Paste a job description and your CV to see your match rate, missing keywords and where the hits are.
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Does my CV match the keywords in this job ad?
Paste a job description and your CV to see how many of the ad's keywords you cover, which required skills are missing, and where the matches sit in your CV. It runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
Paste the whole ad, including the requirements section.
Plain text is fine. Nothing leaves your browser.
How the CV keyword match is scored
The tool reads the job ad and pulls out the terms a recruiter would search for: skills from a dictionary of about 900 Gulf job keywords (built from the MenaJobs ATS keyword guides) plus common core skills, acronyms and product names like SAP, IFRS, AutoCAD or PMP, and other words the ad repeats. Each keyword is then looked for in your CV, allowing for plurals and verb forms. Your score is the weighted share of keywords found, with required keywords counting double.
- Keyword
- A skill, tool, certification or term from the job ad that a recruiter or ATS is likely to search for.
- Required keyword
- One that appears under a requirements heading or in a sentence with must, required, essential or minimum. It counts ×2.
- Match %
- Weighted keywords found in your CV ÷ weighted keywords in the ad.
- ATS
- Applicant tracking system: the software employers use to collect, filter and search CVs.
Keyword match examples for Gulf job ads
Three short job ads and CV extracts, scored by the tool above.
| Job ad | Keywords found | Top missing | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant, Dubai | 7 of 13 | SAP, Oracle, bank reconciliation | 53% |
| Software Engineer, Riyadh | 4 of 10 | SQL, Agile, AWS | 47% |
| HSE Officer, Doha | 4 of 8 | HSE, Risk Assessment, audits | 53% |
Short extracts for illustration. Real ads and CVs are longer, so expect more keywords.
What a keyword match can't tell you
- Each ATS scores differently. This is a guide to the ad's language, not a copy of any vendor's algorithm.
- Synonyms aren't matched: 'Scrum' won't count for 'Agile'. If you have the skill, use the ad's exact word too.
- A high match doesn't fix an unreadable layout. Tables, text boxes and images can hide your keywords from an ATS.
- Recruiters still read the CV. Keywords should sit inside real achievements, not a stuffed list.
Data Sources
Keyword lists for your job title
Don't have a job ad yet? Start from the keywords Gulf employers ask for most in your field, then check real examples of how to use them.
Frequently asked questions
What keyword match rate should my CV have?
There is no official number, and every ATS scores differently. As a working target, many recruiters and CV writers aim for roughly 75% or more of the job ad's key skills, with every required skill covered. Below 50% usually means the CV was written for a different role.
Do Gulf employers really use ATS software?
Yes. Large employers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and most recruitment agencies, use applicant tracking systems such as Oracle Taleo, SAP SuccessFactors, Workday and Greenhouse. Recruiters search those systems by keyword, so a CV that doesn't use the ad's wording can be missed even when you have the skill.
Should I copy the job description into my CV?
No. Use the ad's exact terms for skills you genuinely have, inside real achievement bullets and your skills section. Pasting hidden keywords or copying whole sentences is easy for a recruiter to spot and will cost you the interview.
Why does the tool count some keywords twice?
Keywords that appear in the requirements section, or in a sentence with words like must, required, essential or minimum, count double. Missing a required skill hurts more than missing a nice-to-have, so the score reflects that.
Is my CV uploaded or stored?
No. The matching runs entirely in your browser. Your CV and the job description are never sent to MenaJobs or anyone else, and they are gone when you close the page.
What should I do with the missing keywords?
Work down the list from the top. For each missing keyword you really have, add it to a bullet that shows the result (for example, 'Reconciled 12 bank accounts monthly in SAP'). For ones you don't have, mention related experience honestly or leave them out.
75% of CVs are auto-rejected by ATS before a recruiter reads them.
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