You've spent time writing a strong resume. But if it can't get past the automated screening systems most companies use, it might never reach a human reader.
The good news is you can check this before you apply. Here's how.
What Automated Screening Actually Does
ATS systems, short for Applicant Tracking Systems, are software tools that companies use to manage applications at scale. When you submit a resume online, it almost always gets processed by one of these systems first.
The ATS parses your resume, extracts information like your job titles, skills, and education, and then scores it against the job description. Applications that score below a certain threshold may be automatically filtered out or deprioritized in the queue.
The system is looking for specific things. Keyword matches between your resume and the job posting. Standard section headings it can recognize. Clean, parseable formatting without tables, columns, graphics, or unusual fonts that confuse the parser.
If your resume fails on any of these dimensions, it may not matter how strong your actual experience is.
Method 1: Use a Dedicated ATS Checker
The most direct way to test your resume is to use a tool designed specifically for this. These tools parse your resume the same way an ATS would, then compare it against a job description you provide.
Resumelyn's free ATS scanner is one option. You upload your resume and paste the job description, and the tool gives you a score and identifies what's missing. It shows you which keywords from the job description are absent from your resume, which helps you understand exactly what the system would flag.
This is faster and more reliable than guessing.
Method 2: Try the Plain Text Test
Copy your resume text and paste it into a plain text editor like Notepad. What you see is roughly what an ATS parser sees.
If the formatting breaks down, information gets scrambled, or sections end up out of order, that's a signal the ATS may struggle to parse it correctly. Headers that look fine in a Word document can turn into unreadable strings in a plain text environment.
Specifically, look for:
- Text from tables appearing out of sequence or merged together
- Bullet points turning into symbols or disappearing
- Section headings not being recognizable as headings
- Information from columns getting jumbled
If the plain text version is clean and readable, your formatting is likely ATS-safe. If it's a mess, you have work to do before applying.
Method 3: Check Your Keyword Coverage Manually
Pull up the job description and highlight every skill, qualification, and requirement you see. Then go through your resume and check which of those appear.
Pay attention to the exact phrasing. If the job description says "project management" and your resume says "managing projects," that may not register as a match. ATS systems often look for exact or near-exact keyword matches, not just conceptual equivalence.
This manual approach is time-consuming but gives you a clear picture of where the gaps are. If more than a quarter of the highlighted terms are missing from your resume, your match rate is probably too low.
Method 4: Look at How You're Submitting
Some ATS issues have nothing to do with your resume content. They have to do with how you submit it.
PDF files can cause parsing problems with certain ATS systems, especially older ones. Word documents (.docx) are generally safer if you're unsure. Some systems handle both well; others don't.
File name matters too. A resume named "John_Smith_Resume.docx" is more professional and easier to track than "resume_v7_FINAL2.docx."
If a company has a specific submission format listed in the job posting, always follow it exactly.
What to Do With What You Find
Once you've identified the gaps, you have a few options. You can update your resume manually to incorporate the missing keywords. Or you can use a tool like Resumelyn to generate a tailored version that addresses the gaps automatically.
The goal is to go into each application knowing your resume can get through the first filter. Everything else, your experience, your qualifications, your interview skills, only matters if the resume gets seen.
Check your resume against a job description for free before your next application and see exactly where you stand.