What’s a Job Match Score and why it matters?

“JobQuest’s scoring system is impressively accurate. In my experience, resumes scoring below 60 often don’t make it past initial reviews. It’s a game-changer for quickly identifying top candidates.” – Tim R., Senior Recruiter

The Job Match Score measures how well your resume matches a job description, ranging from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate a greater likelihood of passing ATS (Applicant Tracking System) keyword screening and capturing the attention of human reviewers.

The Job Match Score is part of a comprehensive score report that includes recommendations, a detailed breakdown of the score, and gap analysis.

How Job Match Score is calculated

The score is based on metrics such as job title, years of experience, skills, and responsibilities, mimicking how a human recruiter evaluates a resume while also accounting for ATS keyword matching.

For example, recruiters expect a candidate’s job title to match the one in the job description. When it matches, it’s taken for granted with no additional reward, but significant mismatches can lead to quick disqualification. Our scoring system evaluates job titles and incorporates this reward-and-penalty dynamic. Additionally, skills tied to years of experience carry more weight in the scoring than skills mentioned in other parts of the job description.

Our job match score is different from a resume score or ATS score provided by other online resume service providers. We don’t rely on keyword frequency to calculate a score, nor do we prioritize keywords based on how often they appear in the job description. Instead, we prioritize hard or rare skills that are most relevant to the job title.

Score interpretation

Here’s a table with verdicts and recommendations for different score ranges. In a nutshell, if your Job Match Score is 75 or higher, your resume is ready to submit. Beyond this point, there’s diminishing return on further customization. Over-customizing your resume can lead to a mechanical tone, which may turn off human reviewers

0 – 50 Poor 😂

• Your resume does not match the job description.
• Your resume is likely to be rejected by Applicant Tracking Systems or human reviewers.
• Reconsider applying for the position.

51 – 59 Marginal 😅

• Your resume marginally matches the job description.
• Your resume has a limited chance of passing the keyword screening by Applicant Tracking System.
• Reconsider applying for the position.
• If you are a good fit but missed including certain keywords, use AI Customize to improve your Job Match Score.

60 – 74 Fair 😐

• Your resume fairly matches the job description.
• Your resume has a reasonable chance of passing the keyword screening by Applicant Tracking Systems.
• AI Customize can improve your Job Match Score.

75 – 89 Good 🙂

• Your resume matches the job description well.
• Your resume has a good chance of passing the keyword screening by Applicant Tracking Systems.
• Your resume may be viewed as a qualifying one by a human reviewer.

90 – 100 Excellent 😃

• Your resume matches the job description very well
• Your resume has an excellent chance of passing the keyword screening by Applicant Tracking Systems
• Your resume may be viewed as a qualifying one by a human reviewer.

Why it matters to job seekers

Our scoring method has been carefully refined using real feedback from job seekers, recruiters, and hiring managers. In real-world experiments, we found a strong correlation between low scores and early resume rejections. Resumes scoring below 60 were rejected by human reviewers about 90% of the time.

Here’s a recommended strategy for applications:

• Check your Job Match Score before each application.
• If the score is too low, reconsider the application or skip it altogether.
• If the score falls in the grey area, review the job description again and ask yourself, “Is my score low because of missing keywords in my resume, or am I genuinely lacking the required qualifications?” Tailor your resume and apply if the low score is due to missing keywords rather than missing qualifications.

Limitations of scores

Machines (or ATS) are drawn to keywords, but human reviewers are drawn to your story. The Job Match Score focuses on keywords and phrases, though we take a nuanced approach to evaluating them. The score does not indicate whether your resume tells a story.

In short, a killer resume has a coherent story or narrative that is relevant to target jobs. The Job Match Score can only evaluate your relevancy. When writing a resume, it’s crucial to prioritize human reviewers, as they have the final say.