Is your CV ATS-ready?

Most CVs are filtered by software before a recruiter ever sees them. Get a free, instant ATS score — with a clear breakdown of exactly what to fix. No sign-up to see your result.

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From CV to ATS score in seconds.

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Drop in your CV text or upload a PDF. Nothing to install, no sign-up to see your score.

Get your ATS score

We score readability, structure, keywords, and impact, with a clear breakdown of every criterion.

Fix what matters

See exactly what's holding your CV back — and optionally let AI rebuild it, ATS-optimized.

How ATS software reads a resume or CV.

Applicant tracking systems scan documents for text, section labels, dates, skills, job titles, and keywords that match the vacancy. A simple structure helps the system understand your document before a recruiter reviews it.

Use standard section headings

Applicant tracking systems understand clear labels like Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications, Projects, and Summary better than clever custom headings.

Keep important text as text

Avoid placing key experience, job titles, dates, or skills inside images. ATS software needs selectable text to parse your resume or CV accurately.

Prioritize readable structure

A good ATS optimized resume template uses simple spacing, consistent dates, readable fonts, and a hierarchy that works for software and recruiters.

ATS optimized resume template checklist

  • Use a single-column or clearly structured layout for critical content.
  • Keep job titles, employer names, dates, and locations in predictable places.
  • Use bullet points that connect responsibilities with measurable results.
  • Match relevant job description keywords naturally, without stuffing.
  • Use common fonts and export to a format requested by the employer.

How to Check if Your Resume Is ATS-Friendly Without Paid Tools

You do not need a paid scanner to catch the most common ATS problems. Run this manual check before submitting:

  1. Copy your entire resume and paste it into a plain text editor. Use Notepad, TextEdit, or a blank Google Doc with formatting cleared. If sections merge together, words run on without spaces, or content disappears, an ATS will likely have the same problem reading it.
  2. Check that your section headings survived. Experience, Education, and Skills should still read as clear headings, not blend into paragraph text.
  3. Confirm dates and job titles are still in order. Tables and multi-column layouts often scramble this when converted to plain text.
  4. Search for your contact information. If your phone number or email got separated from the rest of the text or ended up in a header or footer, some ATS systems may not capture it at all.

If the plain-text version still reads clearly from top to bottom, your formatting is in good shape. If it turns into a jumbled block, simplify the layout by removing tables, text boxes, and multi-column sections before resubmitting.

How to Find the Right ATS Keywords for Your Resume

ATS keyword matching is not about guessing. The job posting itself is the answer key.

  1. Copy the full job description. Drop it into a document and highlight every skill, tool, qualification, or responsibility mentioned.
  2. Note which terms repeat. Terms that repeat, or sit under a Requirements or Must-have heading rather than Nice-to-have, carry more weight.
  3. Use both the acronym and the full term. Where space allows, include both, e.g. SEO and search engine optimization once each, if the role is genuinely about that.
  4. Place the matched keywords naturally. Weave them into your summary, skills section, and relevant experience bullet points, never a hidden list or a wall of unrelated terms at the bottom of the page.
  5. Never list a keyword you cannot speak to. ATS keyword matching gets you past the filter; it does not get you the job if the substance is not there once a person reads it.

This single habit, mining the job posting for its own language, matters more for ATS performance than any template choice.