Free tool

Free ATS resume checker

See how well your CV matches a job before you apply. Paste both, get a keyword score and the words you are missing.

  • No sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
  • Your CV is never uploaded
Runs in your browser. Your CV is never uploaded.

How it works

Three steps, no sign-up

  1. 01

    Paste your CV as plain text.

  2. 02

    Paste the job description you are targeting.

  3. 03

    Read the score, add the missing words you can honestly claim, and check again.

Guide

How to get your CV past applicant tracking systems

How the keyword check works

Most employers run applications through an applicant tracking system (ATS). A recruiter can search it for the words a job needs, so a CV that never mentions a required tool or skill can be missed, however good the person is. The checker reads the job description, picks out the named skills and tools and the words it repeats, then looks for each of them in your CV. The score is the weighted share it finds. Named skills count more than ordinary words, because they are what recruiters filter on.

Every company configures its system differently, and a person still reads the shortlist, so treat the score as a quick way to spot gaps. Then decide what you can honestly add.

What an ATS and a recruiter look for

  • The job’s own words. If the posting says “customer success” and your CV says “client care”, use the posting’s term where it truly describes your work.
  • Standard headings. “Experience”, “Education” and “Skills” are read reliably. Creative headings can confuse a parser.
  • Plain structure. Tables, text boxes, columns and images can hide text from a parser. One column of normal text is safest.
  • Contact details in the text. Put your email, phone and LinkedIn in the body, not in a header or an image.
  • Numbers that prove results. “Cut support tickets by 30%” reads better, to people and to scanners, than “improved support”.

How to raise your score honestly

  1. Open the missing words list and pick the ones you really have experience with.
  2. Work each one into a sentence about something you did. “Built REST APIs in Python” says more than “Python” alone.
  3. Add the tools to your Skills section as well, spelled the way the posting spells them.
  4. Tailor one CV per type of role instead of sending the same file to every job.
  5. Run the check again. Stop when the gaps left are things you genuinely do not have.

Do not add skills you do not have. It rarely survives the first interview, and it wastes the recruiter’s time and yours.

A quick example

A posting asks for Python, PostgreSQL and Kubernetes. A CV that only says “Built backend services” scores low. After a rewrite to “Built Python backend services on PostgreSQL and deployed them with Kubernetes, serving 2M requests a day”, the same experience matches all three words and shows a result.

Want a CV layout that parsers read well from the start? The CV builder has eight ATS-friendly templates, and cover letters can be tailored to each job. Looking for roles to apply to? Browse remote jobs or see who is hiring right now.

FAQ

Questions about the ATS checker

What is an ATS?
An applicant tracking system is software employers use to collect and sort applications. Many let a recruiter search and filter CVs by keyword, so the words on your CV decide whether it gets found.
Is my CV uploaded or stored?
No. The check runs in your browser. Your CV and the job description are never sent to our servers.
Does a high score guarantee I pass an ATS?
No tool can promise that, because every employer configures its system differently. The score shows how many of the posting's key words your CV uses. It is a fast way to spot gaps.
Should I copy words from the job description?
Use the words that honestly describe your experience, in your own sentences. Adding skills you do not have will not survive an interview.
Why does the checker show skills and repeated words?
Named skills and tools are what recruiters filter on. Words a posting repeats are usually what the team cares about most, so they are worth checking.

Want a CV built to score well? Try the CV builder with eight ATS-friendly templates.