Key Takeaways

  • 75% of U.S. employers use automated applicant tracking systems to screen resumes before a human reviews them (Harvard Business School & Accenture, 2021)
  • The most common ATS failures are missing keywords, incompatible formatting, and incorrect file types
  • ResumeGeni scores your resume across 8 parsing layers — modeled on the same steps enterprise ATS platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, and Taleo use to evaluate candidates

How ATS Resume Scoring Works

Applicant tracking systems parse your resume into structured data — extracting your name, contact info, work history, skills, and education — then score how well that data matches the job requirements. Many ATS rejections happen because the parser couldn't extract critical fields, not because the candidate wasn't qualified.

LayerWhat It ChecksWhy It Matters
Document extractionFile format, encoding, readabilityCorrupted or image-only PDFs fail immediately
Layout analysisTables, columns, headers, footersMulti-column layouts break field extraction
Section detectionExperience, education, skills headingsNon-standard headings cause sections to be missed
Field mappingName, email, phone, dates, titlesMissing contact info is a common cause of immediate rejection
Keyword matchingJob-specific terms, skills, certificationsKeyword overlap affects recruiter search visibility and ATS scoring
Chronology checkDate ordering, gap detectionReverse-chronological order is expected by most ATS
QuantificationMetrics, numbers, measurable outcomesQuantified achievements help human reviewers and some scoring models
Confidence scoringOverall parse quality and completenessLow-confidence parses get deprioritized in results

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ResumeGeni free?
Yes. ResumeGeni is currently in beta — ATS analysis, scoring, and initial improvement suggestions are free with no signup required. Full guidance and saved reports may require a free account.
What file formats are supported?
PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, RTF, ODT, and Apple Pages. PDF and DOCX are recommended for best ATS compatibility.
How is the ATS score calculated?
Your resume is processed through an 8-layer parsing pipeline that extracts structured data the same way enterprise ATS platforms do. The score reflects how completely and accurately your resume can be parsed, plus how well your content matches common ATS ranking criteria.
Can ATS read PDF resumes?
Yes, but not all PDFs are equal. Text-based PDFs parse well. Image-only PDFs (scanned documents) and PDFs with complex tables or multi-column layouts often fail ATS parsing. Our analyzer will flag these issues.
How do I improve my ATS score?
Focus on three areas: use a clean single-column format, include keywords from the job description naturally in your experience bullets, and ensure all sections (contact, experience, education, skills) use standard headings.

ATS Guides & Resources

Built by engineers with 12 years of experience building enterprise hiring technology at ZipRecruiter. Last updated .

Workday HCM Manager ⭐

Achievers · Canada

Please note that this a 24 months contract role.
 
Achievers is implementing Workday as our unified global HR system. You will be the primary owner of Workday at a profitable, scaling SaaS company with high autonomy and visible impact. You will also develop partnerships with a modern implementation approach (via implementation partner) and access to Workday Success Plan (Accelerate) resources for faster adoption and learning. 
 
We’re hiring an HCM Manager (IC) to stand up our Workday operating model, harden the tenant, and leave behind repeatable processes. You’ll support implementation (alongside a trusted 3rd party implementation partner), build the Workday operating model end-to-end, deliver an impact-focused backlog, run day-to-day Workday administration, lead security-first release readiness, and ensure the tenant remains secure, compliant, and scalable. 
 
Workday Scope (Phase 1): Core HCM, Payroll (Canada, global payroll connect), Talent Optimization, Learning, Advanced Compensation, Benefits, Time Tracking, Absence, 6+ Integrations. 
Please note that this a 24 months contract role.
 
Achievers is implementing Workday as our unified global HR system. You will be the primary owner of Workday at a profitable, scaling SaaS company with high autonomy and visible impact. You will also develop partnerships with a modern implementation approach (via implementation partner) and access to Workday Success Plan (Accelerate) resources for faster adoption and learning. 
 
We’re hiring an HCM Manager (IC) to stand up our Workday operating model, harden the tenant, and leave behind repeatable processes. You’ll support implementation (alongside a trusted 3rd party implementation partner), build the Workday operating model end-to-end, deliver an impact-focused backlog, run day-to-day Workday administration, lead security-first release readiness, and ensure the tenant remains secure, compliant, and scalable. 
 
