Free ATS Resume Checker · Score Your Resume Against Job Descriptions · Laddro

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System is software that companies use to filter resumes before a human reads them. Over 90% of large employers use one. When you apply for a job online, your resume goes through ATS screening first. If it doesn't match what the system is looking for, a recruiter never sees it.

This is why you can send 50 applications and hear nothing back. It's not that your experience is wrong. It's that your resume isn't written for the software reading it first.

What ATS filters look for

ATS systems scan your resume for three things:

Keywords from the job description. If the posting says "stakeholder management" and your resume says "working with stakeholders," the ATS might not count it as a match. Exact phrasing matters.

Clean formatting. Tables, text boxes, headers, footers, and embedded images break most ATS parsers. The system can't read your resume properly, so it scores you lower or rejects you entirely.

Relevant structure. Standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills) help the ATS categorise your content correctly. Creative headings like "My Journey" or "What I Bring" confuse the parser.

How to check your resume's ATS score

With Laddro, the ATS check is built into the resume builder itself:

1. Open the resume builder and create or import your resume
2. The scoring panel shows your ATS compatibility in real time as you edit
3. Click "Get personalized feedback" for a detailed AI review
4. The AI reads your content, template, colours, and keywords, then tells you exactly what to fix

You don't need a separate tool. The score updates live as you make changes. Fix a bullet point, add a keyword, swap a template, and watch your score go up.

The feedback isn't generic "add more keywords" advice. It's specific: "Add the headcount you managed to your second bullet point." "Your colour scheme has low contrast, switch to a darker header." "You're missing 'stakeholder management' which appears 3 times in this type of job posting."

What makes Laddro's ATS checker different

Most ATS checkers online just count keywords. They tell you "you're missing these 5 words" and that's it.

Laddro reads your entire resume in context. It looks at:

• Keywords and phrasing compared to the job description
• Your template and formatting to check ATS compatibility
• Colours and contrast that might affect readability
• Section structure to make sure the ATS can parse everything correctly
• Content quality of your bullet points and summary

Then it gives you specific, actionable feedback. Not "add more keywords" but "add 'stakeholder management' to your third bullet point under your Arla Foods role."

Common ATS mistakes

These are the things that get resumes filtered out most often:

Using a PDF from a design tool. Canva, Photoshop, and InDesign often flatten text into images. The ATS can't read image-based text. Use a resume builder that exports proper text-based PDFs. All Laddro templates export clean, parseable PDFs.

Fancy formatting. Two-column layouts, sidebars, progress bars for skills, icons instead of text. They look great to humans but break ATS parsing. Stick to single-column layouts with standard fonts.

Missing keywords. If the job asks for "project management" and you write "managed projects," some ATS systems won't count that as a match. Mirror the exact language from the job posting.

One resume for every job. Each job description has different keywords and priorities. A resume tailored to one role won't score well for a different role, even in the same field. You need to tailor your resume for each application.

Non-standard section headings. "Where I've Worked" instead of "Work Experience." "What I Know" instead of "Skills." ATS systems expect standard headings to categorise your content.

Fix your resume before you apply

Don't send another application without checking your ATS score first.

1. Open the builder and pick an ATS-tested template
2. Fill in your details and watch the score update in real time
3. Get AI feedback and apply the suggestions directly
4. Download and apply with confidence

The builder is free. No account needed to start.

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Check your resume now

Open the resume builder and see your ATS score as you build. Get AI feedback, fix issues on the spot, and download when your score is ready.

Want to see what a strong resume looks like? Browse resume examples by industry.