Research publication
FounderToo Index — Q2 2026
Based on analyses from April 1–June 30, 2026
Published July 3, 2026
The Index
The FounderToo Index reached 62 for the second quarter of 2026, summarizing the average alignment between resumes and job requirements.
What surprised us
A Significant Jump from Alternate Versions
The analysis showed that simply switching between different versions of a resume for the same role resulted in a 26-point average improvement in fit. This indicates that how a candidate presents their existing experience is often as critical as the experience itself.
Myth vs Reality
Myth
I'm either a perfect match for a job or I'm not a match at all.
Reality
The data suggests otherwise, as 18% of all analyzed applications fell into a narrow 10-point band just below the 'YES' threshold, showing that many candidates are remarkably close to a high-fit rating.
Trend to watch
The Persistence of the 'Near-Miss'
Foundertoo scoring highlighted that 26% of roles rated as 'CONSIDER' were within just 5 points of the top tier. For job seekers, this reinforces the importance of identifying missing technical keywords like 'succession planning' or 'ISO 13485' which often separate these two categories.
Market brief
The reporting period indicates a significant distance between typical resumes and high-fit benchmarks, with a Resume Gap of 47 points. However, the median analyzed role sits only 2 points below the high-fit threshold, suggesting a large cluster of candidates are nearly aligned with requirements. The strongest signal for improvement was found in resume targeting; paired comparisons showed that top-performing variants reached a mean score of 76. By addressing specific skill gaps in areas like engineering—which saw lower fit rates than other functions—applicants may close the gap between a moderate and high-fit rating.
Methodology & sample
This report is based on 2,822 resume-to-job evaluations submitted between April 1 and June 30, 2026.