How to Check and Improve Your Resume ATS Score

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How to Check and Improve Your Resume ATS Score

Applying for jobs online often means your resume is reviewed by software before it reaches a recruiter.

Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to collect, organize, filter, and search through job applications. Because of this, having a well-designed resume is not always enough. Your resume should also be easy for an ATS to read and should clearly match the requirements of the job.

In this guide, you will learn what an ATS score means, how to check your resume, common ATS mistakes, and practical ways to improve your resume for better job applications.

What Is an ATS?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System.

It is software that employers and recruitment teams use to manage job applications.

Depending on the system and employer's workflow, an ATS may help with tasks such as:

  • Collecting resumes

  • Organizing applications

  • Searching candidate information

  • Filtering applications

  • Identifying relevant skills and experience

  • Managing candidate profiles

  • Tracking recruitment stages

An ATS does not necessarily mean that a human recruiter will never see your resume. Instead, it is generally part of the recruitment workflow used by many organizations.

What Is an ATS Resume Score?

An ATS resume score is usually a third-party assessment that estimates how well your resume matches a particular job description and how readable or optimized the document is for applicant-tracking systems.

There is no universal ATS score.

Different resume-checking tools can use different:

  • Algorithms

  • Keyword databases

  • Formatting checks

  • Scoring systems

  • Job-description matching methods

Therefore, a score such as 75 or 85 should be treated as a guideline, not a guaranteed probability of getting an interview.

Why Should You Check Your Resume ATS Compatibility?

A resume can look attractive to a person but still have problems with automated parsing.

For example, excessive design elements may make important information harder for software to interpret.

Checking your resume can help you identify:

  • Missing job-related keywords

  • Difficult formatting

  • Unclear job titles

  • Missing skills

  • Poor section structure

  • Inconsistent dates

  • Unnecessary graphics

  • Difficult-to-read layouts

How to Check Your Resume ATS Score

Step 1: Prepare Your Resume

Use your latest resume and make sure it contains accurate information.

Check:

  • Name

  • Contact details

  • Education

  • Work experience

  • Skills

  • Certifications

  • Projects

  • Achievements

Remove outdated or incorrect information.

Step 2: Find the Job Description

The job description is extremely important.

Before applying, identify the employer's requirements.

Look for:

  • Required skills

  • Preferred skills

  • Job title

  • Qualifications

  • Experience requirements

  • Software/tools

  • Certifications

  • Responsibilities

Step 3: Compare Your Resume With the Job

Check whether your resume clearly demonstrates the skills and experience requested in the job description.

For example, if a job requires:

Customer Support + CRM + Communication + Excel

and you genuinely have these skills, make sure they are clearly represented in your resume.

Step 4: Use an ATS Resume Checker

You can use an online resume ATS checker to analyze your resume against a job description.

A useful checker may identify:

  • Keyword matches

  • Missing keywords

  • Resume formatting issues

  • Section problems

  • Skills gaps

  • Readability issues

You can use the NaukriRadar.info Resume ATS Checker to review your resume and identify areas that may need improvement.

How to Improve Your ATS Resume

1. Use a Simple Layout

Keep your resume easy to read.

A clean structure usually works better than a highly decorative design.

Use clear sections such as:

  • Professional Summary

  • Skills

  • Work Experience

  • Education

  • Certifications

  • Projects

  • Achievements

2. Use Standard Section Headings

Avoid unusual headings that could make your resume structure unclear.

Prefer:

Work Experience

instead of:

Where I've Worked

Prefer:

Education

instead of:

My Academic Journey

Simple headings make your resume easier for both people and software to understand.

3. Match Relevant Keywords

Keywords are important when applying for a specific position.

Read the job description carefully and identify important terms.

For example, a customer support position may mention:

  • Customer Service

  • Communication

  • CRM

  • Ticketing

  • Email Support

  • Call Handling

  • Problem Solving

  • Customer Satisfaction

If you genuinely possess these skills, incorporate relevant terms naturally into your resume.

Never add skills you don't actually have just to increase an ATS score.

4. Use the Correct Job Title When Appropriate

If your actual role closely corresponds to the position you are applying for, make your experience easy to understand.

For example, if you worked as a:

Customer Support Executive

and are applying for a:

Customer Support Specialist

your resume should clearly explain your actual responsibilities and transferable skills.

Do not change your employment history to create a false job title.

5. Write Achievement-Focused Experience

Don't simply list responsibilities.

Where possible, describe measurable results.

Instead of:

Handled customer queries.

Consider:

Handled customer queries through phone and chat support while maintaining service-quality standards.

If you have genuine numbers, use them.

For example:

Handled 80+ customer interactions per day while maintaining a 95% quality score.

