Free Tool

ATS Resume Checker

75% of CVs are rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems before a human ever sees them. Make sure yours isn't one of them.

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by 99% of Fortune 500 companies and 70% of all employers to automatically filter and rank CVs before they reach human recruiters. These systems scan your CV for keywords, parse your experience, and score your match against job requirements.

If your CV isn't formatted correctly for ATS parsing, even with perfect qualifications, you'll be automatically rejected. Our ATS Checker identifies issues that cause rejection and provides instant fixes.

Common ATS Issues That Get CVs Rejected

Multi-Column Layouts

Two or three-column CV designs look nice but ATS systems can't parse them correctly. Your experience ends up scrambled and unreadable to the ATS.

High Rejection Risk
Images & Graphics

Photos, charts, icons, and fancy graphics can't be read by ATS. They waste space and prevent your actual content from being parsed correctly.

High Rejection Risk
Custom Fonts & Styling

Decorative fonts, unusual text sizes, or heavy styling confuse ATS parsers. Stick to standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Georgia.

Medium Risk
Tables & Text Boxes

Content inside tables or text boxes often gets skipped or misinterpreted. Use simple formatting with standard headings instead.

Medium Risk
Missing Keywords

ATS systems look for specific keywords from the job description. If your CV doesn't contain them (even if you have the skills), you'll score low.

Medium Risk
Unclear Section Headers

Creative section names like "My Journey" instead of "Experience" confuse ATS. Use standard headers: Experience, Education, Skills, etc.

Medium Risk

What Our ATS Checker Analyzes

Format Compatibility

Single-column layout check, standard font verification, no images or graphics detection, and table and text box warnings.

Content Analysis

Keyword density analysis, section header validation, contact info detectability, and date format consistency.

Parsing Simulation

Experience extraction test, education parsing validation, skills identification check, and overall ATS score (0-100).

ATS-Friendly CV Best Practices

Do This

  • Use single-column layout with clear sections
  • Stick to standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Georgia)
  • Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills)
  • List skills with exact keywords from job posting
  • Use standard date format (MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)
  • Save as .docx or .pdf (never .pages or .odt)
  • Include both full terms and acronyms (eg. "Master of Business Administration (MBA)")

Avoid This

  • Multi-column layouts or creative templates
  • Photos, headshots, logos, or graphics
  • Tables, text boxes, or headers/footers for content
  • Creative section names ("My Story" instead of "Experience")
  • Unusual characters or symbols (★ ♦ ●)
  • Abbreviations without full terms first
  • Scanned PDF files or image-based CVs

Check Your CV's ATS Compatibility Now

Get instant feedback on your CV's ATS score and specific issues to fix. Free to use, no credit card required.

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