How to Write an ATS-Friendly Résumé for Government Jobs in Ontario

Stand out and get shortlisted, even before a human sees your application.

You might be more qualified than 80% of other applicants — but if your résumé can’t pass Ontario’s applicant tracking systems (ATS), you’ll never even make it to the shortlist. Government hiring in Ontario is increasingly automated, with ATS filters screening thousands of applicants before a single hiring manager reads a word. That means even strong candidates are silently rejected every day, not for lack of experience, but because their résumé isn’t formatted to speak the language machines understand.

Why So Many Good Applications Get Rejected

You found a great public sector job in Ontario. You tailored your résumé, wrote a custom cover letter, submitted the application online—then nothing. No callback, no interview. If this sounds familiar, the reason might be simple: your résumé was rejected by an ATS before a human ever saw it.

What Is an ATS (and Why It Matters for Government Jobs)

An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is resume-parsing software used by nearly all levels of government in Ontario—federal, provincial (OPS), and municipal (City of Toronto etc.) to filter, rank, and reject applications. These systems are designed to scan your resume and automatically eliminate those that don’t meet specific criteria.

The Ontario Public Service (OPS), for example, uses centralized digital systems to process high-volume applications. Municipalities like the City of Toronto or Ottawa do the same. If your résumé isn’t ATS-compatible, you’re invisible and landing a government job becomes a task to impossible.

How ATS Filters Work

ATS software does more than just keyword search. It parses your document structure, converts the content into raw text, and matches it to job descriptions based on relevance. Common reasons good resumes fail:
– Use of images, tables, or headers that confuse the parser
– Incorrect file formats (e.g., PDF when only .doc is accepted)
– Missing or vague keywords

If you aren’t following best practices, your resume is either misread or discarded.
The ATS and Government Job Hiring: Specific Challenges
Unlike private-sector jobs, public sector applications are highly standardized. Roles are evaluated based on defined criteria: essential qualifications, asset qualifications, and demonstrated competencies.
Federal roles use the Public Service Commission’s systems.
Provincial (OPS) applications are filtered by the Ontario Talent Portal.
Municipalities often use platforms like Taleo or SuccessFactors. Even when tou search for jobs in Linkedin same rules apply.

Each system has its quirks, but they all penalize formatting errors and vague wording.

Formatting: Clean, Clear, No Design Tricks

Avoid fancy designs. A minimalist, text-based structure performs best.
Do:
Use standard section headers: “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”
Keep fonts readable (Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman)
Stick to black text on white background
Don’t:
Use graphics, logos, or text boxes
Submit in PDF unless specifically requested
Place your contact info in headers/footers

Use a Proper File Type

Some government systems may struggle with PDFs. Unless the portal explicitly allows PDF, submit your résumé as a .doc or .docx file.
If unsure, default to Word. A visually consistent but ATS-safe Word doc will always outperform a beautifully designed PDF that gets misread.

Keywords: Your Make-or-Break Factor

ATS systems rank candidates based on how closely your résumé matches the job posting. Every government job description contains critical keywords—and your resume must mirror them.
How to Extract Keywords:
Highlight all duties and qualifications listed in the job ad
Identify repeated phrases or terminology (e.g., “project coordination,” “stakeholder engagement”)
Use the exact phrasing from the posting
Then:
Use each keyword at least twice: once in a core competency section, once in a job description
Match abbreviations and full forms (e.g., “MS Word” and “Microsoft Word”)

Structure Your Résumé Like This

Name + Contact Info (outside of any header/footer)
Job Title or Headline
e.g., “Administrative Assistant | Ontario Public Service Applicant”. Include the competition number.
Summary Paragraph
A 3-4 sentence statement focusing on relevant skills and experience
Core Competencies (Keywords!)
Bullet list of skills such as: Records Management, FOI Requests, Client Service, etc.
Professional Experience
Job title, organization, dates
Bullet points using action-result format
Education
Degree, institution, year
Certifications / Courses
WHMIS, Accessibility Training, etc.

Tailoring vs. Spamming

One generic résumé sent to 30 postings will get you nowhere. Each application must be tailored:
Reorder bullet points to reflect the job priorities
Swap out irrelevant tasks for job-specific achievements
Mirror the language and structure of the posting
Example:
Job Posting Says: “Coordinate internal communications and scheduling for departmental activities.”
Your Resume Should Say: “Coordinated internal communications and managed departmental calendars, ensuring 100% scheduling accuracy.”

Avoid These Mistakes

Using headers/footers for contact info (not always parsed)
Using two-column layouts (some ATS can’t read them)
Fancy bullets (use dashes or standard circles only)
Buzzwords without substance (“dynamic team player”)

BONUS: Ontario-Specific Tips

The OPS and many municipalities value “Screening Criteria” responses—match them precisely
Always include Job ID and Job Title as listed
Use Canadian/British spelling (e.g., “organisation”) if that’s how the job post is written
Pay attention to “Asset Qualifications” and address them if you have them
How to Test Your Résumé Before Submitting
Plain Text Test: Copy-paste your résumé into Notepad. If it looks scrambled, fix formatting.
Free ATS Checkers: Use online ATS checkers to preview what the system sees (not all are accurate, but useful for a sanity check).
Final Thoughts: ATS Isn’t the Enemy
Most rejections aren’t because you’re unqualified—they happen because your resume isn’t formatted or worded to pass the initial scan. If you want to work in the Ontario public sector, understanding the rules of this game is non-negotiable.
Smart formatting. Laser-focused keywords. Tailored language. This is how you get your application in front of a human.

Need help writing an ATS-ready government resume? Book your Résumé Audit and let me walk you through exactly what to fix for your next application.