Specific achievements can make your experience more meaningful to recruiters.

6. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

Adding the same keyword repeatedly does not automatically improve your resume.

For example, don't write:

Customer service, customer service, customer service, customer service.

Instead, use relevant skills naturally throughout:

  • Professional Summary

  • Skills

  • Experience

  • Projects

Your resume should remain readable.

7. Use Readable Fonts

Choose a simple professional font.

Examples include:

  • Arial

  • Calibri

  • Times New Roman

  • Helvetica

Avoid decorative fonts that may reduce readability.

8. Be Careful With Tables and Graphics

Complex tables, text boxes, icons, charts, and graphics can sometimes create parsing problems depending on the ATS.

For an ATS-focused resume, keep the structure simple.

9. Avoid Putting Important Information in Headers and Footers

Some parsing systems may not handle header and footer content consistently.

Keep important information such as:

  • Phone number

  • Email

  • LinkedIn profile

  • Location

in the main document area.

10. Choose an Appropriate File Format

Follow the employer's application instructions.

If the employer specifically requests PDF, submit PDF.

If a Word document is requested, submit DOCX.

Never ignore the file-format instructions in the job application.

Example of an ATS-Friendly Resume Structure

A simple resume could follow this structure:

YOUR NAME

City, State | Phone | Email | LinkedIn

Professional Summary

2–4 lines describing your experience, strongest skills, and target role.

Skills

  • Customer Service

  • Communication

  • MS Excel

  • CRM

  • Problem Solving

Work Experience

Job Title – Company Name

Month Year – Month Year

  • Responsibility or achievement

  • Responsibility or achievement

  • Measurable result

Education

Qualification – Institution

Year

Certifications

  • Certification Name

  • Certification Name

ATS Resume Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common problems:

❌ Excessive graphics
❌ Too many colors
❌ Unusual section headings
❌ Large blocks of text
❌ Keyword stuffing
❌ False skills
❌ Incorrect dates
❌ Spelling mistakes
❌ Unnecessary personal information
❌ Extremely complicated layouts

Does a High ATS Score Guarantee an Interview?

No.

An ATS score is only an optimization indicator.

Hiring decisions can depend on many factors, including:

  • Qualifications

  • Experience

  • Skills

  • Job requirements

  • Recruiter review

  • Interview performance

  • Number of applicants

  • Employer preferences

A resume with a high score does not guarantee an interview.

Likewise, a resume with a lower score does not automatically mean you will be rejected.

How Often Should You Check Your Resume?

You don't necessarily need to check the same resume repeatedly.

Instead, create a strong master resume and customize it for important job applications.

For each position:

  1. Read the job description.

  2. Identify relevant requirements.

  3. Compare them with your experience.

  4. Customize your resume.

  5. Check the resume for ATS compatibility.

  6. Proofread it.

  7. Submit the application.

Final Resume ATS Checklist

Before submitting your application, check:

  • Your name and contact information are correct.

  • Your resume uses clear section headings.

  • Your work experience is easy to understand.

  • Relevant job keywords are included naturally.

  • Your skills match the job where appropriate.

  • Your dates are consistent.

  • Your resume has no major spelling errors.

  • Your formatting is simple and readable.

  • You have not added false qualifications or skills.

  • You followed the employer's file-format instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good ATS score?

There is no universal good ATS score because different tools use different scoring systems. Treat the score as an optimization guide rather than a guaranteed hiring metric.

How can I increase my ATS resume score?

Improve the match between your genuine skills and the job description, use clear formatting, include relevant keywords naturally, and remove unnecessary design elements.

Is a two-page resume ATS-friendly?

Yes. A two-page resume can be ATS-friendly if the content is relevant, well structured, and easy to parse. Resume length should depend on your experience and the requirements of the position.

Is PDF good for ATS?

PDF can work well with many modern ATS platforms, but compatibility varies. Always follow the employer's instructions if they specify a particular file format.

Should I use keywords in my resume?

Yes, relevant keywords can help communicate your qualifications and may improve matching in recruitment systems. Only include keywords that accurately describe your skills or experience.

Can an ATS reject my resume?

An ATS can be used to filter or rank applications based on an employer's configured criteria, but recruitment workflows vary widely. A resume should therefore be optimized for both automated systems and human recruiters.

Final Thoughts

An ATS-friendly resume is not about tricking recruitment software.

It is about making your qualifications clear, relevant, readable, and easy to understand.

Start with a simple format, carefully read every job description, highlight your genuine relevant skills, use standard section headings, and remove unnecessary design elements.

Before applying, you can use the NaukriRadar.info Resume ATS Checker to identify potential improvements.

You can also create or update your resume using the NaukriRadar.info Resume Builder.

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