Does your CV match the job?
Paste your CV and a job description below and we'll show you exactly what matches and what's missing — free, in seconds, no sign-up needed.
Your score, matched keywords, and what's missing will show up here.
Our scoring methodology
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026
The CV Match Score comes from a three-layer engine. Two layers are pure, deterministic math — no generative guessing — so the same CV against the same job description always produces the same number. The third layer never touches the score itself; it only explains what the first two already found.
Layer 1 — keyword & skill overlap
We extract the hard skills, tools, certifications, and seniority language from the job description, weighted by where they appear — a requirement counts for more than a “nice to have.” Each term is checked against your CV for an exact, synonym, or stem match.
Layer 2 — semantic similarity
Keyword matching alone misses paraphrase — a job asking for someone who “led cross-functional teams” should still credit a CV that says “managed engineers, designers and PMs together,” even with zero shared words. We compare your CV and the job description as text embeddings and score how close their meaning is, section by section. Still deterministic math, not a generative guess.
Layer 3 — AI-written suggestions (Pro)
The one generative step in the pipeline, and it never computes or changes your score. Once Layers 1 and 2 have already found what's missing, an AI model is given exactly those findings and asked only to explain them in plain English and prioritise the highest-impact fixes — never to invent a number of its own.
How the layers combine
When you build your CV in cvitae, a third deterministic check — structure & completeness (are your sections filled in, are your bullets quantified, is the CV a reasonable length) — joins the score:
- Keyword & skill overlap — 45%
- Semantic similarity — 35%
- Structure & completeness — 20%
The free checker above works from pasted text alone, with no structured CV to check the third layer against, so it shows a content-only score — the same keyword and semantic layers, reweighted to the two of them (56.25% / 43.75%). We label it as content-only rather than blend it silently into the full three-layer number.
What we're honest about
Most real applicant tracking systems mainly parse and index a CV into searchable fields for a recruiter to filter — they rarely auto-reject on formatting alone the way job-search folklore suggests. This score isn't a simulation of a specific company's software; it's a plain-English signal for how closely your CV's content matches a specific job, so you can close real gaps before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
How is my CV Match Score calculated?
Two things, blended together: keyword and skill overlap with the job description, and semantic similarity — how closely your CV's actual meaning lines up with what the job is asking for, not just shared words. There's no black-box AI guess involved in the number itself; both parts are deterministic, so pasting the same CV and job description twice always gives you the same score.
Is this the same thing as a real company's ATS software?
No, and we don't claim it is. Most real ATS platforms mainly store and search CVs — they rarely reject candidates on a hidden score the way job-search folklore suggests. This tool gives you a plain-English signal for how well your CV matches a specific role, so you can fix real gaps before you apply, not a keyword-stuffing console to game an algorithm.
Do you store the CV or job description I paste in?
If you're not signed in, no — what you paste is used to calculate your score and isn't retained beyond your session. If you create a free cvitae account, your match scores are saved so you can track how they improve as you edit your CV. Your contact details (email, phone) are never sent for scoring in the first place. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.
Why did I get a low score even though I'm qualified?
The score reads your CV's words and meaning, not your actual experience — so if a skill or achievement lives in your head but not on the page, it can't be counted. A low score is usually a sign to make existing experience more explicit (matching the job's language, quantifying results) rather than a judgment on whether you're qualified for the role.
Is the free checker really free, with no limits?
Yes — pasting a CV and a job description to see your match score costs nothing and doesn't require an account. We do apply a light daily limit per network to prevent automated abuse; real applicants checking a handful of jobs a day will never hit it.