main body |
| Bold headings and simple lines | Low | Formatting is ignored but text survives | Fine to keep |
When a designed resume is fine
Design matters less when the document goes straight to a person: an email to a hiring manager, a handout at a careers fair or a portfolio link for a design role. Even then, keep the information itself in text so it can be copied, searched and read by screen readers.
A practical approach is to keep two versions: a designed version for direct contact and a plain version for portals. Both must say the same things; only the presentation differs.
Rebuilding a two-column resume as one column
- Copy the text out of the old file and paste it into a new, plain document.
- Put contact details at the top of the body, not in a header or sidebar.
- Move the sidebar's skills into one or two lines under your profile, and delete any skill you cannot evidence.
- Turn any chart, rating or icon into words.
- Keep the order a recruiter expects: profile, experience, education, then anything else that supports the role.
- Run the select-and-paste test on the exported file before you upload it.
Illustrative example
A sidebar skills panel rewritten as text
Before
Sidebar: 'Excel' with four of five stars; 'Leadership' with a 70% bar; a phone icon followed by a number.
After
Skills: Excel (pivot tables, lookups, monthly reporting); team leadership (rota planning for a team of five). Phone: 07700 900123.
The rewritten version can be read by software and checked by an interviewer; a star rating cannot.
Common questions
Do all applicant tracking systems struggle with columns?
No, and that is the point: you cannot know which system an employer uses or how it is set up. A single column removes a risk you have no way to measure from outside.
Is a coloured heading or a thin line a problem?
Generally not. Colour and simple lines are formatting; the words underneath still come through. The risk is information that exists only as a picture or in an unusual position.
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.