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 .

Instructor

Array Education · St. Louis, MO

Contract Instructor for Summer 2026 and SY26-27

Prelude is seeking a part-time Instructor (Contract role) to support our high school internship programs. We are a remote team serving students in a growing number of cities. We are seeking a part-time instructor who can support hybrid instruction for St. Louis-based cohorts. 

Role start date: Early May 2026 
Role Type: Contract
Location: ~50% remote, ~50% in-person in St. Louis, MO
Reporting to: Managing Director, Programs

About Prelude

Prelude partners with high schools and employers to create work-based learning experiences that help students develop the skills, experiences, and networks to pursue upwardly-mobile careers. Our mission is to accelerate students into purpose-filled lives that lead to economic freedom. 

Our Learn and Earn Internship Program provides high school students with year-long, paid internships at leading employers. These internships give students the opportunity to develop professional skills, gain meaningful work experience, and explore career pathways. Students begin their internship in the summer with a 1–2 week onboarding called Induction (view a sample intern induction schedule here). In the fall, interns are assigned to a team and work in their internship roles 6–10 hours per week for the duration of the school year. 

In parallel to their internship, students take an academic Intern Seminar course, delivered by a Prelude instructor. Intern Seminar is designed to equip students with key professional skills such as communication, time management, teamwork, and problem-solving. This course provides a supportive learning environment where students can reflect on their internship experiences, receive feedback, and build confidence in their professional abilities.

Contract Role Overview

As Prelude grows to support students at a growing number of internship sites in SY26-27, we’re seeking a dedicated Instructor to support summer Induction and school year Intern Seminar instruction. This role involves a mix of in-person and virtual instruction, as well as supporting student development throughout the year.

Timeline & Commitment

Month

Key activities

Est. hours

Format

May 2026
  • Onboard
  • Shadow SY25–26 programming

15 hours

Virtual and in-person (1–2 travel days to other Prelude cities) 

June 2026
  • Observe programming
  • Prepare for late June instruction 
  • Lead instruction (in-person)

60 hours

Virtual and in-person (St. Louis) 

July 2026
  • Lead student support
  • Lead instruction (virtual) 
  • Prep for August in-person instruction

30 hours

Primarily Virtual 

August 2026
  • Observe programming
  • Prepare for instruction 
  • Lead instruction (in-person)

60 hours

Virtual and in-person (St. Louis) 

Sept 2026 - May 2027
  • Lead Instruction (primarily virtual): inclusive of 2–3 one-hour class sessions per week on a fixed schedule during business hours
  • Lead student support and 1:1 student check ins (virtual) 
  • Grade student work
  • Attend end of semester presentations (in-person) 

Typically 5 hours per week


Up to 10 hours per week at peak times

Primarily Virtual, with some in-person instruction and events (St. Louis) 

Qualifications

The right candidate for this position possesses the following skills and experiences: 

  • Exceptional classroom instructor in both in-person and virtual settings
  • Experience in student support for high school-aged student population 
  • Experience teaching content related to career-readiness and/or professional skills development for 16–18 year old students in urban, lower-income communities 
  • Experience maintaining strong partnerships; experience with a diverse stakeholders across sectors (education, corporate, and/or healthcare) is a plus
  • Familiarity with Canvas or other LMS platforms, Zoom, Google Drive, and other remote collaboration tools

Compensation 

The consultant will track hours and invoice on a monthly basis. The hourly rate for this role is $65–90 per hour, commensurate with experience.

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This role is ideal for someone who believes in bridging education and career success for young people. If you’re passionate about preparing students for the workforce and can commit to seasonal in-person instruction and year-round virtual support, we’d love to hear from you! 

We encourage candidates to apply by April 1, 2026. 

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