How to match your CV to a job description
Quick answer: To match your CV to a job description, paste the whole job ad, add your CV, look at the top 5 missing keywords, add the ones that are true and check the layout too.
- Paste the whole job ad. Title, requirements and nice-to-haves: the title and the requirements count more.
- Add your CV. Paste the text or drop the PDF or Word file. It's read on your device.
- Look at the top 5 missing keywords. These are the terms the ad stresses most that your CV doesn't mention.
- Add the ones that are true. Use the ad's own wording in your summary, skills and job bullets, with an example of where you used it.
- Check the layout too. Run the file through the ATS CV checker so the parser can read what you've added.
How the match is worked out
Skills come from a built-in dictionary (programming languages, tools, methods, certifications, spoken languages and soft skills, with their synonyms) plus phrases the ad repeats. Each one is weighted: higher if it's in the job title, in a requirements or must-have part, or mentioned several times; lower if it's only a nice-to-have. The match percentage is the weighted share found in your CV.
Why the exact words matter
Recruiters search ATS databases for the words in their ad. If the ad says stakeholder management and your CV says working with partners, a search can miss you. Using the ad's wording, where it's honest, helps both the search and the recruiter skimming your CV.
What it can't do
It matches words, not meaning: it can't tell whether you're good at something, and a high match doesn't guarantee an interview. It also won't catch every synonym. Read the missing list with common sense.
Frequently asked questions
Is my CV or the job ad sent anywhere?
No. Both stay in your browser. The matching runs on your device and there's no AI service behind it.
What's a good match percentage?
There's no official threshold. Aim to cover the requirements and the job title's skills you really have; the top 5 list shows where to start. Don't stuff in keywords you can't back up in an interview.
Does it understand CV vs resume and UK vs US spelling?
Yes. Spellings like organisation/organization, analyse/analyze and licence/license are treated as the same word, and endings like managing/managed/management are matched too.
Why is a keyword missing when it's in my CV?
Check the spelling or the form: a different word for the same thing may not be in the dictionary yet. If your CV came from a file, check the ATS CV checker to see that the text was read properly.
Can it rewrite my CV for the job?
This free tool only compares. The tailored CV tool rewrites your CV for one job ad using AI, and says what it sends.