Free ATS Resume Checker
Paste your resume and a job description to instantly score your ATS compatibility and find missing keywords.
What is it?
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software platforms used by roughly 99% of Fortune 500 companies and the vast majority of mid-size employers to filter, rank and manage job applications. When you submit a resume online, it is almost never read by a human first — it is parsed by an ATS algorithm that extracts text, identifies keywords, and scores it against the job description. Resumes that fall below a threshold score are automatically rejected without any human review. This tool simulates the core logic an ATS uses to evaluate a resume against a specific job posting. It analyses five dimensions that directly affect ATS ranking: **Keyword Match (30 points)**: The percentage of significant keywords and phrases from the job description that appear in your resume. ATS systems are literal — if the job says "project management" and your resume says "leading projects", the phrase may not match. **Action Verbs (20 points)**: Strong resumes start bullet points with verbs like "Led", "Built", "Generated", "Reduced". Passive language like "Responsible for" or "Helped with" signals a weak candidate. **Quantified Achievements (20 points)**: Numbers, percentages, revenue figures, team sizes and time metrics dramatically increase resume impact. "Increased sales by 35%" is far more compelling than "Improved sales". **Language Strength (15 points)**: Detection of weak, passive or vague phrases that dilute your resume's impact. **Format and Structure (15 points)**: Estimated formatting quality including appropriate length, section headers and line density.
How to use it
- Paste your resume text into the left panel (plain text — copy from Word or PDF, or upload a .txt file).
- Paste the complete job description into the right panel.
- Click "Analyze Resume" and wait a moment for the analysis to run.
- Review your overall ATS score and the five category breakdowns.
- Check the "Keywords Found" and "Missing Keywords" panels to identify gaps.
- Click "Download Full Report" to save a text file with all findings.
Why use this tool
The average corporate job posting receives 250 applicants. Companies like Goldman Sachs and Unilever explicitly state that ATS systems filter out 75% of resumes before a human sees them. Understanding how ATS systems work — and optimising for them — is no longer optional for serious job seekers. This tool does what paid services like Jobscan ($50+/month) do, but at no cost and with full privacy. Nothing you paste is ever sent to a server. The analysis runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The keyword gap report is particularly useful: it shows you exactly which terms from the job description are missing from your resume, giving you a clear, actionable list of words and phrases to incorporate. Even small changes — adding 3-5 missing keywords naturally into your bullet points — can significantly increase your match score and the probability of passing ATS screening.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ATS score?
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) score is a compatibility rating that software systems use to rank your resume against a job description. Resumes with low scores are often rejected automatically. This tool estimates your score across five key dimensions that ATS systems typically evaluate.
How accurate is this ATS checker?
This tool replicates the core logic common to most ATS platforms: keyword matching, action verb detection and language quality. Because real ATS systems vary by vendor (Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, Taleo), no tool can exactly replicate every system. Use this as a strong directional guide, not a definitive score.
Can I upload my resume file?
You can upload a .txt (plain text) file using the "Upload .txt file" link above the resume panel. For Word documents or PDFs, copy the text and paste it directly — this ensures the best parsing results.
Is my resume data private?
Completely. All analysis runs in your browser using JavaScript. Your resume text and job description are never transmitted to any server. We do not store, log or see any of the text you enter.
What score should I aim for?
Aim for 75 or above. Scores between 50-74 indicate moderate alignment that can be improved with targeted keyword additions. Scores below 50 typically mean the resume needs significant tailoring to the specific role. Many career coaches recommend tailoring your resume for every application.
Should I stuff my resume with keywords?
No — keyword stuffing is both detectable by sophisticated ATS systems and off-putting to human reviewers. Aim to incorporate missing keywords naturally into your existing bullet points and work experience descriptions. If a keyword is truly not relevant to your background, do not add it.