Free ATS Scan: Parsing, Keywords, and Recruiter View

A free ATS scan is a quick repair check for three things: whether software can read your resume, whether the file contains terms from one job, and whether your experience is easy for a recruiter to review. It is not a guaranteed employer score. Treat it as a diagnostic, then fix the file yourself.

Use this order today: repair the file, test the extracted text, compare it with one job description, rewrite five bullets with numbers, and apply with the tested version.

1. Start with the file, not the wording

Save a clean copy before editing. Use a filename that identifies you and the role, such as Jordan-Lee-Marketing-Manager-Resume.pdf. Do not use resume-final-final2.pdf.

Use the file type requested by the application. If the employer asks for DOCX, send DOCX. If it asks for PDF, send PDF. If it gives no instruction, a simple PDF is often practical because it keeps the visible layout stable. The file still needs a text test.

Remove these common parsing risks:

• Two-column layouts
• Tables used for dates, skills, or contact details
• Text boxes and floating shapes
• Icons in place of phone, email, or location text
• Headers and footers containing essential information
• Images of text
• Decorative bars, charts, and rating graphics

A recruiter may see a polished design while an ATS receives text in the wrong order or misses it altogether. Read ATS Scan: Parsing, Keywords, and Recruiter View for a separate explanation of that problem.

2. Rename the headings

Use familiar headings. They act like signposts for both parsing software and a human reader.

Resume section	Use this heading	Avoid this heading
Profile	Summary or Professional Summary	My Story
Work history	Experience or Professional Experience	Where I Have Worked
Education	Education	Academic Journey
Skills	Skills or Technical Skills	My Toolkit
Training	Certifications	Badges and Learning
Work samples	Projects	Things I Built

Keep contact details as real text near the top. Include your name, phone, email, city and state, LinkedIn URL if relevant, and portfolio URL if relevant. Do not put them in an image or a header that disappears during extraction.

For each job, use a consistent order: job title, employer, location, dates, then bullets. Use one date style throughout, such as Jan 2021 to Mar 2024.

3. Add a plain Skills block

Put a clearly labeled Skills section below your summary or near the top of the resume. Separate items with commas or vertical bars. Keep the terms readable.

Example:

SKILLS

B2B demand generation | HubSpot | Salesforce | Google Analytics 4 | paid search | email automation | campaign reporting

A Skills block does not replace evidence in your experience section. If you list Salesforce, include a work bullet that explains how you used it when possible. Do not add a tool because it appeared in the job description. Add it only if your background supports it.

4. Run the parsing test

This is the fastest manual check. Open a plain-text box. Not a formatted document. Not a design editor. On Windows, Notepad works. On macOS, use a plain-text mode or a basic text editor. You can also paste into a browser address field, then clear it without submitting.

Copy all resume text and paste it into the box. Check the result from top to bottom.

Look for these failures:

• The name and contact details appear in the right order.
• Headings remain visible.
• Each employer, title, and date stays with the correct job.
• Bullets do not merge into one paragraph.
• Skills are not scattered between unrelated sections.
• No characters turn into empty squares or random symbols.
• No important content disappears.

If the text starts with a right column before your name, rebuild the layout. If dates appear far away from job titles, remove the table. If a phone icon replaces your number, type the number as text.

Repeat the paste test after every major layout change. A visual review alone cannot catch reading order errors.

5. Do one keyword pass against one job

Do not tailor your resume to a general idea of an industry. Use the exact job description for the application you are sending today.

Pull out four types of terms:

1. The target job title.
2. Required skills and methods.
3. Tools, platforms, and certifications.
4. Outputs or responsibilities, such as forecasting, vendor management, or user research.

Aim for 8 to 12 accurate keywords. Use the employer's wording when it describes work you have done. Include a term in the summary, Skills section, or an experience bullet where it fits naturally. Do not repeat it in every section.

Example job language:

Manage paid search campaigns, report pipeline contribution, build dashboards in Looker Studio, and partner with sales operations.

Weak resume wording:

Managed marketing campaigns and reported results.

Better wording, if accurate:

Managed paid search campaigns and built Looker Studio dashboards that connected campaign activity to pipeline contribution, giving sales operations a weekly view of source performance.

The second version covers the method, tool, output, and partner. It should still describe work you actually performed.

You can use the job description keyword extractor to paste a job description and separate must-haves, tools, and nice-to-haves. An optional resume PDF shows which terms already appear in the file. It does not tell you to claim skills you do not have.

After the keyword pass, YourUnique.cv can use your profile facts and the same job description to create a draft. Review the draft against your real history. A generated line is not evidence that you performed the work.

6. Rewrite five bullets with numbers

Pick five bullets tied to the job's main duties. Replace task-only phrasing with an action, the work, the method, and a measurable result. Use numbers when you have them. Revenue, time, volume, accuracy, cost, adoption, and team size can all help.

Before	After
Managed customer support tickets.	Resolved 45 to 60 customer tickets per day in Zendesk while maintaining a 96% first-response SLA.
Improved the onboarding process.	Cut new-hire onboarding time from 10 days to 7 by replacing manual forms with a documented workflow.
Created reports for leadership.	Built a weekly Power BI report used by 4 department leads to track forecast variance and open risks.
Worked with vendors.	Managed 18 software vendors, reviewed renewal terms, and reduced annual spend by 11%.
Led social media campaigns.	Led 6 LinkedIn campaigns that generated 320 qualified leads in one quarter.

Use a defensible number. Do not invent a percentage to make a bullet look stronger. If you cannot disclose a precise figure, use a bounded count or scope, such as 5 regions, 12 client accounts, or a team of 8.

Keep the strongest five bullets near the top of the most relevant roles. A keyword buried in an old position has less value to a busy reader than a clear bullet under your current or most relevant job.

For related repair steps, see ATS Approved Resume: Parsing, Keywords, and Recruiter View and ATS Compliant: Parsing, Keywords, and Recruiter View. Neither phrase means an employer will accept every file. Your document still needs a readable structure and accurate evidence.

7. Run the scan, then inspect the gaps

Save the repaired PDF and run it through the ATS resume checker. Upload the PDF and paste the same job description. You will receive a match score, missing keywords, and gaps. The PDF is scanned for the result and is not saved to an account.

Use the result as a comparison tool. It is not the employer's Workday or Greenhouse number, and no public checker can prove what a specific employer system will do. If a missing keyword is accurate, place it in a relevant section. If it is not accurate, leave it out.

Then repeat the plain-text paste test. A higher match result does not repair a broken reading order.

Final 12-point free ATS scan checklist

• I used the file type requested by the application.
• I gave the file a clear name with my name and target role.
• I removed columns, tables, text boxes, and decorative graphics.
• I typed contact details as text.
• I used standard headings such as Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.
• I kept job titles, employers, locations, and dates in a consistent order.
• I added a plain Skills section with accurate terms.
• I selected 8 to 12 keywords from this one job description.
• I used those terms only where they describe real experience.
• I rewrote five relevant bullets with measurable scope or results.
• I pasted the full resume into a plain-text box and checked the reading order.
• I ran the final PDF through a checker, reviewed the gaps, and saved the tested version.

If you want to rebuild the document from verified profile facts, sign up for YourUnique.cv. You can keep your layout or choose a built-in template, add a job description or job link, and export a PDF after reviewing the result.

Apply today

Before you click Submit:

• File type and filename are correct.
• Headings and contact details parse as text.
• The Skills block contains only accurate skills.
• Five bullets include clear numbers or scope.
• The plain-text paste test passed.
• The final resume matches this job, not a different posting.

Run the ATS resume checker, make the last correction, then apply.