Free Tool

Resume Keyword Scanner

Find exactly which keywords your resume is missing from any job description

Your resume

Job description

No sign-up needed · 0 resume words · 0 JD words

How the keyword scanner works

Paste your resume

Copy and paste your resume text into MatchCV. We accept any format — plain text, Word, or PDF content.

Add the job description

Paste the full job posting you're applying to. The more detail, the more accurate your keyword gap analysis.

See your missing keywords

Get a color-coded list of keywords found vs. missing from your resume, ranked by importance and frequency.

What keywords matter for ATS?

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by over 90% of Fortune 500 companies to filter resumes before a human ever reads them. They work by searching for specific keywords that match the job description — primarily hard skills, tools, technologies, and role-specific terminology.

The most impactful keywords fall into three categories:

—Technical skills and tools: Programming languages, software platforms, frameworks, certifications (e.g., "Python", "Salesforce", "PMP", "Google Analytics")
—Job-specific action verbs: Words like "architected", "negotiated", "deployed", or "audited" that signal relevant experience
—Industry terminology: Role-specific jargon that shows domain knowledge (e.g., "cross-functional", "P&L", "A/B testing", "CI/CD")

Keywords that appear multiple times in a job description are weighted more heavily. MatchCV surfaces these high-frequency terms first so you know exactly where to focus your edits.

Frequently asked questions

What is a resume keyword scanner?

A resume keyword scanner compares your resume text against a job description and identifies important words and phrases that are missing. Recruiters and ATS software use these keywords to filter applicants, so matching them is critical to getting past the initial screening.

Which keywords matter most for ATS?

Hard skills and technical terms carry the most weight — things like programming languages, software tools, certifications, and role-specific jargon. Job titles and action verbs tied to the role also matter. Generic words like "hardworking" or "team player" are almost never used as ATS filters.

How many keywords should I add to my resume?

There's no magic number, but a well-tailored resume typically shares 60–80% of the key terms from the job description. Focus on naturally weaving in the top 10–15 missing keywords that describe skills and experiences you actually have — never fabricate experience.

Can keyword stuffing hurt my application?

Yes. While ATS systems scan for keywords, human recruiters read the resume next. Awkwardly forcing keywords into irrelevant contexts will hurt your chances. Use missing keywords in real bullets that describe genuine achievements instead.