Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: May 2026

Direct answers about how the audit works, what we check, and what you receive.

1. About the Service

What exactly are you selling?

We provide a forensic ATS audit of your resume.

That means we test how your file behaves when parsed, identify formatting risks, and compare your resume against a target job description. We do not give vanity scores or generic feedback. We tell you what is broken, what is risky, and what to fix.

How are you different from a free ATS scanner?

Most scanners simulate one parser and return a guess. They often miss file-level issues such as tables, columns, text boxes, or header/footer problems.

Our process is Human-in-the-Loop (HITL): a human performs the structural checks, while AI helps speed up keyword analysis and rewrite suggestions. The final judgment is human.

Can you guarantee my resume will pass every ATS?

No.

There is no universal ATS standard. Anyone promising universal compatibility is overstating things. We focus on removing the most common and proven failure points.

2. What We Check

What is the “Brutal Copy-Paste Test”?

This is our first and most important test.

We copy all text from your resume and paste it into a plain-text editor. If the output is scrambled, incomplete, or out of order, your file has a real ATS risk.

If the text extracts cleanly, that is a good sign — but it still does not guarantee total ATS safety. It is necessary, not sufficient.

What do you compare against the job description?

We look for:

This is not keyword stuffing. It is making sure your real experience is searchable in the language employers use.

What are the most common failures you find?

  1. Image-only PDFs with no selectable text
  2. Tables used for layout that scramble reading order
  3. Header/footer content that gets stripped
  4. Multi-column layouts that break extraction
  5. Overdesigned templates from Canva or similar tools

3. What We Need From You

Do you need my original Word file, or is a PDF enough?

A PDF is often enough for a strong audit, but a .docx file gives us the highest confidence.

The PDF shows what survives export. The Word file lets us inspect the source structure itself, including hidden tables, text boxes, and header/footer content.

Why can’t I just send a screenshot?

Because a screenshot only shows appearance. ATS systems read extractable text, not visuals.

We need the actual file to test whether the text layer is readable, complete, and structurally sound.

4. AI vs. Human Review

How does AI fit into your process?

AI is an acceleration layer, not the final reviewer.

It helps compare your resume to the job description, identify keyword gaps, and suggest tighter bullet rewrites (Skill Matching). The human reviewer still performs the structural tests, verifies the findings, and filters out weak or inflated AI conclusions.

Can’t I just use AI myself?

You can, and it may help at the text level. But AI alone cannot reliably inspect file structure, confirm hidden formatting issues, or run hands-on extraction tests on the actual document you plan to submit.

That is why our process combines AI speed with human verification.

5. What You Receive

What’s in the audit report?

You receive a concise, actionable report that includes:

Do you rewrite my entire resume?

No.

We provide targeted edits, structural recommendations, and rewrites for weak sections. You remain the author of your resume.

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