The report is designed to be read top to bottom: the headline number, then where the points went, then exactly what to change. It is worth understanding what each part is and is not saying.
Step by step
Start with the score and grade
The dial shows a score out of 100 with a grade beside it: Excellent from 85, Good from 70, Needs work from 50, and Weak below that. Underneath, a sentence summarises what that means for this CV.
See where the points went
Five cards break the score down: ATS basics (contact details and parsing, out of 20), Structure (sections and headings, 20), Impact (achievements and metrics, 25), Keywords (match and skill coverage, 20) and Readability (length and language, 15). The lowest card is where the fastest gain is.
Check the quick stats
Beneath the verdict you get word count, number of bullet points, how many measurable figures were found and how many standard sections were detected. These four numbers usually explain a low Impact or Structure score on their own.
Read the keyword match, if you added a job ad
With a job description pasted in, the report shows a match percentage and two lists of terms — found and missing. Treat the missing list as candidates, not instructions.
Work the findings in order
The list at the bottom is sorted with the critical items first, and the filters let you show only Critical, only Improve, or the checks you already passed. Each finding says what is wrong and what to do about it.
TipClear everything under Critical before you spend time on the smaller items.
Re-score after editing
Make the changes, export the CV again and re-run the check. Comparing two reports for the same CV is a much better signal than one number in isolation.
Questions people ask
What is a good ATS score?
Above 85 is strong and 70–84 is solid with a few gaps. Below 50 usually points at something structural, such as a missing summary or no measurable results.
Does a high score mean I will get an interview?
No. It means the avoidable problems are gone. Employers and ATS platforms use different criteria, and your experience and the competition still decide the outcome.
Why did my score change after a small edit?
Several checks are thresholds — word count, number of bullets, how many figures appear — so an edit that crosses one of those moves the score more than you might expect.
Can I check a CV that was not built here?
Yes. The checker works on any PDF, Word or text CV.