How do I know if my actual PDF will parse correctly, not just this text?

Copy the text out of your PDF using select-all and paste, the way an ATS extracts it, and paste that into this checker or the PDF text extractor tool. If the copy comes out garbled or empty, the file itself has a parsing problem this tool cannot see from plain text.

Why does my resume need a phone number if I mainly use email?

Many ATS platforms use the phone field as a duplicate-application check and to auto-fill a candidate record. Leaving it blank does not usually block an application, but it is a field most systems expect.

Is a higher word count always better for ATS scoring?

No. The check here only flags resumes that are unusually short or unusually long compared to a typical range - a resume in the middle of that range is not automatically scored higher than the edges.

ATS resume checker

Most ATS platforms parse a resume into fields - name, contact, sections, bullets - rather than reading it like a person. This runs a fixed set of checks against the text you paste, the same kind a parser would apply.

It cannot see your actual PDF, so it cannot check for the layout problems that break parsing the most: multi-column formats, text inside tables, or text placed inside images. Paste the resume as plain text and read the notes below for what this cannot cover.

ATS score

Paste your resume to run the checks.

Everything above is worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or saved anywhere.

How this is worked out

Six checks run against the pasted text: an email address, a phone number, at least three standard section headings, at least three bullet lines, a word count in a typical resume range, and a link to LinkedIn or GitHub.
The score is the percentage of these six checks that pass, out of 100.
Each check is a plain pattern match, the same category of check a parsing system applies, not a judgement of quality.

What this does not cover

This cannot see your actual file. Multi-column layouts, text boxes, and text placed inside images are the most common causes of an ATS misreading a resume, and none of them are visible in a plain-text paste.
A perfect score here does not guarantee any specific ATS will parse the file correctly, and a low score does not guarantee it will fail - parsers vary widely.
Word count and section checks use fixed thresholds and common heading names; a resume that is genuinely well structured but unusually formatted may score lower than it deserves.

Questions people ask

How do I know if my actual PDF will parse correctly, not just this text?: Copy the text out of your PDF using select-all and paste, the way an ATS extracts it, and paste that into this checker or the PDF text extractor tool. If the copy comes out garbled or empty, the file itself has a parsing problem this tool cannot see from plain text.
Why does my resume need a phone number if I mainly use email?: Many ATS platforms use the phone field as a duplicate-application check and to auto-fill a candidate record. Leaving it blank does not usually block an application, but it is a field most systems expect.
Is a higher word count always better for ATS scoring?: No. The check here only flags resumes that are unusually short or unusually long compared to a typical range - a resume in the middle of that range is not automatically scored higher than the edges.

Where these figures come from

Rates and rules on this page were last checked against the source on 31 August 2026. Tax law changes; check the source before you rely on a number for a decision.

Related calculators

Running these numbers because you are weighing a move? See what is open right now.