---
title: "How Do I Know If My Resume Will Pass ATS?"
description: "You cannot know without running it. Paste your resume into a free ATS checker and compare it against the job description. Here is what to look for and how to fix what you find."
canonical: "https://mortit.com/blog/how-to-check-if-resume-will-pass-ats"
---
Resume Writing

# How Do I Know If My Resume Will Pass ATS?

You cannot know without running it. Here is how to check, what to look for, and how to fix it before you apply.

9 min read Updated September 2026

By [Arash Abdollahi](https://mortit.com/about), Founder Published by [MORT](https://mortit.com/) Updated September 2026

TL;DR

**You cannot know without running it.** Paste your resume into a free ATS checker and compare it against the specific job description you are targeting. Look for keyword gaps, formatting flags (tables, columns, headers and footers that parsers skip), and a fit score. MORT's free ATS checker scores your resume against any job description and shows exactly which keywords are missing so you can fix them before you apply.

Most people worry about ATS in the abstract. The better question is whether your resume scores well against the specific job you want to apply to, because ATS matching is always job-specific. A resume that passes for one role can fail for another posting at the same company.

Here is what ATS actually does, the five formatting and keyword problems that cause resumes to struggle, and how to check yours before you send it.

## What ATS actually does (and does not do)

Applicant Tracking Systems are databases, not gatekeeping robots. When you submit a resume through a company careers page or job board, the ATS parses it into structured fields, stores it, and lets recruiters search and filter candidates by keyword, role, location, and minimum qualifications. Recruiters then sort the results by score or keyword match and work through the shortlist from the top.

The practical effect is that a resume with poor keyword alignment may never surface to a human reviewer, because a recruiter filtering for "Python" will not see anyone whose resume scored below their threshold. That is not the same as an automatic rejection, but the outcome is the same.

#### The 75% myth

You may have read that "75% of resumes are rejected by ATS before a human sees them." That figure is fabricated. It traces back to 2012 marketing copy from a company selling ATS bypass tools and has no research behind it. The real picture is more nuanced: ATS sorts and ranks, and recruiters then decide where to draw the line.

Why does any of this matter for a job seeker applying through a pile of ~250 applicants? According to [Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/50-hr-recruiting-stats-make-think/), the average corporate job opening attracts around **250 applications, of which only 4 to 6 people are called for an interview**. A recruiter with 250 applications and 20 minutes to screen them will lean hard on ATS ranking. If your resume is not near the top, it does not get eyes.

## Five signs your resume will struggle with ATS

Most ATS problems fall into two categories: formatting that confuses the parser, and keywords that are missing or poorly matched. Both are fixable.

### 1\. Tables and multi-column layouts

ATS parsers read documents left to right, top to bottom, like a text file. A table with two columns for skills, or a two-column layout with a sidebar, can be read in the wrong order or skipped entirely. Skills that live inside a table may simply not be found.

### 2\. Headers and footers

Contact details placed in the header or footer of a Word or PDF document are often not parsed by ATS. The result is a resume that appears in the system without a name, phone number, or email, which typically sends it straight to the bottom of any shortlist.

### 3\. Graphics, logos, and text boxes

ATS parsers extract text. Anything stored as an image or inside a text box (common in visually designed resume templates) is invisible to the parser. A resume that looks impressive in a PDF viewer may be nearly empty when the ATS strips it to text.

### 4\. Missing keywords from the job description

ATS systems score resumes by matching keywords from your document against keywords in the job posting. If the posting asks for "stakeholder management" and your resume says "working with cross-functional teams," those may not match. The same concept, different words, will score differently.

### 5\. Non-standard section headings

Section headings like "My Journey" or "Where I Have Been" do not map cleanly to the fields ATS expects. Standard headings, "Experience," "Education," "Skills," help parsers classify your information correctly.

For a comprehensive guide to writing a resume that avoids all of these issues from the start, see our guide on [how to write an ATS-friendly resume](https://mortit.com/blog/ats-friendly-resume-guide).

## How to check your resume against ATS

The fastest way is to use a free ATS checker. Here is the process:

1

#### Find the job description you are applying to

Copy the full text of the specific posting, not a generic version of the role. ATS matching is job-specific: what passes for one posting may miss keywords required by another at the same company.

2

#### Paste your resume into a free ATS checker

Tools like MORT, Jobscan, Resume Worded, and Rezi will parse your resume and compare it against the job description. Most have a free tier that gives you a keyword match score and a list of gaps.

3

#### Look at the keyword gap report first

Identify skills, tools, qualifications, and phrases in the job description that are absent or underrepresented in your resume. These are your highest-leverage fixes because they directly affect your score.

4

#### Check for formatting flags

A good checker will also flag formatting issues: tables, columns, headers, footers, or text boxes that may cause parsing problems. These matter because a formatting error can cause an ATS to misread your contact details or miss sections entirely.

5

#### Fix, then re-check

Add missing keywords naturally, where they are genuinely true of your experience. Fix any formatting issues. Run the check again to confirm your score improved before you submit.

## What a good ATS score means (and does not mean)

An ATS score tells you how well your resume's keywords align with a job description. It does not tell you whether a recruiter will like what they read, whether your experience is compelling, or whether you will get an offer. ATS passes to humans, and humans still reject.

