Frequently Asked Questions

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by employers and recruiters to manage job applications. It automatically scans, sorts, and ranks resumes based on keywords, skills, experience, and formatting.

Over 95% of Fortune 500 companies and major Indian IT companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL use ATS software. Popular ATS platforms include Taleo (used by many Indian MNCs), Workday, iCIMS, Greenhouse, and Lever. Even Naukri.com has its own built-in ranking system that functions similarly to an ATS.

Yes, absolutely. Most large Indian companies and MNCs operating in India use ATS. This includes:

• IT Services: TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant
• Product Companies: Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, PhonePe, CRED
• MNCs in India: Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Deloitte, Accenture
• Banks & Finance: HDFC, ICICI, Kotak, Goldman Sachs

Even mid-sized companies increasingly use ATS through platforms like Naukri RMS, LinkedIn Recruiter, and other hiring solutions. Understanding ATS is essential for any serious job search in India.

Your ATS score is a comprehensive rating that considers multiple factors: keyword matching, formatting quality, section structure, experience relevance, and skill alignment. It gives you an overall picture of how well your resume will perform.

Keyword match is just one component — it measures how many relevant terms from the job description appear in your resume. A high keyword match with poor formatting can still result in a low overall ATS score. Think of the ATS score as your overall grade, and keyword match as one subject in that report card.

Yes, our basic ATS resume check is 100% free. You can scan 1 resume per day without any registration, login, or payment. We provide an ATS compatibility score, keyword analysis, matched and missing skills, formatting warnings, and improvement tips — all completely free of charge.

We sustain the free service through non-intrusive advertisements. Premium features with unlimited scans and deeper analysis will be available in the future, but the core free tool will always remain free.

We support PDF and DOCX (Microsoft Word) file formats, with a maximum file size of 5MB. These are the two most commonly accepted formats by Indian employers and ATS systems.

Pro tip: We recommend using DOCX for maximum ATS compatibility, as some older ATS systems have difficulty parsing complex PDF layouts. However, for sending to recruiters directly, PDF ensures consistent formatting across devices.

Our free tier allows 1 resume scan per day. This limit resets every 24 hours. We recommend scanning your resume after making improvements to track your score progress over multiple days.

While waiting for your next scan, you can use our Keyword Density Analyser (unlimited) to compare your resume text against job descriptions without uploading a file.

Our ATS score is based on analysis of keyword matching, formatting best practices, section structure, and skill alignment — the same factors that real ATS systems evaluate. While no external tool can perfectly replicate every proprietary ATS system (as each uses different algorithms), our analysis provides reliable guidance based on common industry patterns.

The improvement recommendations are applicable across all major ATS platforms. Users who follow our suggestions typically report significant improvements in their interview callback rates.

Yes. Our ATS checker analyses your resume against common ATS criteria used by all major Indian job portals including Naukri.com, LinkedIn India, Indeed India, Foundit (formerly Monster India), and direct company career pages.

For Naukri specifically, we also have a dedicated Naukri Resume Format Guide that covers Naukri-specific optimisation tips.

Absolutely! Our tool is especially useful for freshers and recent graduates entering the Indian job market. It helps you understand what keywords and skills employers are looking for and shows you exactly how to optimise your resume.

We also have a dedicated Fresher Resume Tips guide with specific advice for candidates with limited work experience, including how to highlight academic projects, internships, and transferable skills.

Here is a general guide:

• 80–100: Excellent. Your resume is well-optimised for ATS.
• 70–79: Good. Minor improvements can boost your chances.
• 50–69: Average. Significant keyword or formatting gaps need attention.
• Below 50: Needs major rework. Focus on keyword alignment and structure.

For competitive roles at top MNCs and FAANG companies, aim for 80+. For most IT services and mid-range companies, 70+ is sufficient to get past the initial ATS screening.

A visually appealing resume does not always perform well with ATS systems. Common reasons for low ATS scores include:

• Missing keywords from the job description
• Using tables, columns, or complex layouts that ATS cannot parse
• Graphics, icons, or images instead of text
• Non-standard section headings (e.g., "My Journey" instead of "Work Experience")
• Abbreviations without full forms (e.g., only "ML" without "Machine Learning")
• Lack of quantified achievements (numbers and metrics)
• Content in headers or footers (some ATS skip these)

Our tool highlights the specific issues causing your low score so you can fix them systematically.

Yes, absolutely. Tailoring your resume for each job application is one of the most effective ways to improve your ATS score. Here's how:

1. Use our tool to compare your resume against the specific job description
2. Add the missing keywords naturally into your experience and skills sections
3. Adjust your professional summary to match the role
4. Reorder your skills to match the priority of the job requirements
5. Keep a "master resume" and create tailored versions for each application

The fastest ways to improve your ATS score:

1. Tailor keywords: Match your resume keywords to the specific job description
2. Simplify layout: Use a single-column layout without tables or graphics
3. Standard headings: Use clear headings like "Experience," "Education," "Skills," and "Summary"
4. Include both forms: Write "Machine Learning (ML)" instead of just "ML"
5. Quantify achievements: Use numbers: "Increased sales by 30%" instead of "Increased sales"
6. Standard fonts: Use Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman
7. Save as DOCX: For maximum ATS compatibility

For ATS compatibility in India, use a reverse chronological format with a clean single-column layout. Include these sections in order:

1. Contact Information (name, phone, email, LinkedIn, location)
2. Professional Summary (3-4 lines with key skills and experience level)
3. Technical Skills (grouped by category)
4. Work Experience (reverse chronological with bullet points)
5. Education (degree, university, year, CGPA if above 7)
6. Certifications (if relevant)
7. Projects (especially important for freshers)

Avoid two-column layouts, headers/footers for important content, and decorative elements. Check our Naukri Resume Format Guide for detailed templates.

Your privacy is our top priority. Here's how we protect your data:

• No storage: Resumes are processed in memory and deleted immediately after analysis
• No sharing: We never share your data with third parties
• HTTPS encrypted: All data transmission is encrypted
• No account required: We don't collect your personal details

Read our complete Privacy Policy for full details.

Yes! All tools on ATS Resume Checker India are completely free to use:

• CTC to In-Hand Salary Calculator — for Indian tax regimes
• Keyword Density Analyser — compare resume vs. job description
• Cover Letter Generator — tailored cover letters
• Salary Hike Calculator — compare and negotiate offers

We believe every Indian job seeker deserves access to quality career tools regardless of their financial situation.