Match your CV to a job post: find the missing keywords before you apply
Human screeners and automated filtering software read CVs the same way: they look for the keywords that appear in the job post. The tool at the top of this page compares your CV with the post you plan to apply for and shows the share of keywords you already cover and a list of those still missing. This guide explains how to read the percentage, how to add keywords naturally and what the number cannot tell you.
What the matching tool does
The tool picks out up to 30 of the most important phrases in the job post, usually skills, tools and areas of expertise, then checks whether each one appears in your CV. The percentage shows how many of those phrases your CV already contains.
- 70% or more
- Close matchReady to apply; move the main keywords to the top of your CV
- 40% to under 70%
- Some gapsFill them if you genuinely have that experience
- Below 40%
- Not a good fit yetReview your experience or choose a post that suits you better
Three steps to use it well
- Paste the full job postInclude the job description and candidate requirements; the benefits section is not needed.
- Paste your CV as textOpen the PDF, select everything and copy it. If you cannot select the text, your CV is an image, and filtering software cannot read it either.
- Review the missing list and edit selectivelyAdd only the skills you genuinely have, placing each one in the matching duty or achievement.
Adding keywords to your CV naturally
- Use the exact term from the post: if it says “Power BI”, do not just write “reporting tool”.
- Put keywords in sentences that show results, for example “built revenue reports in Power BI, cutting compilation time from 2 days to 2 hours”.
- Update the short summary at the top of your CV for each position you apply for.
- Stuffing keywords into a long list with no context.
- Inserting white or tiny text to trick filtering software; human readers still see it when they open the file.
- Listing skills you have never used; the technical interview will expose them straight away.
A high percentage only gets your application through the first filter. The person who reads it next still looks for figures, scope of responsibility and progression from role to role, so combine this tool with the ATS-friendly CV templates and the article on seven details that get a CV rejected in the first round.
Frequently asked questions
At 70% or more, your CV closely matches the post. Between 40% and under 70%, you can still apply if you add skills you genuinely have; below 40%, reconsider how well you fit the role.
No. Keep the exact keywords but rewrite them around your own experience, with concrete results; a CV that mirrors the job post word for word makes readers suspicious.
No. The matching runs entirely in your browser; the content of your CV and the job post is not sent to any server.