Free tool · Runs in your browser
Resume keyword checker
Paste your resume and a job description. See which of the posting's most-used terms your resume already contains, and which it does not.
Private by design. The comparison runs on this page. Your resume and the job description are not sent to Applystead or anyone else, and nothing is saved.
Results
Paste both texts and select Compare keywords. Your results appear here.
Present
Not found
Exact word overlap, not an ATS score. Only add a missing term if it is true for you.
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How to read your results
- Start with the full posting. The checker picks up to 30 terms the job description uses most, plus two-word phrases it repeats, such as “project management”. A short excerpt gives it too little to work with.
- Treat Not found as questions, not orders. For each term, ask whether you have really done it. If you have, say so in the posting's own words, in a bullet that shows where and how. If you have not, leave it out.
- Check the wording. Singular and plural count as one term, but synonyms and abbreviations do not: “JS” and “JavaScript” are different words here, so use the form the posting uses when both are accurate.
- Do not chase 100%. Some selected terms are ordinary words from the posting. A clear, truthful resume that covers the core requirements matters more than the percentage.
Learn more: how to find and use resume keywords truthfully, how to make an ATS-friendly resume and how to tailor your resume to a job description.
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- Free resume tailor: Tailor your resume to a job description with AI, 5 times a day, no account needed.
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Frequently asked questions
Is my resume uploaded or saved?
No. The comparison runs in your browser with this page's own script. Your resume and the job description are not sent to Applystead or anyone else, and nothing is saved. If you choose Tailor my resume to this job, both texts are kept in this browser tab so the resume tailor can fill them in; tailoring then sends them to Applystead to write a draft.
Is this an ATS score?
No. It counts exact word overlap between two texts. It does not predict how an applicant tracking system, a recruiter or a hiring manager will read or rank your resume.
How does the checker choose keywords?
It takes the words the job description uses most, after removing common words such as “the” and generic posting words such as “experience” and “requirements”. It adds two-word phrases the posting repeats at least twice, such as “project management”. Numbers are ignored, singular and plural count as one term, and short technical terms such as C++, C#, .NET and Node.js are kept. It shows up to 30 terms, most frequent first.
Should I add every missing keyword?
No. Add a term only when it is true for you, and show it in context: where you used the skill and what you did with it. Leave out anything you have not done. A resume that claims skills you cannot discuss in an interview does more harm than a missing word.
Why is a skill I have listed as not found?
The checker matches exact words. Synonyms, abbreviations and different spellings count as different terms, so “JS” does not match “JavaScript”. A phrase only matches when its two words appear next to each other in the same sentence or line of your resume.
Is the keyword checker free?
Yes. It is free, needs no account and has no usage limit, because all the work happens in your browser.