Resume Length and Readability Checker
Paste the text of your resume to see how long it is, how it reads, and what a plain-text reader would find in it. The check runs in your browser; the text you paste is not uploaded: it stays in this browser tab until you close the tab or choose to forget it.
Results
Paste your resume text and choose Check resume. Results appear here.
What is measured, and the assumptions behind it
- Page count assumes about 500 words to a page. Font size, margins, columns and spacing all change that, so check the real page count in your document.
- Reading time assumes 200 words a minute, read in full.
- Sentence figures use sentences and bullet points of 4 words or more, so headings, dates and contact lines do not drag the average down. A sentence over 30 words is listed as long.
- Reading ease is the Flesch reading ease formula and the grade is the Flesch-Kincaid formula. Both need a syllable count, which is estimated here from spelling, so treat both as estimates.
- A word is listed as repeated at 4 uses and a phrase at 3, leaving out very common words.
- Sections are found by a heading on its own line, or before a colon, that matches a list of common names. Contact details are found by the pattern of an email address or a phone number.
- Dates are grouped by how they are written: “Jan 2020”, “January 2020”, “01/2020”, “2020-01”, or a year alone in a range.
What it cannot tell you
- It counts and matches patterns. It does not understand meaning, so it will miss some problems and flag some text that is fine.
- Readability formulas were designed for running prose. A resume is mostly fragments, so use the score to compare drafts rather than as a target.
- A section reported as not found may be there under a heading this tool does not know. How long a resume should be depends on your field and experience.
- The list of unusual characters is for information. Software that reads resumes varies, and this tool does not know how any particular system handles a given character.
- The word lists and formulas are for English. Other languages are counted, but the reading scores will not mean much for them.
Questions and answers
How accurate is the page estimate?
It assumes about 500 words to a page. Font size, margins, columns and spacing all change the real figure, so check the page count in your own document.
What reading score should a resume have?
There is no target. The formulas were designed for running prose and a resume is mostly fragments, so the scores are most useful for comparing one draft with another.
How long should my resume be?
That depends on your field, your experience and what the employer asks for. The tool reports length; it does not judge it.
Why does it say a section was not found?
Sections are found by matching a heading against a list of common names. A section under a heading the tool does not know is reported as not found even though it is there.
Are unusual characters a problem?
Often not. They are listed for information, with a plain alternative where there is one. Software that reads resumes varies, and this tool does not know how any particular system handles a given character.
Is the text I paste sent anywhere?
No. The check runs in your browser and the text is not uploaded. Everything you paste, including a job description, is kept in this browser tab's session storage so that a reload does not lose it, and it is removed when you close the tab or choose to forget it.
Do I need an account, and does it cost anything?
No account is needed and the tool is free to use.
More free tools
- Resume Keyword Checker. Compares your resume with a job description and lists the terms from the posting that your resume does and does not contain. Runs in your browser.
- Resume Bullet Checker. Reviews each bullet point for a strong opening verb, a measurable result, length, pronouns, passive voice and buzzwords. Runs in your browser.
- Resume Section Checker. Lists which standard sections and contact details were found, the order they appear in, the date formats used, and overlaps or long gaps between the date ranges under your experience heading. Runs in your browser.