name: ats-review description: Analyze resume against job description for ATS optimization and keyword gaps
ATS Review Skill
Score a resume against a job description. Identify keyword gaps, suggest improvements, and estimate ATS pass likelihood.
When to Use
- Before submitting an application
- When response rates are low
- To understand why applications aren't getting traction
Process
1. Extract Job Requirements
From the job description, identify:
Hard Requirements (must-have):
- Required years of experience
- Required technologies/tools
- Required certifications/degrees
- Deal-breakers if missing
Soft Requirements (nice-to-have):
- Preferred skills
- Bonus qualifications
- Culture fit indicators
Keywords (exact matches matter):
- Technical terms (languages, frameworks, tools)
- Role-specific jargon
- Industry terminology
2. Analyze Resume
Score the resume on:
| Category | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Match | 30% | Exact keyword presence from job description |
| Experience Alignment | 25% | Years + relevance of experience |
| Skills Coverage | 20% | Hard requirements coverage |
| Achievement Evidence | 15% | Quantified results, not just duties |
| Format Compatibility | 10% | ATS-parseable format |
3. Generate Report
## ATS Score: [X/100]
### Keyword Analysis
**Present**: [keywords found in resume]
**Missing**: [critical keywords not in resume]
**Partial**: [related but not exact matches]
### Gap Analysis
1. [Most critical gap and how to address it]
2. [Second gap]
3. [Third gap]
### Quick Wins
- [Easy change that would improve score]
- [Another easy change]
### Recommendation
[STRONG MATCH / MODERATE MATCH / WEAK MATCH / NOT RECOMMENDED]
[Brief explanation of recommendation]
Scoring Guidelines
- 90-100: Excellent match, high likelihood of passing ATS
- 75-89: Good match, likely to pass with minor tweaks
- 60-74: Moderate match, needs keyword optimization
- 40-59: Weak match, significant gaps to address
- Below 40: Not recommended, fundamental mismatch
Important Notes
- ATS systems vary widely; this is a heuristic, not a guarantee
- Keyword stuffing backfires if a human reviews it
- Focus on honest representation of actual skills
- Some gaps can be addressed in cover letter instead
Example Output
## ATS Score: 72/100
### Keyword Analysis
**Present**: Python, machine learning, data analysis, SQL, AWS
**Missing**: Kubernetes, CI/CD, Airflow
**Partial**: "distributed systems" (resume says "parallel computing")
### Gap Analysis
1. **Kubernetes** - Listed as required. If you have any container orchestration experience (Docker Swarm, ECS), mention it and add "familiar with Kubernetes concepts"
2. **CI/CD** - Do you use GitHub Actions, Jenkins, etc.? Add this explicitly
3. **Airflow** - If you've used any workflow orchestration, mention it
### Quick Wins
- Add "CI/CD" to your skills section (you mention GitHub Actions in a bullet point)
- Change "parallel computing" to include "distributed systems"
### Recommendation
MODERATE MATCH
Strong technical foundation but missing some DevOps/MLOps keywords they're looking for. Worth applying if you can honestly add the CI/CD reference.
Anti-Patterns
- Don't recommend adding skills the candidate doesn't have
- Don't optimize so heavily the resume becomes unreadable
- Don't ignore the "why" - a 95 score on a miserable job is still miserable
- Don't treat ATS score as the only factor