Free ATS Resume Keyword Scanner
Paste your resume and a job description to instantly see which keywords you are missing — and where to add them.
Tip: Copy all text from your resume and paste it here
Tip: Copy the full job posting including requirements
How the AI Keyword Scanner Works
Powered by an AI language model running entirely in your browser, our scanner understands semantic meaning — not just exact text matches. It catches synonyms, related concepts, and technical variations that rule-based scanners miss.
Paste Your Resume
Copy all the text from your resume and paste it into the left panel. Include every section — summary, experience, skills, education.
Paste the Job Description
Copy the full job posting from the company website. Include the requirements, responsibilities, and qualifications sections.
Get AI-Powered Results
The AI extracts key terms and scores each one by semantic similarity. See matched, partial, and missing keywords with context and placement tips.
How to Improve Your ATS Score
Mirror the Exact Phrasing
If the job says "project management," use that exact phrase — not "managing projects" or "PM." ATS systems often match exact strings.
Include Both Acronyms and Full Forms
Write "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" the first time, then use "SEO" afterward. This catches both search variants.
Add a Dedicated Skills Section
A skills section near the top of your resume is the easiest place to add missing keywords without restructuring your experience bullets.
Tailor for Every Application
One-size-fits-all resumes score poorly. Spend 10 minutes customizing keywords for each job posting to dramatically improve your match rate.
How to Use the Resume Keyword Scanner
Follow these five steps to maximize your keyword match score and give your resume the best chance of passing ATS screening. The entire process takes less than ten minutes and can dramatically improve your callback rate.
Paste Your Current Resume Text
Open your resume in whatever format you have it — PDF, Word, Google Docs — and select all the text. Copy everything, then paste it into the “Your Resume Text” box on the left. Include every section: your professional summary, work experience, skills, education, and certifications.
Tips for this step:
- •Don’t worry about formatting — plain text works best for keyword matching.
- •Include your skills section even if it feels repetitive. ATS systems scan the entire document.
- •If your resume is in PDF format, open it in a PDF reader and use Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac) to select all text before copying.
Paste the Job Description You’re Targeting
Go to the job posting and copy the full description. Paste it into the “Job Description” box on the right. The more complete the description, the better — include the responsibilities, requirements, qualifications, and any “nice to have” sections.
Tips for this step:
- •Copy from the original job posting page, not a summary or shortened version from a job board.
- •Include the “About Us” section — it often contains industry-specific terms that ATS systems look for.
- •Skip the legal boilerplate (equal opportunity statement, etc.) — it adds noise without useful keywords.
Review Your Keyword Match Score
Click “Scan Keywords” and wait a few seconds for the AI analysis to complete. The scanner uses semantic matching to understand meaning, not just exact text. You’ll see your overall match percentage along with three categories: matched keywords (green), partial matches (amber), and missing keywords (red). A score above 70% is strong; below 40% means significant tailoring is needed.
Tips for this step:
- •Pay close attention to “partial matches” — these are the easiest wins because your resume already touches on the concept.
- •Click through the Missing and Partial tabs to see context about where the scanner found (or didn’t find) each keyword.
Add Missing Keywords Naturally to Your Resume
Now comes the critical step. Open your resume and start incorporating the missing keywords. The scanner provides placement suggestions for each term — use these as a guide. The goal is to integrate keywords in a way that reads naturally to a human recruiter while satisfying ATS requirements. For detailed strategies, see our complete guide to using resume keywords.
Tips for this step:
- •Add technical skills and tools to a dedicated Skills section — this is the fastest way to boost your score.
- •Weave softer keywords (like “cross-functional collaboration”) into your experience bullet points with specific examples.
- •Never add keywords you can’t back up in an interview. Authenticity matters more than a perfect score.
- •Use an ATS-friendly template so your formatting doesn’t undermine your keyword optimization.
Re-Scan to Verify Your Improvement
After updating your resume, come back and run the scan again. Paste your revised resume text and the same job description to see how your score has improved. Most candidates see a 15–30 percentage point improvement after their first round of keyword optimization. If you’re still below 70%, focus on the remaining missing keywords and repeat. For role-specific keyword lists to check against, browse our resume keywords hub.
Tips for this step:
- •Track your progress — screenshot your score before and after so you can see the improvement.
- •Aim for at least 70%, but don’t obsess over reaching 100%. Some keywords may not apply to your background, and that’s okay.
Why Keywords Matter for ATS
Over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to filter resumes before a human ever sees them. Understanding how these systems work is the first step to beating them.
How ATS Systems Scan for Keywords
When you submit a resume through an online application portal, the ATS parses your document into structured data. It extracts your contact information, work history, education, and skills, then compares this data against the job requirements set by the hiring manager. The system assigns a relevancy score based on how many required and preferred qualifications your resume matches.
Most ATS platforms — including Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, and iCIMS — use a combination of keyword matching and section analysis. They look for specific terms in specific contexts. For example, “Python” in your skills section carries more weight than “Python” mentioned offhandedly in a project description. This is why a well-structured resume with clear section headings is essential. Our ATS optimization guide covers the formatting details.
Resumes that score below the threshold — typically around 60–75% match depending on the company — are automatically filtered out. The recruiter never sees them. That means your resume could be perfect in every other way, but without the right keywords, it disappears into a digital void.
