What is an ATS score and why does it matter?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System — software that most companies use to automatically filter resumes before a human reads them. It scans your resume for keywords from the job description. A higher ATS match means your resume is more likely to be shortlisted. Aim for 70%+ match for the specific job you're applying to.

How do I improve my ATS score?

Paste the job description in the ATS tab and look at the 'Missing Keywords' list. Add those keywords naturally to your resume — in your skills section, experience bullets, or summary. Don't stuff keywords randomly; use them in context. Re-check your score after updating.

Should I use one resume for all jobs?

No — a tailored resume outperforms a generic one significantly. Keep a master resume with all your experience. For each job application, copy it, then adjust: update the summary to mention the role, reorder or add skills that match the JD, and tweak bullet points to reflect the job's priorities. The ATS checker shows you exactly what to add.

What is a good resume length?

For most jobs: 1 page if you have under 5 years of experience, 2 pages if you have 5–15 years. For senior or academic roles, longer is acceptable. Recruiters spend ~6 seconds on a first scan, so the most important information should be near the top.

How to Build a Resume + Check ATS Score

Build a professional resume with a real filled example, then check your ATS match against any job description — all free, no signup.

Step 1

Choose a template

Open ResumeKit. Pick a template that matches the job:

Classic — Clean and traditional. Works for all industries. Best for formal roles (finance, government, law).
Modern — Left-sidebar with colour accent. Great for tech, design, and product roles.
Compact — Dense format fitting more content on one page. Good if you have 5+ years of experience.

Step 2

Fill your contact information

Example — filled contact details

Full NameArjun Mehta

Job Title (headline)Full Stack Developer

Emailarjun.mehta@gmail.com

Phone+91 98765 43210

LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/arjunmehta

CityBengaluru, India

💡 Use a professional email (gmail preferred). Never use a college email that may expire. Adding a GitHub or portfolio URL is strongly recommended for tech roles.

Step 3

Write a professional summary

2–3 sentences at the top. This is the first thing a recruiter reads. Mention your years of experience, key skills, and what you're looking for.

Example summary

Full-stack developer with 4 years of experience building scalable web applications using React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL. Delivered 3 production SaaS products serving 10,000+ monthly users. Seeking a senior engineering role where I can contribute to product architecture and mentor junior developers.

Step 4

Add work experience

List from most recent to oldest. Use action verbs and include measurable outcomes wherever possible.

Example — one work experience entry

Job TitleSoftware Engineer (SDE-2)

CompanyRazorpay, Bengaluru

DurationJun 2022 – Present

• Built checkout flow reducing drop-off rate by 18% using React + Redis caching

• Led migration from monolith to microservices for 3 internal APIs, reducing latency by 40%

• Reviewed code for a team of 5, reducing critical bugs in production by 60%

💡 Action verbs to use: Built · Designed · Led · Reduced · Improved · Launched · Migrated · Automated · Mentored · Increased

Step 5

Add education and skills

Example — education

DegreeB.Tech, Computer Science

InstitutionNIT Trichy

Year2018 – 2022

Score8.4 CGPA

Example — skills section

React · Node.js · TypeScript · PostgreSQL · Redis · AWS · Docker · Git · REST APIs · GraphQL · Agile/Scrum

Step 6 — Add custom sections (optional)

Add certifications, projects, or anything extra

Scroll down to "Add Custom Section". Enter a section title and content. Common additions:

Example custom sections

Section TitleCertifications

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (2023) · Google Professional Cloud Developer (2024)

Section TitleKey Projects

QuickShip (Open Source): Logistics tracking dashboard built with Next.js + Supabase · 400 GitHub stars

Section TitleLanguages

English (Fluent) · Hindi (Native) · Kannada (Working proficiency)

Step 7 — Key Feature

Check your ATS score against a job description

Click the ATS ✓ tab at the top. Paste the job description you want to apply to in the text area. Click Check ATS Score.

Example ATS result — "Senior Frontend Engineer" role at Flipkart

Match: 72%

Keywords Found in Your Resume

reacttypescriptrest api performancetestingagile web applicationgit

Missing Keywords — add these to your resume

webpackaccessibility micro frontendjeststorybook

💡 Add the missing keywords naturally into your existing bullet points or skills section. For example, add "Jest" to your testing tools list and "Webpack" to your tooling experience. Then re-check — your score will go up.

Step 8

Download as PDF

Click "⬇️ Download PDF" at the top-right of the preview. In the browser print dialog:

Destination: Save as PDF
Paper size: A4
Margins: Default
Uncheck "Headers and footers"

💡 Save a separate PDF for each company you apply to (e.g. Resume_Flipkart.pdf, Resume_Google.pdf). Tailored resumes get 2–3× more callbacks.

Build your resume now

Free forever · No signup · Download as PDF instantly

Open ResumeKit →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ATS and how does it work?

ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is software used by companies to filter resumes automatically. It extracts keywords from the job description and checks if your resume contains them. Resumes that don't match enough keywords are filtered out before any human reads them. Our ATS checker replicates this process client-side so you can optimise your resume before submitting.

Is my resume stored on ResumeKit's servers?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Your data is never sent to any server. When you close the tab, the data is cleared. For this reason, copy your text to a document elsewhere if you want to save it between sessions.

Can I write a cover letter here too?

Yes — ResumeKit includes a Cover Letter builder. The nav bar at the top has a ✉️ Cover Letter link. It follows the same workflow: fill the form, pick a template, download as PDF.

Should I include a photo in my resume?

In India, including a photo is common and often expected. In the US, UK, or Europe, photos are generally not included to avoid bias. Choose based on the country/company you're applying to.

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