ATS and readability
ATS resume checker
Check that your resume reads cleanly, then compare it with a job posting to see which of its main requirements your resume answers and where the gaps are. The match is our estimate for that posting; employers use their own systems.
Comparing with a posting needs an account and uses AI credits from your plan.
Check your resume against a job posting
Paste the posting when you add a job, and your resume is read against it.
See what it answers
The posting's main requirements, ranked by importance, are each marked answered, partly answered or not in your resume, with the lines that answer it.
See the gaps
Requirements your resume does not cover are listed as gaps. A line drafted for one is marked as a draft, to add only if it is true.
Watch the match move
The match for this posting is shown for your resume as it is and with the changes you accept.
The match is an estimate from the requirements your resume answers. It is not a score from an employer's system and does not predict an interview.
A practical formatting checklist
Clear headings
Familiar labels such as Experience, Education and Skills keep information easy to locate.
Readable details
Check that contact details, role titles and dates are readable and stay together in the final document.
Relevant content
Use the role's terms when they describe your work, and back skills with concrete examples.
How to check what an application reads
The employer's form is the final judge of what it reads, so check it before you send.
Read it as plain text
Copy the text out of the PDF or Word file you will send and read it top to bottom. If headings, roles and dates are out of order, the layout is scrambling them.
Upload it to the form
Send the file type the posting asks for, then read every field the form filled in.
Correct before you submit
Fix anything missing or misplaced, such as a date under the wrong employer, then send your application.
With a free account, Resume Home exports PDF and Word (three exports on Free), plus plain text and Markdown that do not use your export allowance. For what a form takes from your file, see how resume parsing works.
Practical guides and examples
Short, worked examples you can adapt to your own experience.
- Resume
Entry-level software engineer resume: example and writing guide
Write an entry-level software engineer resume using projects, coursework and transferable experience. Includes a fictional example and a review checklist.
- Resume
Resume bullet points: examples, action verbs and writing tips
Turn responsibilities into clear resume bullet points. See three before-and-after examples, evidence prompts and ways to write honestly without metrics.
- JD tailoring
How to tailor your resume to a job description
Tailor your resume with a requirement-to-evidence checklist. Learn what to reorder, what to rewrite and how to handle requirements you cannot support.
- JD tailoring
Should you apply if you don’t meet every job requirement?
Separate missing evidence from missing experience: show transferable skills, describe related work and handle real qualification gaps honestly.
- Resume
Resume summary examples: how to write a professional summary
Write a resume summary that fits the job: a simple formula, fictional examples for experienced, entry-level and career-change resumes, and what to leave out.
- Resume
How to write a resume with no work experience
Write a first resume with no work experience: what to include instead, a section order, a fictional student example and how to describe activities honestly.
- Resume
How to make an ATS-friendly resume
Make your resume easy for applicant tracking systems and people to read: headings, file type, layout choices and how to check what an application picked up.
Frequently asked questions
What is an applicant tracking system?
An applicant tracking system helps employers manage applications. How an employer uses it varies, so follow the specific submission instructions.
What should I check in an ATS-friendly resume?
Check clear section headings, readable text, consistent dates and relevant qualifications. Make sure information appears correctly in any application form.
Does resume formatting guarantee an interview?
No. Clear formatting can help communicate your experience, but employers assess applications using their own requirements and processes.
Is the match score an ATS score?
No. It is our estimate, out of 100, of how well your resume answers the posting's main requirements, with the required ones weighted most. Employers use their own systems and their own judgement, and no score predicts an interview.
Should I submit a PDF or Word resume?
Use the format the employer asks for. If the posting does not say, both are widely accepted; open the exported file and check what the application form picked up.
Start with your resume
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