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The CV Room

The CV Room

Free ATS Resume Checker — CV Scanner for the UK

Upload your CV, paste the job description, and get an instant ATS-style score with missing keywords, formatting checks and AI rewrite suggestions — tuned to UK conventions like the two-page rule, British English and degree classifications.

Optimise your CV
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Instant results
  • Two-page rule & British English
  • GDPR-friendly
Trusted by UK job seekers

How it works

Check your CV in 3 simple steps

1

Upload your CV

Drag and drop a .docx, .pdf or .txt file. We extract the text and keep your formatting.

2

Add the job description

Paste the posting and pick your target job title so the scan compares like-for-like.

3

Get your score & fix it

See your ATS-style score, apply AI suggestions, preview, then download the updated CV.

Why use it

Everything the UK job market checks

ATS-style match score

An instant 0–100 score showing how closely your CV matches the job description.

Keyword gap analysis

Missing hard and soft skills flagged against the job posting, with where to add them.

UK formatting checks

Two-page rule, British English, and personal-data warnings under the Equality Act 2010.

STAR rewrites with metrics

Vague 'responsible for' lines turned into quantified achievements (£, %, volumes).

Section-by-section breakdown

A detailed review of your Summary, Skills, Experience, Education and more.

Apply & download in your format

Accept suggestions, edit in place, and export a .docx that keeps your original formatting.

Pricing

Check your CV free, upgrade when you need more

Free

£0/month

Try all four tools

  • 3 AI checks a month
  • CV Optimiser scan
  • ATS format check
  • Create a new CV
  • Cover letter generator
  • No sign-up required
Get started
Most Popular

Pro

£9.99/month

For active job hunters

  • Unlimited AI checks
  • Cover letters included
  • ATS format check
  • All four tools
  • Priority processing
  • Saved to your account
  • Unlock .docx downloads
Subscribe

One-off pack

£3.99

Pay once, use when you need

  • 10 AI checks
  • CV scans & cover letters
  • ATS format check
  • Unlock .docx downloads
  • Saved to your account
  • Use after your free checks
Buy 10 checks

About The CV Room

Built from a real need

In early 2025, my wife was made redundant. Like thousands of others in the UK, she updated her CV, polished her LinkedIn profile and started applying. But week after week — silence. Not even an interview.

We couldn't understand it. Her experience was strong, her achievements were real. Then a friend in HR explained what was happening: applicant tracking systems. Most large UK employers use ATS software to screen CVs before a human ever sees them. Her CV — perfectly written for a person — was being rejected by a machine before it reached anyone.

When I looked for tools to help, I found plenty of American ones. They checked for US-style resumes, US keywords, US formatting. But the UK job market is different — we have the two-page rule,British English spelling, Equality Act 2010 protections, specificdegree classifications like 2:1 and A-Level expectations. The US tools didn't understand any of that.

So I built this one. It's called The CV Room — a UK-specific ATS checker that looks at your CV the way a UK recruiter's system would. It checks your formatting against the two-page rule, flags Equality Act issues, spots missing keywords from the job description, and gives you actionable suggestions — all tuned to the British job market.

You get three free checks every month to see what the tool can do, and if you're actively job hunting, there are affordable plans to keep using it. I built this to help people — but keeping it running and up to date takes time and server costs, so a small fee for heavy use helps sustain it. If you find it valuable, spreading the word means just as much.

— Made with love, for everyone navigating the UK job market.

Stay in the loop

Free CV tips for the UK job market

Occasional, UK-specific CV advice — and be first to know when paid plans launch.

Don't let the ATS stand between you and your dream job.

Upload your CV and find out exactly how to make it better — free.

Optimise for free

Learn the system

What is an ATS in the UK?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the software employers use to receive, parse and rank applications before a human ever looks at them. In the UK, major organisations including NHS Trusts, the Civil Service and most FTSE 100 companies use ATS platforms such as Trac, Workday, SuccessFactors, Bullhorn and SmartRecruiters.

Most ATS work the same way: they parse your CV into structured fields, match it against the job description, and rank applicants. Recruiters frequently only review the top 10–20% of CVs — which is why matching the job posting matters.

How the scan works here

  1. 1 · Keyword matching. Every term in the job description is checked against your CV and the gaps are surfaced.
  2. 2 · UK formatting. Length, spelling, personal data and structure are reviewed against UK conventions.
  3. 3 · Impact & quantification. Vague wording is flagged and rewritten in STAR form with UK metrics.
  4. 4 · Section breakdown. Each part of your CV gets a verdict, strengths, issues and actions.

Avoid these

Common ATS CV mistakes that get UK candidates rejected

Not matching the job description — generic CVs miss the keywords the ATS filters for.
American spelling — 'Organization' instead of 'Organisation' can look unpolished to UK recruiters.
Vague phrasing — 'Responsible for…' tells the ATS nothing about impact.
Missing key sections — clear Skills, dates and role headings are what parsers look for.
Personal data — Date of Birth or marital status (illegal to ask in the UK) can trigger rejection.
Over-styling — heavy tables, columns and graphics can break older ATS parsers. Simple layouts parse best.

Know the difference

UK CV vs US resume

🇬🇧 UK CV🇺🇸 US resume
Two pages is the standardOne page preferred
No photo expectedPhoto sometimes included
Dates: DD/MM/YYYYDates: MM/DD/YYYY
GCSEs and A-LevelsHigh school GPA
British spelling (Organisation, Colour)American spelling (Organization, Color)
Degree classifications (1st, 2:1, 2:2)GPA out of 4.0

This tool is calibrated to the UK column — including the two-page rule, British spelling and degree classifications.

Understand your result

What does your ATS score mean?

70+

Strong match

Your CV aligns well with the role. Refine the details and apply the suggestions.

40–69

Gaps to close

A decent base, but keywords and quantification are holding you back.

Below 40

Significant work

The CV and role are misaligned or key skills are missing — start with the red flags.

Quick wins

Ways to improve your ATS score

UK recruiters prefer a two-page CV unless you're a senior executive.
Quantify achievements with £, % and volumes — recruiters skim for numbers.
Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for every role bullet.
Write 'Organisation', not 'Organization' — British English matters in the UK.
Never include your Date of Birth or Marital Status — it's illegal to ask (Equality Act 2010).
State your degree classification (1st, 2:1, 2:2) prominently.
Mirror the exact language of the job description for better ATS keyword matching.
Start each bullet with a strong action verb: delivered, led, reduced, increased.
Add a National Insurance placeholder only if you're a UK citizen (optional).
Keep your personal summary to 3–5 lines — hook the recruiter fast.
Recent graduate? Lead with Education, Internships and Extracurriculars.
List A-Level subjects and grades if you're a recent graduate.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Yes — the full scan is free and requires no sign-up. Upload your CV, paste a job description, and get your score and suggestions instantly.