What Is a Match Score?
When you add a job to GotHired, our AI analyzes your CV against the job description and produces a match score from 0–100.
A score of 85+ means strong alignment. A score below 50 doesn't mean don't apply — it means you need a stronger cover letter and a clear explanation of the gap.
How the Score Is Calculated
The matching pipeline runs in two stages:
Stage 1: Quick Score
A fast pass that looks at:
- Keyword overlap between your CV and the JD
- Required skills vs. your declared skills
- Role level alignment (are you overqualified? underqualified?)
- Industry and domain relevance
This produces the headline score.
Stage 2: Deep Insights
A more detailed analysis that produces:
- Matched skills — what you have that they want
- Missing keywords — what to address in your cover letter
- Strengths — the specific aspects of your profile that stand out for this role
- Gaps — honest assessment of what might concern the hiring manager
What the Score Doesn't Tell You
The match score is about your CV vs. the JD. It doesn't know:
- Your actual performance in roles (not just titles)
- Cultural fit
- The quality of your portfolio or work samples
- Whether you have a referral
A 65 with a referral often beats a 90 without one.
How to Use It
Use the score to prioritize, not filter:
- 80+: Apply now, standard cover letter
- 60–79: Apply, use the insights to address the gap explicitly
- 40–59: Only apply if the role is a strong strategic target — craft a highly tailored application
- Below 40: The role probably isn't a fit right now, but the insights show you what skills to build
The goal isn't a perfect score. It's knowing where to spend your energy.
Want to see how GotHired compares to every other tool in the space? Best AI Job Application Tools in 2026.
