Question 1

What is an ATS?

Accepted Answer

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers to manage job applications. It scans, sorts, and ranks resumes based on keywords, formatting, and other criteria before a human recruiter ever sees them. Over 90% of large employers use an ATS.

Question 2

How does ATS scoring work?

Accepted Answer

Our ATS checker analyzes your resume across three pillars: Parse Readiness (can an ATS extract your contact info, sections, and dates?), Keyword Match (do your skills align with the job description?), and Resume Quality (action verbs, quantified achievements, content strength). Each pillar is scored and combined into an overall compatibility score. Add a job description to unlock keyword matching.

Question 3

What is a good ATS score?

Accepted Answer

A score of 80 or above is considered excellent and means your resume is well-optimized for ATS systems. Scores between 60-79 are good but have room for improvement. Below 60, your resume likely needs significant changes to pass ATS screening.

Question 4

How can I improve my ATS score?

Accepted Answer

Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), include relevant keywords from the job description, quantify achievements with numbers, avoid tables and graphics, and use a clean single-column format. Our checker provides specific recommendations for your resume.

Question 5

Does PrismCV's ATS checker cost money?

Accepted Answer

The ATS score and top issues are completely free with no account required. Enter your email to unlock the full detailed analysis including keyword gaps, section-by-section scores, and specific recommendations.

Question 6

What file formats are supported?

Accepted Answer

We support PDF, DOCX (Microsoft Word), and plain text (TXT) files up to 5MB. You can also paste your resume text directly into the checker.

Free ATS Resume Checker

Most ATS checkers give you a magic number. Ours shows you exactly what an ATS extracts, which keywords you're missing, and what to fix — with no black box.