ATS platform guide

How to beat Homerun ATS.

Built for small businesses of up to 250 employees; the large majority of its reviewers come from small companies

Homerun is an applicant tracking system aimed at small businesses and teams of up to around 250 people, founded in 2015 and known for design-led job posts and branded careers pages. In the UK it turns up most often at startups, agencies, hospitality businesses and small e-commerce employers.

Companies using Homerun

The Next WebFashion for GoodHike OneShoprenter

Formatting tips for Homerun

Follow these rules to make sure Homerun can parse your resume correctly.

Homerun applications lean on custom questions rather than CV parsing alone. Answer them properly, because a person reads them.

Attach a .pdf or .docx. Single column and standard headings remain the safe choice.

Keep contact details in the document body, never in a header.

Keep it to two pages. Small teams read applications individually and reward brevity.

Skip graphics and skill bars. They add nothing here and can obscure your evidence.

Consistent Month Year dates keep your history readable.

Keyword strategies for Homerun

Each ATS handles keywords differently. Here is how Homerun processes them.

1

Keyword scoring matters less here than at enterprise platforms, because a person reads nearly every application.

2

Still mirror the advert's language for the core skills, since search within the candidate list uses it.

3

Spend your effort on the custom questions. They are the real filter.

4

Quantify what you can, but write like a human. This is a small team, not a scoring engine.

5

Name the tools you actually use day to day.

Common rejection reasons

These are the most common reasons resumes get filtered out by Homerun.

The custom application questions were answered generically or left thin

The application showed no understanding of the company, which small teams notice immediately

Scorecard ratings from the team placed other candidates higher

The role was filled quickly, as small teams often hire on short timelines

Salary or availability expectations did not match the advert

Insider tips

A careers page on homerun.co, or an application form asking several bespoke questions, usually means Homerun.
Homerun is built for small teams, so your application is probably read by the person you would work for. Write to them, not to a parser.
The custom questions carry more weight than your CV here. Treat them as the application rather than an afterthought.
Because these teams hire fast, applying early genuinely matters.

Accepted file formats

.pdf.docx.doc

Test your resume against Homerun.

Upload your resume and paste the job description. See which keywords are missing and fix formatting issues before you apply.

Check ATS score, free

Frequently asked questions

How do I format my resume for Homerun?▾

Homerun applications lean on custom questions rather than CV parsing alone. Answer them properly, because a person reads them. Attach a .pdf or .docx. Single column and standard headings remain the safe choice.

What file format should I use for Homerun?▾

Homerun accepts .pdf, .docx, .doc. DOCX is generally recommended for better parsing accuracy.

Which companies use Homerun?▾

Major companies using Homerun include The Next Web, Fashion for Good, Hike One, Shoprenter, and many others.

Why was my resume rejected by Homerun?▾

The most common reason is formatting issues that prevent proper parsing. The custom application questions were answered generically or left thin