Most online applications are read by software before they are read by a person. An applicant tracking system (ATS) stores your resume, and recruiters then search and filter those resumes using the skills and requirements in the job description. A resume scan lets you see that match for yourself before you press Apply, while you can still fix the gaps.
What an ATS score actually measures
There is no single, universal "ATS score". Each employer uses its own system, and each recruiter searches it differently. What a scanner can do is estimate how well your resume matches one specific job, using the same signals those systems and recruiters rely on.
The Go Resume Go match score is our estimate, not an employer's own score. It combines four parts, and shows you the calculation under the score:
| Part of the score | Weight | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Required keywords | 50% | Skills, tools and qualifications from the job's Requirements section |
| Preferred keywords | 15% | "Nice to have" terms that break ties between similar candidates |
| Resume quality | 15% | Action verbs, measurable results, standard sections and contact details |
| ATS text checks | 20% | Things that help software read your resume, such as dates and headings |
If the posting has no "nice to have" section, required keywords carry 65% of the score. If it has no clear Requirements section at all, every job keyword is weighted together. And if you appear to miss a hard requirement, such as a minimum number of years or a required degree, the score is capped at 45, because a real screening question would reject the application no matter how good the keywords are.
How to scan your resume, step by step
- Get the text of your resume. Copy everything from your Word or Google Docs file and paste it into the resume box. If you only have a PDF, open it, select all the text and paste it.
- Copy the full job posting. Include the job title, responsibilities, requirements and "nice to have" section. Leave out the company history, benefits and legal text; they only add noise.
- Press Scan and read the verdict under the score first. It tells you in one sentence where you stand.
- Open the Hard Requirements tab. A missed requirement matters more than any keyword, so deal with it before anything else.
- Work through the missing required keywords. Add the ones that genuinely describe your experience, then scan again.
What score should you aim for?
| Score | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-39 | Likely filtered out. Too few of the required terms appear. | Tailor substantially, or consider whether the role is a real fit. |
| 40-59 | At risk. Key requirements are missing or hard to find. | Add the missing required keywords you truly have. |
| 60-74 | Competitive. You are at or above our recommended target. | Apply, after a quick pass on any remaining required gaps. |
| 75-100 | A strong match for this job's language. | Apply, and put your energy into the cover letter and networking. |
We recommend 60 or higher before you apply. That is our benchmark, not a number every employer uses, but in practice it means your resume covers most of what the job asks for, in words a recruiter's search will find.
Why you should not chase 100
A perfect score usually means one of two things: the resume copies the job description, or it lists skills the candidate does not really have. Both backfire with the recruiter who reads it next. Repeating keywords far more often than the job does also triggers the scanner's stuffing penalty, for the same reason. Once you are in the 70s, your time is better spent on the rest of your application.
How to raise your score honestly
- Use the job's exact wording for skills you have. If the posting says "stakeholder management", don't rely on "worked with partners". Why exact wording matters.
- Put each important skill in two places: once in your Skills section, and once inside a bullet that shows you using it.
- Spell out acronyms once, for example "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)", so both versions can be found.
- Make hard requirements obvious. Use clear date ranges so your years of experience add up, and write your degree in full.
- Fix the formatting problems flagged in the ATS Checks tab. A keyword the software cannot read does not count. See the ATS-friendly resume checklist.
Common mistakes when scanning
- Scanning against part of the posting. You miss requirements, and the keyword tiers become unreliable.
- Using one generic resume for every job. Scores vary a lot between postings, and tailoring takes about 20 minutes.
- Ignoring hard requirements. No keyword can make up for a failed knockout question.
- Adding skills you don't have. It may raise a number, but it will not survive the interview.