Find out why the ATS filtered you out — for free.
Paste a job description, get a 0–100 ATS match score, see exactly which keywords are missing, and fix your bullets in one click — without inventing experience. The checker mirrors how Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, and other major ATS platforms actually rank candidates.
The score isn't magic — it's four signals stacked together.
Every major ATS uses the same four axes to rank an incoming resume against a JD. The CraftMyResume checker exposes all four, so you can see exactly where you're strong and where you're losing points — instead of staring at a number with no breakdown.
- 1
Keyword presence
Exact-phrase matches for the JD's hard skills, tools, and role-specific terminology. “Kubernetes” in the JD doesn't match “K8s” on the resume — both need to be present. Weighted highest because it's the simplest filter the ATS applies first.
- 2
Skill density in bullets
Skills mentioned only in the Skills section count for less than skills mentioned inside experience bullets, where they're tied to a real outcome. This is the most common gap we see — and the cheapest to fix with a targeted rewrite.
- 3
Seniority and scope match
A senior JD wants “led,” “owned,” “architected.” A junior JD wants “contributed,” “shipped,” “learned.” The wrong verb stack pulls your seniority signal in the wrong direction and drops your score even when the keywords align.
- 4
Bullet impact and format
Verb + number + noun. ATS parsers and LLM rankers both reward bullets that pair an action with a measurable outcome. Format matters too: two-column layouts, embedded icons, and Word-art headers get downgraded because they parse as malformed text.
Three steps. No setup ceremony.
Five things almost every low-scoring resume gets wrong.
We've seen the same five patterns drop scores by 20+ points every time. None of them are about how the resume looks — they're about how it reads to a parser.
- Skills hidden in the Skills section onlyIf a skill matters, it has to appear inside a bullet that ties it to an outcome.
- Two-column or template-heavy formatsParsers read left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Two columns scramble the text order and break the score.
- Generic verbs and missing numbers“Responsible for” bullets score near zero. Every bullet needs verb + number + noun.
- Section names the parser doesn't expectUse “Experience,” “Education,” “Skills.” Avoid clever variants like “Where I’ve Been” or “Toolbox.”
- Photo, logos, or embedded iconsATS strips images. Anything text-as-image (Word-art header, etc.) is invisible to the parser.
- Same resume for every JDTailoring the top 25% (summary + top 2 roles' bullets) is the single highest-leverage change you can make.
Quick answers.
What is an ATS resume checker?
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) resume checker compares your resume to a specific job description and scores how well it would match a real ATS's ranking. The CraftMyResume checker mirrors the keyword, skill, seniority, and bullet-impact logic used by major systems like Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, and SmartRecruiters.
Is the ATS checker really free?
Yes. New accounts get 20 free credits, which is enough for roughly 6 full ATS scans (about 3 credits per scan). No credit card is required. Credit packs start at ₹49 for 100 more credits if you need to scan more roles.
How accurate is the score?
The scorer rewards exact-phrase keyword presence, role-relevant skills, seniority signals, and impact-bullet structure — the same axes that real ATS scoring uses. We benchmark against publicly-documented behavior of Greenhouse, Lever, and Workday. A score above 75 is generally interview-grade for that JD; below 50 means the resume needs targeted rewrites before submitting.
Does it stuff keywords or lie for me?
No. The one-click fix only rewrites bullets to surface skills you've actually claimed elsewhere on the resume. It never invents experience you don't have. You see and approve every change before it commits.
Can I check against a job link instead of pasting the JD?
Yes — paste a job link from LinkedIn, Naukri, Indeed, Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workday, and 15 more boards, and the checker will pull the JD automatically. Or use the CraftMyResume browser extension to one-click capture from any tab.
What file formats does it accept?
PDF and .docx for upload. You can also build a resume inside CraftMyResume from scratch — every template is single-column, parser-friendly, and ATS-tested. PDFs exported from the builder are server-rendered for pixel-perfect rendering.
What's a good ATS score?
Above 75 is interview-grade — the resume is well-aligned to the JD and will likely surface in the recruiter's review queue. 60–75 means there are 2–3 specific keyword or skill gaps worth fixing. Below 60 means the resume needs structural changes (often a tailored summary and rewritten top bullets) before it's worth applying.
Why are most resumes scored so low?
The most common reasons are (1) generic resumes used across multiple roles instead of tailored versions, (2) skills listed only in the Skills section but absent from experience bullets, and (3) two-column or template-heavy formats that ATS parsers misread. The checker's keyword diff and one-click fixes target all three.
More on beating the ATS.
Score your resume in 60 seconds.
Paste any JD, get a real number, see exactly what's missing, and fix it in one click. No card. 20 free credits — enough for 6 full scans.