How to Improve Your ATS Resume Score: 7 Practical Steps

Last updated: 21 September 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

What is an ATS resume score?

An ATS resume score is a number or ranking that estimates how closely a resume matches a job description. It can come from two places: the employer's applicant tracking system, or a separate resume-checking tool you use before you apply.

Jobscan explains that some systems, such as Oracle Taleo, assign scores through a built-in ranking feature, and that separate tools also generate their own match scores. Workday adds that many platforms rank candidates by match percentage.

What is a good ATS score?

There is no universal answer. Each tool uses its own scale and its own method, and employers configure their systems differently. A score of 80 in one checker may mean something different from an 80 in another.

Use a score as a relative signal. Compare the same resume against the same job description before and after your changes, and use the same tool each time.

How do you improve your ATS resume score?

Work through these seven steps in order. The early steps fix problems that make the later ones useless.

1. Fix parsing first. Use a single column, standard headings, plain bullets, and a text-based DOCX or PDF. The University of Texas at Austin's career service warns that tables, columns, and graphics can stop software reading your content accurately.
2. Read the job description closely. Note the skills, tools, and titles that repeat, and separate must-haves from nice-to-haves.
3. Close real keyword gaps. Add matching terms where they describe experience you have. UT Austin's career service advises using the posting's repeated language in your resume.
4. Align your title and summary. Name the target role in your summary, so the resume reads as a match for the job and not a general profile.
5. Back skills with evidence. List a skill in your Skills section, then show it in a bullet or project so a human reader can trust it.
6. Check the knockout requirements. Jobscan notes an ATS can flag applicants who fail questions on experience, degree, or relocation, so confirm you meet the stated requirements.
7. Re-check and stop. Run the same tool again, fix what is clearly wrong, and submit. Chasing a perfect score wastes time.

Which resume changes matter most for the score?

Not every edit has the same effect. This table shows common changes and the trade-off of each.

What do most guides on ATS scores get wrong?

Many guides promise a score to aim for and stop there. These are the gaps that matter.

• They give a magic number. A single threshold such as "get above 80" does not apply to every tool or employer.
• They mix up the sources. A checker's score and an employer's ranking come from different systems, so a high score in one does not predict the other.
• They reward keyword stuffing. Padding the resume can raise a number while making it worse for a person to read.
• They ignore the human reader. A recruiter still decides, so clear evidence of skills counts as much as matching terms.

To understand the systems behind the score, read what an ATS is.

How can you check your resume against a job description?

Compare the skills and titles in the posting with what your resume says, and note the gaps. You can do this by hand with a two-column list, or with a tool.

The AI resume reviewer on asuraa.in accepts a resume in PDF, DOC, or DOCX up to 10 MB, along with a target job title and a job description, and returns ATS-compatibility feedback and keyword gaps. Run it after each round of edits and compare the results in your resume history.

FAQ

Is there a minimum ATS score to get an interview?

No universal minimum exists. Different tools score differently, and employers set up their own systems and screening questions. Aim to meet the stated requirements, match the job description accurately, and treat any score as a rough guide to how well your resume lines up.

Does the ATS score my resume out of 100?

Some systems rank candidates by a percentage or a rank, and separate checking tools often show a score out of 100. Not every ATS shows applicants a score, and recruiters may use search and filters instead. So a score you see is often from a third-party tool.

Why is my ATS score low?

Common causes are formatting that stops the file being read, missing skills or titles from the job description, and a resume written for a different role. Fix the layout first, then close real keyword gaps and check that you meet the stated requirements.

Can I raise my score by adding keywords in white text?

That is a bad idea. Hidden text can be revealed when the file is opened as text, it does not add real experience, and it damages trust with the recruiter. Add keywords visibly, and only where they describe work you have done.

How often should I update my resume for ATS?

Tailor it for each application by adjusting a copy of your master resume, as UT Austin's career service advises. Update the master whenever you finish a project, learn a tool, or change roles, so future copies start from current facts.

Does a higher ATS score mean I will get hired?

No. A higher score may help your resume surface in a search or ranking, but hiring depends on the recruiter's judgment, the interview, and the competition. Use the score to fix gaps, not to predict the outcome.

Final thoughts

Improve the parts you can control: readable formatting, honest keywords, and clear evidence. Then submit, because no score can replace a resume that fits the job.

Ready to compare your resume with a real job description? Try the AI resume reviewer on asuraa.in.