Candidate Matching — Definition, Methods and Scoring   [ResumeParser.pro](https://resumeparser.pro)

 - [Parsing API](https://resumeparser.pro/resume-parsing-api)
- [Match Score API](https://resumeparser.pro/resume-job-match-score-api)
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2. [Glossary](https://resumeparser.pro/glossary)
3. Candidate Matching

 Candidate Matching
==================

Updated 9 August 2026 · by the SharpAPI team

  **Candidate matching** is the algorithmic comparison of a candidate's profile against a job's requirements, producing a fit score used to rank applicants — from simple keyword overlap in older systems to weighted multi-dimension semantic scoring in current ones.

In one paragraph
----------------

 Matching is always relative to one job: the same candidate legitimately scores 85 against one posting and 40 against another. First-generation matching counted shared keywords, which rewarded resume-stuffing and missed synonyms; modern matching scores meaning across dimensions (skills, experience, stack, seniority, stability) with explicit weights and, in auditable systems, a written reason per score. The [SharpAPI implementation](https://resumeparser.pro/resume-job-match-score-api) returns 20 such dimensions on a 0–100 scale.

Example
-------

 skills\_match: 80 — "Strong PHP/MySQL; Laravel not mentioned explicitly" — a score plus its evidence, which is what separates rankable from defensible.

Go deeper
---------

 [Semantic vs keyword matching](https://resumeparser.pro/guides/semantic-vs-keyword-matching) · [what counts as a good score](https://resumeparser.pro/what-is-a-good-resume-match-score) · [resume screening](https://resumeparser.pro/glossary/resume-screening), the decision layer that consumes match scores.

 Score your first resume today
-----------------------------

Send a CV file and a job description to the SharpAPI Resume Job Match Score API — get 20 scored dimensions with plain-language explanations back in seconds.

 [Start scoring free](https://sharpapi.com/en/resume-job-match-score-api?utm_source=resumeparser.pro&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary-candidate-matching&utm_content=article-end) [Endpoint docs](https://sharpapi.com/documentation?utm_source=resumeparser.pro&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary-candidate-matching&utm_content=article-end-docs) 

14-day trial · 100,000 words included · No credit card · 30-day money-back guarantee

 Further reading
---------------

- [Resume Job Match Score API — 20 Scored Dimensions, 0-100](https://resumeparser.pro/resume-job-match-score-api) Send a CV file plus a job description, get a 0-100 match score across 20 dimensions with plain-language explanations. Rankable, defensible, async REST.
- [Semantic vs Keyword Matching in Recruiting: What Wins?](https://resumeparser.pro/guides/semantic-vs-keyword-matching) Keyword matching misses the developer who wrote "built REST services in Django". How semantic scoring reads meaning, and where keywords still help.
- [Resume Screening — Definition, Manual vs Automated](https://resumeparser.pro/glossary/resume-screening) Resume screening, defined: deciding which applicants move forward. How automated screening uses parsed data and match scores instead of gut feel.

    ResumeParser.pro — a free resource on resume parsing and candidate matching, written and maintained by the team behind [SharpAPI](https://sharpapi.com/?utm_source=resumeparser.pro&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary-candidate-matching&utm_content=footer). The APIs documented here: [Resume Parsing API](https://sharpapi.com/en/resume-parsing-api?utm_source=resumeparser.pro&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary-candidate-matching&utm_content=footer) and [Resume Job Match Score API](https://sharpapi.com/en/resume-job-match-score-api?utm_source=resumeparser.pro&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary-candidate-matching&utm_content=footer). SDKs on [GitHub](https://github.com/sharpapi).

 On this site: [What is resume parsing](https://resumeparser.pro/what-is-resume-parsing)·[How parsing works](https://resumeparser.pro/how-does-resume-parsing-work)·[Extracted fields](https://resumeparser.pro/what-fields-does-a-resume-parser-extract)·[Resume to JSON](https://resumeparser.pro/resume-to-json)·[Best parser APIs](https://resumeparser.pro/guides/best-resume-parser-apis)·[All guides](https://resumeparser.pro/guides)·[Glossary](https://resumeparser.pro/glossary)·[About](https://resumeparser.pro/about)

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