Workday Scope (Phase 1): Core HCM, Payroll (Canada, global payroll connect), Talent Optimization, Learning, Advanced Compensation, Benefits, Time Tracking, Absence, 6+ Integrations. 
Why Achievers is a Great Place to Work
 
At Achievers, we believe recognition is a powerful driver of connection. With more than 4.3 million users across 190 countries, our employee recognition and rewards platform empowers organizations to build cultures where people feel seen and valued, everyday. We’re a team of passionate, thoughtful builders who care deeply about our product, our customers, and each other. Visit achievers.com to see how we’re inspiring recognition everywhere.
 
Our Approach to Total Rewards
 
We’re committed to providing a fair and competitive offer based on what you bring to the team. Each A-Players' compensation is reviewed at least annually against performance and impact in role. We want you to see your path to growth, understand your impact, and feel valued every step of the way.
 
$110,000 - $135,000 reflects what we reasonably expect to offer for this role based on current market data. The final offer will depend on several factors, including your skills, experience, and any relevant certifications. As with all market-based ranges, these numbers may evolve over time, but we’re committed to providing a fair and competitive offer based on what you bring to the team. 
 
Benefits and Perks for permanent full-time employees: 
✨  Rewards for your impact through our Recognition and Rewards program 
🩺  Health Benefits and Life Insurance Coverage beginning on your first day 
👶🏼  Parental Leave Top-up 
🙌🏼  Employer matched RRSP contributions 
🏖️  Flexible Vacation to recharge, so you can bring your best
🤝🏽  Employee and Family Assistance Program offering mental health, legal, and financial counselling
🚀  Supported professional development and career growth (Linkedin Learning, mentorship)
👏🏼  Employee-Led Employee Resource Groups that celebrate our diversity 
🧘‍♀️  Regular events designed to build connection, belonging, and well-being  
🇨🇦  Hybrid flexibility, with time in our beautiful Liberty Village, Toronto office 
 
Achievers is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone can do their best work. We encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.
 
Achievers is committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any accommodations for your interview, such as assistive technology, wheelchair accessibility, or alternative formats of materials, please let us know. We are happy to make necessary arrangements to support your needs.

How you'll shape Employee Success at Achievers:

  • Backlog delivery: run intake → prioritization → build/test/deploy for configuration and permissioning changes; own Tier-3 access/security escalations and root-cause fixes. 
  • Release readiness: perform access-control impact analysis and regression testing for bi-annual Workday releases in all current modules, focusing on security changes, integrations/service accounts, and production readiness. 
  • Security & access ownership: design and maintain RBAC, security groups, domain security policies, and BP security policies; partner with IT/Security on SSO and identity governance. 
  • Reporting & integrations enablement: deliver and maintain critical reports/dashboards; coordinate functional requirements, testing, and change enablement for in-scope integrations. 
  • Governance & documentation: maintain change control standards, audit-ready evidence, and playbooks; drive knowledge transfer so Achievers has durable internal ownership. 
  • Experience we feel will set you up for success:

  • 5+ years of Workday management experience with hands-on configuration in Core HCM plus 2+ areas (e.g., Payroll, Talent Optimization, Learning, Advanced Compensation, Benefits, Time Tracking, Absence, Integrations) 
  • Proven ownership of an enhancement backlog (intake, prioritization, delivery, stakeholder management) and Tier-3 troubleshooting. 
  • Deep Workday security/permissioning expertise: RBAC, security groups, domain & BP security policies, least-privilege access governance, and separation-of-duties thinking. 
  • Experience leading Workday bi-annual release readiness (preview, testing, activation planning). 
  • Something extra we are hoping you can bring to the role:

  • System Ownership: Think like a product owner, balancing stability, usability, scalability, and compliance. Turn ambiguous needs into clean, maintainable solutions. 
  • Operational Excellence: Create repeatable processes (intake, testing, documentation, release readiness, and security reviews) that reduce friction over time. 
  • Workday Pro Certified in Platform Admin, HCM Core + 2+ functional areas: (Security, HCM Reporting, Absence, Benefits, Canada Payroll, Advanced Compensation, Learning, Integrations). 
  • Stakeholder Partnership: translate business needs into scalable configurations and explain tradeoffs clearly. Build trust, influence without authority, and keep work transparent. 
  • Comfort operating with high autonomy and prioritization.