How Your ATS Score
is Calculated
NextCV analyses 7 key resume sections using a weighted scoring engine — completely offline, in real time. Here's exactly what we check and how each point is earned.
Score Bands
Your overall score ranges from 0 to 100. Each band represents a different level of ATS readiness.
How the Engine Works
NextCV's scoring engine runs entirely on your device — no data ever leaves your phone. Here's the analysis pipeline:
Overall Score = Σ (Section Score × Section Weight)
= (Experience × 30%) + (Skills × 20%) + (Summary × 15%) + (Personal Info × 10%) + (Education × 10%) + (Projects × 10%) + (Certifications × 5%)
Section Weights
Not all sections are equal. Work Experience carries the most weight because it's the #1 factor recruiters and ATS systems evaluate.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Click any section to see exactly which criteria are checked and how points are awarded.
Experience is the single most important section. The engine checks completeness, depth of descriptions, use of action verbs, and whether you've included measurable results.
- Each role must have a company name and job title
- Responsibilities must be longer than 30 characters
- Descriptions should start with action verbs (Led, Built, Designed, Delivered…)
- At least one entry should contain quantified achievements (numbers, percentages, team size)
ATS systems scan for skill keywords before a human ever reads your resume. The engine checks quantity, diversity across categories, and whether technical and soft skills are both present.
- Aim for 15 or more skills total
- Include at least one Technical skill (languages, frameworks)
- Include at least one Soft skill or Tool
- Use at least 2 skill categories for better ATS keyword parsing
A well-written summary boosts keyword density at the top of your resume — exactly where ATS parsers place highest importance. Length, action verbs, and sentence structure all affect your score.
- Must be present (missing = 0 points)
- 80+ words earns maximum length points (50+: partial, 20+: minimal)
- Must include action verbs (Led, Developed, Delivered, Managed…)
- Must have at least 2 complete sentences
ATS systems extract contact details to create candidate profiles. Missing email or phone means recruiters can't reach you — these fields are checked first.
- Professional email address (30 pts)
- Mobile phone number (30 pts)
- LinkedIn profile URL (25 pts — strongly recommended)
- Portfolio or GitHub URL (15 pts — optional bonus)
Many job postings set minimum degree requirements. ATS systems verify these automatically. The engine checks that your primary qualification has all required fields.
- At least one education entry must be present
- Degree name (e.g. Bachelor of Engineering)
- Institution / University name
- Field of study / Major (bonus 15 pts)
Projects are especially valuable for freshers, career-switchers, and tech roles where portfolio work matters. The engine rewards meaningful descriptions and listed technologies.
- At least one project entry
- Description must be more than 20 characters (2–3 sentences recommended)
- List the technologies / frameworks used (adds keyword coverage)
Certifications carry lower weight but provide a free bonus to your score and signal credibility. Complete certification entries (with issuer and date) score the maximum points.
- At least one certification entry
- Issuing organization (Google, AWS, Microsoft, Coursera…)
- Issue date (confirms currency of the credential)
Ready to Hit 80+?
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