Is 79 a Good ATS Score? Here's What It Actually Means

If you just scanned your resume and got a 79%, you might be wondering if it's safe to hit apply. No, a 79 is an okay score, but it is usually not quite good enough to guarantee you get shortlisted in a competitive market. You are agonizingly close, but you are still sitting just below the widely accepted 80% threshold.

A score of 79 means your resume is formatted reasonably well and has some decent keywords, but it is missing the critical density or exact match phrasing required to put you in the top tier of applicants.

Why Did You Score a 79?

Usually, a 79 indicates one of three minor (but impactful) issues:

• Slight Keyword Variations: The job description asks for "Customer Relationship Management," but your resume says "CRM." ATS systems can be painfully literal.
• Missing Core Hard Skills: You might have matched all the soft skills, but missed one or two mandatory technical tools listed in the job requirements.
• Job Title Mismatch: If your current title is "Frontend Developer" and the job is "React Engineer," the ATS docks points, even if the roles are identical.

How to Push Your Score Above 85

Moving from a 79 to an 85 is usually just a matter of 10 minutes of targeted editing. Don't rewrite your whole resume. Instead, scan the job description for the top three hard skills you haven't explicitly mentioned and weave them into your bullet points or skills section.

If you're stuck guessing what those missing keywords are, try running your resume through RoastMyCV. Our free ATS score feature will tell you exactly what Brutus (our merciless AI) thinks you're missing, so you can bridge that gap instantly.

The Verdict

Don't submit a 79% resume for your dream job. Take the extra five minutes to make those minor tweaks, get your score solidly into the 80s, and ensure your application actually reaches the hiring manager's desk.

Find Out What's Holding Your Score Back

Don't let a 79% keep you out of the interview room.

Fix your score in minutes.Get your free ATS score and roast at roastmycv.into see exactly what keywords and formatting tweaks will push you past the 80% mark.