Resume test
How to test your resume before you apply
A resume test shows how your resume holds up before an employer sees it. Here are four checks, from the quickest to the most specific. The first two need nothing but your file. The third is our free score. The fourth is for when you have one job ad in mind.
1. The plain-text test
Open your resume, select all the text and paste it into a plain text editor. You now see the words in the order a program reads them, without fonts or layout. It is not a copy of what any one employer's system sees, but it catches common problems:
- headings or dates that land in the wrong place, which can happen with two-column layouts;
- contact details that are missing because they sit in an image or a text box;
- letters that turn into symbols or question marks.
If the pasted text is hard to follow, a single-column layout with plain section headings is easier for software and for people to read.
2. The file test
- Save your resume as a PDF or a DOCX file. These are the two formats ResumePass reads, up to 5 MB.
- Make sure a PDF has real text. If you can't select the words, it is a scanned image, and a text-based check has nothing to read.
- Give the file a plain name, such as your name and the word resume.
3. The score test
Add your resume to the free ATS resume checker on our home page and choose the closest of 15 industries. You get a score out of 100, your strengths, areas to improve and specific suggestions for that industry.
The score comes from fixed rules, not AI, so the same resume gets the same score. That makes it a fair test of your own edits: change one thing, run the check again and see whether the score moved. The written suggestions come from our AI provider and can vary from run to run. Our resume grader page explains each part of the score.
4. The job ad test
A general check can't tell you how your resume reads for one particular job, and the free check doesn't read job descriptions. The recruiter review does. You add the role and the job description, and it compares them with your resume: a verdict with a fit score, how you meet each main requirement, interview focus areas and a 90-day plan for your first months in the role. It is automated and written from a recruiter's point of view. It costs US$9.99, paid once, with no subscription.
What to fix first
Start with the basics. A scanned PDF has no text for a check to read, and missing contact details or roles without dates are the quickest gaps to close. Then work on content: begin each bullet with what you did, and add a number where you can back it up. Leave keywords for last, and only use terms that truthfully describe your experience. Then run the test again.
Questions
Is the resume test free?
Yes. The plain-text and file tests need only your file, and the ResumePass score is free, with no account. Only the recruiter review is paid: US$9.99 per review, once.
Does a high score mean I will get an interview?
No. The score shows how well your resume follows common ATS conventions. Use it to compare versions of your own resume. Results are guidance, not a guarantee.
Why didn't my score change after an edit?
The score only moves when an edit changes something the rules check. Rewording a sentence may not. Adding a missing date, a section heading or a number that shows a result can.
Can I test a CV?
Yes. ResumePass checks resumes and CVs in PDF or DOCX, up to 5 MB. See our CV checker page.
Run the score test now
Free, no account. PDF or DOCX, up to 5 MB.