What 336,637 Resume Checks Reveal About ATS Scores
We analyzed 336,637 real resume checks scored by an earlier version of Resumly's file checker. In that dataset, vague filler words and a lack of quantified achievements were associated with lower scores. The current checker uses a different scoring engine.
Key findings
- 94% of checks contained at least one overused buzzword — about 2.92 per check.
- 31.5% of checks had no quantified achievements (no numbers, %, or $). Only ~25.3% of bullet points contain a number.
- Checks with 3+ quantified bullets scored 7 points higher on average (71.8 vs 64.8/100).
- The words most associated with lower scores are vague self-descriptors — “hardworking”, “motivated”, “enthusiastic”, “quick learner” — not action verbs.
- Median ATS score is 69/100; 50.9% of checks scored below 70.
Methodology & data (read this)
- Sample: 336,637 file-level resume checks through August 30, 2026, each scored by the earlier scoring engine. One score per check; repeat checks may include the same resume more than once.
- What "score" means: the earlier checker's 0–100 ATS-readiness score — not a specific employer's ATS pass/fail. Resumly's current checker uses a different scoring engine, so current scores are not directly comparable to this study.
- Buzzword association: for each overused term, we compare the average score of resumes that use it vs. those that don't. This is correlation, not causation — a word that appears with weaker resumes isn't necessarily what "causes" the lower score.
- Privacy: fully aggregate and anonymized. No names, contact details, employers, or resume text are included; any term/segment with fewer than 1,000 checks is suppressed.
- Skew: Resumly's audience skews toward tech and early-career applicants, which is visible in the "missing skills" list.
Current checker: a separate score snapshot
From September 11–26, 2026, 33,321 diagnostic runs used Resumly's current diag-1.1.0 scoring engine. This is a separate cohort from the 336,637 historical checks below; the two versions are not pooled or compared.
| Resumly score band | Diagnostic runs | % of current snapshot |
|---|---|---|
| 40–59 · Needs work | 4,485 | 13.5% |
| 60–74 · Average | 24,237 | 72.7% |
| 75–87 · Strong | 1,316 | 3.9% |
| 88–100 · Excellent | 3,283 | 9.9% |
These are checker outputs, not employer ATS pass rates. A run is not a unique person or resume; repeat checks may be included. The sample consists of people who chose to use Resumly's checker, so it does not represent all job seekers. Score ranges with fewer than 1,000 checks are omitted.
Try the free ATS resume checker →Words associated with lower scores
Average ATS-score difference for checked resumes using each term vs. checks that don't (336,637 resume checks). Vague personality adjectives fare worst.
Read as: resumes using "hardworking" scored 9.3 points lower on average than those that didn't. Association, not causation — these words tend to replace evidence, they don't directly trigger rejections.
| Term | Checks using it | % of sample | Avg score with | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hardworking | 1,099 | 0.3% | 59.5 | -9.3 |
| motivated | 9,816 | 2.9% | 62.9 | -6.1 |
| enthusiastic | 2,544 | 0.8% | 63 | -5.8 |
| quick learner | 6,155 | 1.8% | 63.4 | -5.5 |
| eager | 6,091 | 1.8% | 63.5 | -5.4 |
| team player | 1,207 | 0.4% | 64.5 | -4.3 |
| dedicated | 5,574 | 1.7% | 65.1 | -3.8 |
| committed | 2,838 | 0.8% | 65.4 | -3.4 |
| passionate | 19,142 | 5.7% | 66.1 | -2.9 |
| detail-oriented | 15,405 | 4.6% | 66 | -2.9 |
| strong | 10,817 | 3.2% | 66.1 | -2.8 |
| strong foundation | 6,513 | 1.9% | 66.4 | -2.4 |
Words associated with higher scores
Several action verbs and role-specific terms appeared alongside higher average scores in this sample. This association does not show that using a particular word raises a score.
Quantified bullets and score patterns
31.5% of the 336,637 resume checks had not a single quantified bullet. On average, just 25.3% of bullet points contained a number, percentage, or dollar figure. Checks with 3+ quantified bullets averaged 71.8/100 vs 64.8/100 for checks with none — a 7-point gap, the largest content association in the dataset.
What a "normal" ATS score looks like
Distribution of ATS scores across 336,637 resume checks. Median 69; most land between 66 and 74.
| Score range | Checks | % of sample |
|---|---|---|
| 0-9 | 178 | 0.1% |
| 10-19 | 33 | 0.0% |
| 20-29 | 99 | 0.0% |
| 30-39 | 1,204 | 0.4% |
| 40-49 | 3,987 | 1.2% |
| 50-59 | 27,261 | 8.1% |
| 60-69 | 138,519 | 41.1% |
| 70-79 | 157,564 | 46.8% |
| 80-89 | 7,764 | 2.3% |
| 90-99 | 28 | 0.0% |
Keywords most often flagged as missing
Most common keywords flagged as missing for the applicant's stated target role by the earlier checker (tech-leaning sample).
| Keyword | Checks missing it | % of sample |
|---|---|---|
| ci/cd | 80,887 | 24% |
| agile | 72,868 | 21.6% |
| kubernetes | 63,651 | 18.9% |
| docker | 62,523 | 18.6% |
| scrum | 59,625 | 17.7% |
| aws | 46,224 | 13.7% |
| unit testing | 40,618 | 12.1% |
| microservices | 40,063 | 11.9% |
| azure | 25,974 | 7.7% |
| stakeholder management | 25,276 | 7.5% |
| kpis | 24,728 | 7.3% |
| git | 21,178 | 6.3% |
| sql | 16,963 | 5% |
| etl | 16,642 | 4.9% |
| project management | 14,961 | 4.4% |
Average sub-scores in the earlier checker
Average sub-score by dimension. Content strength (impact & quantification) was the lowest-scoring dimension in this sample.
How to cite this study
Resumly (2026). The ATS Resume Study: An analysis of 336,637 resume checks. Retrieved from https://www.resumly.ai/research/ats-resume-studyJournalists & researchers: you're welcome to cite these figures with a link to this page. For a custom data cut (e.g. by industry), email hello@resumly.ai.
Check your own resume free
Try Resumly's current free ATS resume checker — no signup required. This study uses an earlier scoring engine, so scores may differ.
Check my ATS score →More research: The Job-Search Inbox Study (154,128 emails) · What Stops Job Applications (95,495 attempts) · The Tailoring Gap (resume↔job match) · All studies · Free ATS resume checker
