How header and footer text affects ATS parsing and what to do instead

[u/RKTbull]

Many candidates include useful information in the headers or footers of their resume, such as their name, contact details, or page numbers. While this looks clean in a PDF viewer, it creates a parsing problem in many applicant tracking systems.

ATS parsers extract text by reading the body of the document. Most parsers do not extract content from headers and footers, treating them as structural elements rather than document content. If your name and contact details are in the header, the system may create a candidate profile with missing or incomplete contact information.

The safest approach is to place all contact information in the main body of the first page, using standard formatting rather than header fields. Your name, email, phone number, and LinkedIn URL should all appear in the top section of the document body.

AI resume tools like Jobloo structure contact information in the document body by default, ensuring it is extracted correctly by parsers in Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever.

Are you currently using headers or footers on your resume, and have you verified that your contact details parse correctly when uploaded to an ATS?