This is especially relevant given what recruiters are now screening for. According to a [Resume Now survey of 925 HR workers](https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/ai-applicant-report), **62% of hiring managers say un-personalized AI-generated resumes frequently lead to rejection** (2025). And [TopResume's AI-in-hiring survey](https://topresume.com/career-advice/ai-in-hiring-survey) found that **33.5% of hiring managers can spot an AI-written resume in under 20 seconds**. A resume stuffed with keywords to game an ATS score, but that reads as generic and AI-generated to a human, has not solved the problem.

The target is a resume that scores well on keyword alignment AND reads as specific and credible to a human. Those two things are not in conflict: a well-written, experience-specific resume that also uses the language from the job description achieves both.

## Free ATS checkers compared

These are the tools most commonly used to check resume-to-job-description fit. All have a free tier; the differences are in what the free tier actually shows you and whether it lets you fix issues.

| Tool | Free tier | Keyword gap report | Formatting check | Resume generation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **MORT** | Yes | Yes, per job description | Yes | Yes, tailored per role |
| **Jobscan** | Limited (5 scans/month) | Yes | Yes | No |
| **Resume Worded** | Limited (1 free report) | Yes | Partial | No |
| **Rezi** | Yes (with watermark) | Yes | Partial | Yes (limited free) |

Free tier limits are based on published information and may change. Resume generation quality varies by tool. For a deeper comparison of each, see [our full roundup of free ATS checkers](https://mortit.com/blog/best-free-ats-resume-checkers).

## Where MORT fits in

MORT is an AI job-matching platform for people who want to apply to more relevant jobs in less time. It scans thousands of company career pages, scores every job 0-100% for compatibility with your skills and experience, and generates a tailored resume for each application.

The ATS check is built into that process: when MORT generates a tailored resume for a role, it aligns your content with the job description's keywords and requirements, so the resume that goes out is already optimized for that specific posting. You are not running a separate ATS check and then manually editing, you are getting the keyword-matched output directly.

That said, if you already have a resume you want to check against a specific role, MORT's checker lets you paste in the job description and get a gap report without committing to a full application flow.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do all companies use ATS?

Most companies with a formal recruiting process do. ATS adoption is near-universal among enterprise employers and very common at mid-size companies. Smaller firms and startups often use lighter tools or accept applications by email, but even many small businesses now use platforms like Greenhouse or Lever that include ATS functionality. If you are applying through a company careers page or a major job board, assume an ATS is in the picture.

### What ATS score is good enough?

Different tools use different scales, so there is no universal passing number. On most keyword-match checkers, a score above 70-80% is considered strong. More useful than the score itself is looking at which specific keywords are missing and whether your formatting is causing parsing errors. A score of 65% with clean formatting will often out-perform a score of 85% on a document with table-based columns an ATS cannot read.

### Does ATS reject resumes automatically?

Not usually in a direct, automatic way. ATS systems parse and rank resumes, and recruiters then filter by keyword match, minimum qualifications, or score threshold. A very low-scoring resume may never surface to a human reviewer, which has the same practical effect as rejection. The claim that 75% of resumes are auto-rejected by ATS before a human sees them is a fabricated figure that traces back to 2012 marketing copy, there is no research supporting it.

### What resume format works best for ATS?

A clean, single-column chronological resume in a standard Word or PDF format works best. Avoid tables, text boxes, columns, headers, footers, and decorative graphics because ATS parsers frequently misread or skip content inside these elements. Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) and a common font. Save as a Word document (.docx) when given the choice, since some ATS parsers handle DOCX more reliably than PDF.

### How do I know which keywords to add?

Compare your resume against the specific job description you are targeting. Look for skills, qualifications, and phrases that appear in the posting but are absent or underrepresented in your resume. Pay particular attention to the job title, required skills, software tools, certifications, and degree requirements. Use the same phrasing the posting uses: if the job says "project management" rather than "programme management," match that. ATS checkers automate this comparison and highlight the gaps.

## Check your resume before you apply

MORT scores your resume against any job description, shows which keywords are missing, and generates a tailored version for each application. Free to start.

[Check My Resume Free](https://app.mortit.com/signup) [How MORT Job Matching Works](https://mortit.com/features/ai-job-matching)

## Related Resources

### [How to Write an ATS-Friendly Resume](https://mortit.com/blog/ats-friendly-resume-guide)

Format, keywords, and structure that gets past ATS filters

### [Best Free ATS Resume Checkers](https://mortit.com/blog/best-free-ats-resume-checkers)

We tested the free options that actually show you what to fix

### [How to Match Your Resume to Job Descriptions](https://mortit.com/blog/how-to-match-your-resume-to-jobs)

Step-by-step process for tailoring to a specific posting

### [Do I Need a Different Resume for Every Job?](https://mortit.com/blog/do-i-need-a-different-resume-for-every-job)

What to change per application and what to keep the same

## Sources

-   Glassdoor, "50 HR & Recruiting Stats" (~250 applicants per corporate opening; 4 to 6 interviewed): [glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/50-hr-recruiting-stats-make-think/)
-   Resume Now AI Applicant Report, 2025 (62% of hiring managers say un-personalized AI resumes frequently lead to rejection; 925 HR workers surveyed): [resume-now.com](https://www.resume-now.com/job-resources/careers/ai-applicant-report)
-   TopResume AI-in-hiring survey, 2025 (33.5% of hiring managers can spot an AI resume in under 20 seconds): [topresume.com](https://topresume.com/career-advice/ai-in-hiring-survey)