ATS diagnostic transparency
This page explains how GradVix interprets resume-to-job analysis, what each diagnostic area is intended to measure, and why no single ATS score can guarantee selection.
1. Purpose of the GradVix ATS diagnostic
The purpose is to help a user review whether a resume is clear, complete, relevant and supported for one target vacancy. It is not designed to reproduce the private configuration of every employer’s recruitment system.
The diagnostic is most useful when it helps answer four practical questions:
- Can common recruitment systems and people read the document in a logical order?
- Does the resume contain truthful evidence related to the target role?
- Are important sections or job-relevant details missing?
- Which correction should be prioritised before applying?
2. Inputs required for a meaningful result
A reliable comparison depends on the quality of the submitted material. Users should provide:
- the exact resume version they intend to submit;
- the complete job description for one genuine vacancy;
- truthful skills, projects, education, employment and outcomes; and
- selectable document text rather than screenshots or image-only files where possible.
3. The five visible diagnostic areas
Checks whether relevant role language from the job description appears naturally where it is supported by the resume.
Checks whether important required skills are present and connected to credible evidence.
Reviews possible readability and parsing risks such as image-based text, complex columns, charts, text boxes or unclear headings.
Reviews whether expected information is present and organised under recognisable sections.
Reviews whether bullets explain actions, tools, scope, contribution and verified outcomes rather than vague responsibilities alone.
| Area | Positive evidence | Common deduction reason | User review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyword match | Relevant job terms appear in context | Important truthful terms are absent or buried | Confirm each term genuinely applies |
| Skills match | Skills are supported by projects or experience | Required skills are missing or listed without evidence | Do not add unsupported skills |
| Formatting | Clear headings, selectable text and logical order | Decorative or complex layout creates reading risk | Inspect the exported file manually |
| Completeness | Relevant contact, summary, skills, experience, projects and education | Important section is absent or unclear | Include only sections relevant to the profile |
| Impact | Specific contribution, tools, scope and verified result | Generic responsibility statements | Use truthful details rather than invented metrics |
4. Evidence rules
GradVix guidance follows an evidence-first standard:
- A keyword is useful only when the candidate can support it.
- A skill should be connected to education, a project, employment, training or another credible source.
- A metric should be included only when the user can explain how it was measured.
- Dates, employers, qualifications and job titles must remain accurate.
- AI-generated wording should not change the substance of the user’s experience.
5. Weighting and score construction
The public methodology explains the diagnostic categories and interpretation rules. Exact product weights, thresholds and calculation logic may change as GradVix tests quality and improves the product.
GradVix does not currently publish a fixed universal weighting table because:
- job-description relevance is vacancy-specific;
- different resume types require different emphasis;
- formatting, completeness and evidence are not interchangeable;
- publishing unverified fixed weights could encourage users to optimise the number rather than the application; and
- the product should expose only calculation details that are accurate for the live version.
When exact weights are formally exposed in the product, this page should be updated with the current version, effective date and change notes.
6. How to interpret the result
The resume appears relatively clear and aligned for the supplied vacancy. It still requires factual and human review.
Several areas may be usable, but important evidence, role alignment or structure needs correction.
The resume may be poorly aligned, incomplete, difficult to read or unsupported for the selected role.
GradVix does not define a universal “pass mark.” Employers may use different systems, knockout questions, eligibility rules, recruiter searches, assessments and human review.
7. What the score cannot prove
- That a specific employer’s ATS will calculate the same result.
- That the candidate meets every mandatory eligibility condition.
- That the resume will rank above other applicants.
- That a recruiter will open or approve the application.
- That the user will receive an interview or job offer.
- That every suggested keyword belongs in the resume.
The score also cannot know undisclosed hiring priorities, internal referrals, applicant volume, recruiter preferences or changes made after the job description was published.
8. Recommended correction workflow
- Confirm role suitability. Check mandatory experience, education, location, work authorisation, shift and notice-period requirements.
- Fix truth and consistency. Correct dates, titles, skills and profile contradictions.
- Fix readability. Remove parsing risks and confirm the document text remains selectable.
- Improve evidence. Clarify projects, experience, ownership, tools and verified outcomes.
- Improve job alignment. Add only relevant terms and skills that the candidate can support.
- Recheck. Compare the revised resume with the same job description.
- Perform a final human review. Read the document as a recruiter and prepare to defend every claim.
9. Quality-control principles
GradVix ATS-related content and product explanations should follow these standards:
- No guaranteed ATS pass, interview or employment claims.
- No claim that one score represents every employer system.
- No encouragement to copy entire job descriptions into resumes.
- No recommendation to add false or unsupported evidence.
- Clear separation between parsing, job relevance, completeness and writing quality.
- Visible dates when the methodology is materially updated.
- Links to current privacy, terms and product-transparency information.
ATS Checker GuideLearn the practical workflow and correction priorities.
What Is ATS?Understand employer-side screening and recruitment workflows.
Product TransparencyReview app, privacy, AI, payment and user-control disclosures.