Why single column still wins
Two-column layouts, icons in the margin, and text inside shapes look polished in a design tool. Parsers often read left-to-right, top-to-bottom, and stitch fragments into the wrong job. A recruiter opening the raw parse sees scrambled dates and missing employers.
One column with clear headings — Summary, Experience, Projects, Education, Skills — is the most reliable structure for JobBucket resume parsing and for most other ATS software employers use. Save as a text-based PDF, not a scan.
A section order that works for India roles
Put contact details at the top: name, city, phone, email, and a portfolio or GitHub if the role needs it. Skip a photo unless the employer asked. Follow with a four-line summary aimed at one role family, not every job you might take.
Experience comes next, newest first, with month and year. Freshers can lead with internships, campus projects, or a skills section if work history is thin. Education belongs after experience for mid-level hires; students can place it higher. End with skills grouped by type (languages, tools, domains) instead of a keyword cloud.
File format and length
Export a selectable-text PDF. If you cannot highlight words in the file, an ATS probably cannot either. Avoid headers and footers for phone numbers — some parsers ignore them.
One page is enough for most intern and early-career roles. Two pages are normal after several years if every line earns its place. Upload the same PDF in JobBucket Android or iOS so you apply with one parsed profile.