Exact Match vs. Semantic Match
Traditional ATS systems rely on exact match: the keyword in the job description must appear verbatim in your resume. If the posting asks for “project management” and your resume says “managed projects,” a basic ATS might not recognize the connection. This is why mirroring exact phrasing from job descriptions has been standard advice for years.
Semantic matching is more sophisticated. It understands that “managed projects” and “project management” mean essentially the same thing. Newer ATS platforms and AI-powered screening tools increasingly use semantic analysis. Our scanner uses this approach — powered by the MiniLM AI model running in your browser — to give you a more realistic picture of how modern hiring systems evaluate your resume.
The safest strategy is to optimize for both. Use the exact phrases from the job description where they fit naturally, but also include related terms and variations. For example, if a job requires “data analysis,” your resume should contain that exact phrase and related terms like “data-driven insights,” “analytics,” or “statistical analysis.” Check our software engineer keyword page for an example of how to map keywords for a specific role.
Why Keyword Density Matters (But Stuffing Doesn’t)
Keyword density refers to how frequently a keyword appears relative to your total resume content. A certain level of repetition signals to the ATS that a skill is genuinely central to your experience — not just mentioned in passing. If “project management” appears three times across your summary, experience bullets, and skills section, that’s a stronger signal than a single mention.
However, keyword stuffing — cramming the same term dozens of times or hiding white text filled with keywords — backfires badly. Modern ATS platforms have anti-spam algorithms that flag unnatural repetition. Worse, even if the ATS lets it through, a human recruiter will immediately reject a resume that reads like a keyword dump. Our comprehensive keyword guide walks through the right balance.
The sweet spot is 2–4 mentions of your most important keywords distributed across different sections, with each mention providing genuine context. Mention “project management” in your summary, demonstrate it in an experience bullet with a specific achievement, and list it in your skills section. That pattern satisfies both algorithms and human readers.
Related Keyword & ATS Resources
Deepen your keyword strategy with these guides, tools, and templates designed to help you pass ATS screening and land interviews.
Resume Keywords by Industry
Browse curated keyword lists for 26+ job titles across every major industry
Software Engineer Keywords
Top ATS keywords for software engineering roles with usage examples
The Complete Keywords Guide
Everything you need to know about finding, choosing, and placing resume keywords
How to Use Resume Keywords
Step-by-step guide to strategic keyword placement in every resume section
ATS Optimization Guide
Formatting and structure tips that help your resume pass automated screening
ATS-Friendly Templates
Free resume templates designed from the ground up to pass ATS screening
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the ATS keyword scanner work?
Our scanner uses an AI language model (MiniLM) that runs entirely in your browser. It extracts important keywords from the job description, then uses semantic similarity to check how well your resume covers each term — catching synonyms, related concepts, and phrasing variations that simple text matching would miss. Results are categorized as matched, partial match, or missing, with context showing where each keyword was (or was not) found in your resume.
What is a good keyword match score?
Aim for 70% or higher. A score above 70% means your resume covers most of the key terms from the job description, which significantly improves your chances of passing ATS screening. Below 40% suggests your resume needs substantial tailoring for this specific role. Pay special attention to "partial matches" — these are terms your resume nearly covers and are the easiest wins. Most successful candidates score between 70–85% after tailoring.
Is the keyword scanner free?
Yes, completely free with no limitations. There is no sign-up, no account required, no daily scan limit, and no premium tier. The AI model downloads once (~23 MB) and is cached by your browser for instant future use. You can scan as many resume-job description combinations as you want, forever.
Does the scanner work for all industries?
Yes. Because the scanner uses a general-purpose AI language model trained on broad English text, it understands keywords across every industry — from software engineering and healthcare to finance, marketing, education, and trades. It handles technical jargon, certifications, and industry-specific terminology equally well. For role-specific keyword lists, visit our resume keywords hub.
How often should I scan my resume?
Every time you apply to a new job. Each job description contains different keywords, so a resume that scores 80% for one role might score 40% for another. Spend 10 minutes tailoring your resume for each application. We also recommend re-scanning after making changes to verify your improvements before submitting.
What is the difference between exact and semantic matching?
Exact matching only finds keywords that appear word-for-word in your resume. If the job says "project management" but your resume says "managed projects," an exact-match scanner misses it. Semantic matching, which our scanner uses, understands that these phrases mean the same thing. It uses AI embeddings to measure the conceptual similarity between terms, catching synonyms, abbreviations, and related phrases that rule-based tools miss.
Does this tool store my resume or job description?
No. The AI model and all processing run entirely in your browser using a Web Worker. Your resume text and job description are never uploaded to any server. When you close or refresh the page, all data is gone. Your privacy is completely protected.
Should I add every missing keyword to my resume?
Not necessarily. Focus on keywords that are genuinely relevant to your experience. Adding keywords you cannot back up in an interview will hurt you. Prioritize technical skills, tools, and certifications that you actually possess. For softer terms like "cross-functional collaboration," weave them naturally into your experience bullet points with specific examples rather than just listing them.
Build an ATS-Optimized Resume
Use our free templates with built-in ATS optimization. No sign-up, no payment.
Start Building