Free tool
Free ATS resume checker
See how applicant tracking systems are likely to read your CV before you apply: layout, structure, content and keywords. Free, with no sign-up.
1. Your CV
Drag and drop your CV here
or choose a PDF or DOCX file, up to 5 MB
2. Job description (optional, for a keyword match)
Free, no sign-up. We do not save your CV when you use the checker.
What the checker looks at
Every check is something that commonly causes trouble when software reads a CV, or that recruiters notice when they skim one.
Readability for software
- ✓Can the text be extracted from the file?
- ✓Email and phone in the main body
- ✓Standard headings such as Experience and Education
- ✓Single column, no tables or text boxes
- ✓Characters that extract cleanly
Structure and format
- ✓Length and page count
- ✓Dates present and in one format
- ✓Bullet points or short statements
- ✓A summary or profile
Content and impact
- ✓Lines that start with action verbs
- ✓Results with numbers
- ✓Weak phrases such as "responsible for"
- ✓Long blocks of text that are hard to skim
Job match (optional)
- ✓Important terms from the job description
- ✓Which of them your CV already includes
- ✓Which are missing, so you can add the ones that are true
How to read your score
The score runs from 0 to 100 and is built from the categories above. A high score means your CV has none of the common problems we can detect. It does not guarantee that a particular employer's system, or a recruiter, will rank you first.
Systems such as Workday, Greenhouse, Lever and Taleo each work differently, and employers configure them in their own ways. Many mainly collect applications and let recruiters search them. That is why clear structure and the right words matter more than chasing a perfect number.
Fix the items marked as failing first. Warnings are worth a look, but a CV can be good with a few of them.
What we can tell you
- Whether your text can be extracted
- Whether the layout uses columns, tables or text boxes
- Which sections and details were recognised
- How well your wording covers a job posting
What we can't
- How one specific employer's ATS is configured
- Whether your design looks good
- Whether your experience fits the role
- Whether you will get an interview
Common ATS problems, and how to fix them
Columns, tables and text boxes
Software can read these in the wrong order or skip them. Use a single column and put your details in the normal flow of the page.
Contact details in the header
Some systems ignore page headers and footers. Keep your name, email and phone in the main body.
Scanned or image-based files
A photo or scan has no text for software to read. Export a text-based PDF from your editor instead.
Missing keywords
Recruiters search by the words in the posting. Mirror its wording where it honestly describes you. Read how to make an ATS-friendly resume and how to tailor your CV to a job description.
Questions
Is the ATS resume checker really free?+
Yes. You can check a CV without signing up and without a card. We do not save your CV when you use the checker.
How does the checker work?+
It reads your file the way software does: it pulls out the text, looks at where text sits on the page, and then runs a set of checks on readability, structure, content and, if you add a job description, keyword match. It does not use AI, so results are instant and consistent.
Is the score what a real ATS would give me?+
No. There is no single ATS score. Each employer uses different software, set up in different ways, and most do not give candidates a score at all. Our score is an estimate based on common parsing problems and good CV practice, so treat it as a guide.
Can a checker see my design?+
Partly. For PDFs we can tell from where the text sits on the page whether it is laid out in columns, and for Word files we can detect tables, text boxes and columns. We cannot judge visual design, so you should also look at your CV yourself.
What file types can I upload?+
PDF and DOCX, up to 5 MB. A text-based PDF works best. A scanned or photographed CV contains no readable text, which an ATS cannot read either.
Why do I need to add a job description?+
You do not. Without one you still get readability, structure and content checks. With one, we also compare the important terms in the posting with your CV, which is the part of a CV that most often needs adjusting for each application.
Go beyond checking
Use ImprovedCV to tailor your CV to a job, build one from scratch, or write a matching cover letter.