Why Is My ATS Score Low? (And How to Fix It)
Getting a low ATS score? Here are the most common reasons your resume isn't passing ATS screening — and exactly how to fix each one.
Why Is My ATS Score Low? (And How to Fix It)
You ran your resume through an ATS checker and got a score that felt lower than expected. Maybe it was 45%. Maybe 58%. Either way, it means your resume isn't matching the job description well enough to pass automated screening.
The good news: a low ATS score is almost always fixable. In this guide, we'll walk through the most common reasons resumes score poorly — and what you can do about each one.
What Does a Low ATS Score Actually Mean?
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) score measures how well the keywords and phrases in your resume match the keywords in a specific job description. When companies use ATS software — which most companies above a certain size do — your resume gets parsed and ranked automatically before any human reads it.
A score below 60% typically means your resume is missing too many of the key terms the employer is looking for. A score between 60–70% is borderline. Above 75% puts you in a strong position to get past initial screening.
The Most Common Reasons for a Low ATS Score
1. Missing Keywords From the Job Description
This is the number one cause of low ATS scores. If the job description says "stakeholder management" and your resume says "managing relationships with clients," ATS software may not connect the two — even though they mean the same thing.
The fix: Read the job description line by line. Make a list of specific skills, tools, and phrases used. Check which ones appear in your resume. For any that don't, add them — using the exact wording from the JD wherever possible.
An ATS resume checker like ATSAlign will show you exactly which keywords are missing, so you don't have to do this manually.
2. Using the Wrong Job Title
If a JD says "Senior Software Engineer" and your current title is "Tech Lead," ATS might not score them as equivalent — even if the roles are nearly identical.
The fix: Where accurate, mirror the job title used in the JD in your resume summary or experience section. You don't need to change your actual title — just add context: "Tech Lead (Software Engineering)".
3. Skills Listed in the Wrong Format
ATS parsers look for keywords in plain text. If your skills are in a table, image, text box, or two-column layout, many ATS systems won't read them at all.
The fix: Use a single-column resume layout. List your skills as plain text — either as a comma-separated list or as bullet points. Avoid tables, columns, headers/footers with key content, and any graphics.
4. Acronyms vs. Full Terms
"ML" and "machine learning" are the same thing to a human. To an ATS, they may be different keywords. If the JD uses "machine learning" and your resume uses "ML," your score drops.
The fix: Use both the acronym and the full term. Write "Machine Learning (ML)" at least once in your resume. Same for common pairs: "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)," "Applicant Tracking System (ATS)," "Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)."
5. Too Much Soft Skills Language, Not Enough Technical Language
Phrases like "strong communicator," "team player," or "results-driven" don't help your ATS score at all. ATS systems are looking for specific, measurable skills and tools — not personality descriptors.
The fix: Replace or supplement soft skill language with concrete skills. Instead of "strong communicator," say "presented quarterly roadmap to C-suite stakeholders." Instead of "team player," say "collaborated with cross-functional teams of 10+ across engineering and product."
6. Not Tailoring Your Resume Per Application
A generic resume submitted to 50 different job postings will consistently score poorly because each JD has different keyword priorities. A data engineer role at a startup uses different language than a data engineer role at a bank.
The fix: Tailor your resume for each application. This doesn't mean rewriting everything — it means adjusting 3–5 bullet points and your summary to include the most important keywords from that specific JD. Use an ATS checker before every submission to verify your score.
7. File Format Issues
PDFs with complex formatting, scanned images, or password protection are often parsed incorrectly by ATS. Same with overly designed Word templates that use text boxes.
The fix: Use a simple, clean DOCX or text-based PDF. Avoid design-heavy templates. Test your resume with an ATS checker to ensure the content is being read correctly.
How to Fix a Low ATS Score Step by Step
- Run your resume through ATSAlign — paste the job description you're targeting and get your current score
- Look at the missing keywords list — these are the terms in the JD that aren't in your resume
- Add the most important missing keywords — work them into existing bullet points naturally, or add a skills section
- Re-check your score — run it again to confirm the score improved
- Repeat for each application — a different JD = different keywords = different score
What ATS Score Should You Aim For?
- Below 60%: Significant keyword gaps — needs substantial revision
- 60–70%: Borderline — may pass at some companies, won't at competitive ones
- 70–80%: Good — likely to pass most ATS filters
- Above 80%: Strong — well-optimized for this specific JD
Keep in mind that the target score also depends on the role and company. For highly competitive tech, consulting, or finance roles, aim for 75%+. For SME roles or less competitive positions, 65%+ may be sufficient.
Final Thoughts
A low ATS score isn't a reflection of your qualifications — it's a reflection of how your resume is written relative to a specific job description. The fix is almost always the same: identify missing keywords, add them naturally, and verify with an ATS checker before you apply.
Check your ATS score free on ATSAlign — no signup required, results in 60 seconds.