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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsTo check your resume against an applicant tracking system (ATS), compare it with the specific job description using a resume checker, then review the tool’s parsing, formatting, and keyword feedback. The percentage is that checker’s estimate—not necessarily a score issued by the employer or a guarantee of an interview.
What an ATS score tells you
“ATS score” can refer to different things. Jobscan, for example, calls its result a Match Rate: an estimate of how closely a resume aligns with a selected job posting, accompanied by feedback such as missing keywords, section analysis, and formatting flags. Jobscan says its Match Rate is a visualization tool and that an employer’s ATS does not assign the resume Jobscan’s number. See Jobscan’s explanation of its resume scanner.
That distinction matters: a checker’s percentage is specific to its own method. It is not a universal pass/fail standard, and a higher number alone does not establish that a recruiter will see, prefer, or interview you. Jobscan recommends a 75% Match Rate on its service; treat that as Jobscan’s own guidance, not an independently established threshold used by employers.
How to check your resume against a job posting
- Choose a checker and prepare your resume. Use a file type accepted by the service. Jobscan’s tutorial describes uploading or pasting resume content, along with the target job posting, to generate a Match Report. Read Jobscan’s tutorial.
- Use the actual job description. Paste the relevant posting rather than a generic list of keywords. A job-specific comparison can surface terms and qualifications to review in the context of that role.
- Read the report by category. Separate content alignment from whether the resume’s text and sections appear readable to the tool. Check the details below instead of treating the headline percentage as the whole result.
- Make accurate, selective edits. Add relevant wording from the posting only where it truthfully describes your skills or experience. Keep concrete accomplishments, and avoid repeating keywords merely to raise a number.
- Scan again with the same checker. Compare its updated feedback with the earlier report. Different vendors describe different checks, and the available sources do not establish a shared scoring standard, so their raw percentages are not directly comparable.
- Review the employer’s application form when possible. If the portal shows fields it filled from your resume, check that your contact details and work history were extracted correctly. Not every portal exposes parsed fields.
Check parsing and formatting separately from job fit
A strong keyword match does not tell you whether the resume’s information was extracted correctly. Review any formatting or parsing flags and, where available, inspect the text or fields the tool captured.
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- Contact information: Confirm your name and contact details are present and readable.
- Work history and sections: Check that roles, dates, and section labels are interpreted as intended. Use clear, conventional headings where they accurately describe the section.
- Layout elements: Jobscan says its formatting checks can flag columns, tables, text boxes, headers, footers, graphics, and contact-information placement. Treat a flag as something to investigate—not proof that every ATS rejects that format.
- Content alignment: Review relevant hard and soft skills, job titles, certifications, tools, and industry terms identified by the checker. Include them only when they reflect your real background.
Jobscan describes its scanner as running “over 30 checks”; that is a vendor-reported feature count, not an independent assessment of accuracy. Its page also describes checks for both formatting compatibility and content alignment.
Resume checker options
| Checker | What its official page describes | How to interpret the result |
|---|---|---|
| Jobscan | Compares a resume with a selected job posting and reports a Match Rate, missing keywords, section analysis, and formatting feedback. Its tutorial describes uploading or pasting the resume and adding the posting. | Use its Match Rate and report as Jobscan-specific diagnostics, not an employer-issued score or universal benchmark. |
| Teal | Describes an Analyzer/ATS Resume Checker that reviews structure, completeness, measurable results, language, keywords, formatting, and ATS compatibility, with a score and suggestions. See Teal’s ATS Resume Checker. | Review the feedback categories and suggestions; do not assume its score uses the same rubric as another service. |
These descriptions do not establish a neutral head-to-head winner. Before uploading a resume containing personal information, check the service’s current privacy terms and data-retention practices; they were not independently verified here. Features, recommendations, and access terms may change, so confirm the current details on each provider’s page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do with the result
Use the report to spot possible omissions, unclear sections, and parsing problems. Then decide whether each suggested change makes your resume more accurate and easier to read for this specific application. The checker can help you review the document, but its score is only one tool—not a prediction of an employer’s decision.
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