What does passing ATS mean?
Passing ATS means your resume got a score high enough for a human to see it.
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It is the software companies use to filter applications. It reads your resume and compares it to the job posting. If the words match well, your score is high. A high score means a recruiter reads your resume. A low score means they do not.
How do I know if my resume passes ATS?
You can use an ATS checker. This is a tool that reads your resume and a job posting and tells you how well they match.
JobFoxly has one built in. It is free. You paste the job posting. You upload your resume. JobFoxly gives you a score. It also shows you which keywords are missing. You can then fix your resume before you apply.
Most people apply without checking their ATS score. A quick check before you apply can make the difference between a rejection and an interview.
What is a good ATS score?
Different tools use different scoring systems. But as a general rule, a match score of 70 percent or higher is good. Below 50 percent and the risk of being filtered out is high.
Do not worry too much about the exact number. Focus on the keywords. If the tool shows you missing keywords, add them to your resume where they are honest and relevant.
What does ATS check for?
Keywords from the job posting
The skills, tools and qualifications the job asks for. If they appear in your resume, your score goes up.
Job titles
If the job posting says "Marketing Manager" and you have held that title before, that is a good match.
Years of experience
Some ATS systems filter by years of experience. If the job asks for five years and you have three, you may be filtered out automatically.
Education and qualifications
Degree level, field of study and certifications. If the job requires a degree and you do not have one, the ATS may filter you out.
My score is low. What do I do?
Look at the missing keywords. Add the ones that honestly apply to you. Do not add skills you do not have. The ATS may let you through but the human will notice.
Also check your resume format. A complex layout can confuse the ATS and lower your score. Switch to a simple one-column format and try again.
Do I need to check every resume?
Yes. Each job posting has different keywords. A resume that scores 85 percent for one job may score 40 percent for another. It is worth a quick check before each application.
It takes about five minutes. The difference it makes is much bigger than five minutes of effort.
Is a high ATS score enough?
A high score means a human will read your resume. That is the goal of ATS optimisation. But you still need to impress the human too. ATS gets you in the door. Your experience and how you present it gets you the interview.
JobFoxly checks your resume against any job posting for free. You get your score, the missing keywords and a way to fix them, all in one place.
Check your CV against any job posting for free — paste the job description and get a match score in seconds. Try the free ATS checker.
Check your resume against any job for free
JobFoxly has a built-in ATS check. Paste the job posting. Upload your resume. Get your score. Then track the application in the same tool.
Try JobFoxly for free