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ATS resume checker

An ATS resume checker looks for the problems an applicant tracking system is likely to trip on: missing fields, odd headings, a layout that scrambles, and a gap between your wording and the job post. No tool can reproduce an employer's own system exactly, so a good checker tells you what it can see and what it cannot.

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Free resume quick check

Paste your resume text. Checks run in your browser: nothing is uploaded, and no account is needed. It reads the text only, so it cannot judge layout.

At least 20 words. Start each bullet line with a dash or bullet so we can count them.

Free to build and preview. Create a free account to save, download and run the analyzer. The free plan includes 3 AI resume generations and 2 resume analyses a month, and up to 2 saved resumes. Pro removes the monthly caps on generations and analyses.

Two ways to check, and what each can see

The quick check above reads pasted text only, in your browser. It needs no account and cannot judge layout. It looks at contact details, standard headings, length, bullet shape, numbers, first-person phrasing, weak openers, date format and, if you add a job post, keyword overlap.

The full AI analyzer reads the actual file you would send, and needs a free account. It shows what a parser extracts from your PDF or DOCX, reviews every bullet and compares you with a job post. Use the quick check for a first look, then the analyzer for the file itself.

Analyze my resume file

More about the analyzer on the AI resume analysis page.

What no ATS checker can do

Employers set up their own systems and ranking rules, and the major systems do not publish a resume score. A checker can verify what is under your control, namely parseability, structure and keyword overlap with one posting. It cannot tell you that you will be shortlisted, and it should not claim to.

ATS resume checklist

  • Name, email, phone number and location are in the body of the page, not in a header or footer.
  • Section headings use standard names: Experience, Education, Skills.
  • Work history lists a job title, an employer and dates for every role, in one date format, most recent first.
  • Skills are written as a plain list in text, and the ones the posting names appear in your bullets too.
  • The layout is one column, with no tables, text boxes or images carrying content.
  • The file is a text-based PDF or DOCX, not a scan or a screenshot.
  • Bullets start with an action and, where you can, include a number or a result.

How to check your resume

  1. Paste your resume text into the quick check. Copy the text of your resume into the box on this page. Add a job post if you want a keyword comparison. The check runs in your browser and needs no account.
  2. Fix the items marked first. The quick check reports missing contact details, non-standard headings, weak openers, missing numbers and date-format problems, with a fix for each.
  3. Run the full analyzer on your file. The quick check cannot see layout. Create a free account and upload the actual PDF or DOCX to the AI resume analyzer, which reads the file and shows what a parser extracts.
  4. Compare with the job post and re-check. Use the job match to see which required skills and tools are missing, edit your resume, and re-run the check.

Start from a layout built for parsing

The free ATS resume builder offers single-column families; see the ATS Plain template or compare all resume template families.

How we score

There are three separate measures, and none of them is an employer's ranking. The ATS-readiness score counts how many standard profile fields are filled; the analysis reviews the writing; the job match compares your resume with one posting.

  • ATS readiness. How many standard profile fields are filled: name, email, phone, location, a skills list, job titles, employers, dates, and complete education entries when you list them. Each field is pass or fail and worth the same. Not an employer rank. A match to one posting is measured separately. The fields are grouped as contact fields, a skills list, work history and education.
  • Analysis categories. impact, brevity, style, sections, keywords: deterministic checks on the writing and structure, plus a verdict on every bullet.
  • Job match. Required skills, tools, nice-to-haves, title and seniority from a posting you paste, shown as present or missing. It is separate from the readiness score.

Resume templates to start from

The builder groups its 175 designs into 22 families by layout. Pick the family that fits your field, then the design inside it.

Compare all 22 families

Resume examples by role

Each example shows what that role's resume has to prove, with a sample summary and bullets marked as illustrative.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

An ATS resume checker is a tool that reviews a resume for things an applicant tracking system is likely to trip on: missing contact details, non-standard headings, unreadable layout, and a gap between your wording and a job post. It is a pre-flight check on your file, not a copy of any employer's system.

No. Employers configure their systems differently, and the major ones do not publish a resume score. A checker can tell you whether your fields are filled, your headings are standard and your keywords overlap with a posting. Anyone promising an exact pass rate for a named system is guessing.

The quick check on this page is free and needs no account: it reads pasted text in your browser and does not upload it. The full AI analyzer reads your actual file and needs a free account; the free plan includes 2 resume analyses a month.

The quick check reads text only, so it cannot judge layout: columns, tables, text boxes, fonts or images. The analyzer reads the uploaded file, shows what a parser extracted, scores your bullets one by one and matches the resume against a pasted job post.

It counts how many standard profile fields are filled: name, email, phone, location, a skills list, job titles, employers, dates and complete education entries. Each field is pass or fail and worth the same. It is not an employer rank, and a match to one posting is measured separately.

A text-based PDF or a DOCX file. Avoid image-only PDFs, scans and exports from design tools that turn text into pictures, since a parser has no text to read. Check the exported file with the analyzer before you send it.