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 .

Tax Supervisor

Ascendtogether · Boston, MA; Westwood, MA

Walter Shuffain is looking to bring on a Tax Supervisor. Supervisors at Walter Shuffain are the heart of our team. They are responsible for performing both audit and tax engagements with little supervision. They also direct and review the work of staff accountants. The ideal candidate will play a crucial role in overseeing the execution of audit and tax engagements, managing staff, and ensuring the highest level of service quality.

About Walter Shuffain: 

Established in 1994, WS Advisors is a Boston-based advisory and accounting firm dedicated to delivering thoughtful tax, financial, and business guidance that helps clients make confident, forward-looking decisions. We pride ourselves on a collaborative culture rooted in accountability, respect, responsiveness, and continuous learning, where diverse perspectives are welcomed and individual growth is encouraged.

Recognized for excellence, innovation, and a supportive work environment, WS Advisors has been named an IPA Top 200 Firm, an IPA Fastest Growing Firm, an IPA Best of the Best Firm, and one of Accounting Today’s Best Firms to Work For. We invest in our people and foster meaningful careers built on teamwork, integrity, and shared success.

 

About Ascend:

Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com.

 

Essential Functions:

  • Play a key role in managing client engagements, leading teams, and ensuring the successful execution of audit and tax services.
  • Plan, coordinate, and supervise the various phases of audit and tax engagements and assume responsibility for the end work product.
  • Train, mentor, and evaluate junior staff members, providing guidance and support to enhance their professional growth.
  • Work directly with clients throughout the engagement, including participation in client meetings, and foster client relationships throughout the year.
  • Communicate effectively with clients to understand their needs and deliver exceptional service.
  • Maintain the highest technical and professional standards.
  • Ability to work in a dynamic environment and Oversee multiple client engagements across industries, ensuring timely and high-quality deliverables.
  • Stay current on industry trends, regulatory changes, and best practices.
  • Provide performance feedback and assist in staff evaluations.
  • Promote a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

 

Education, Skills and Experience:

  • 5+ years of auditing and tax experience.
  • Bachelors in Accounting, CPA Certification preferred.
  • Strong knowledge of accounting principles, practices, and tax regulations.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
  • Must be a team player as well as be able to supervise junior staff.
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