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 .

Manager, Software Engineering

Basis · Buenos Aires

WHO WE ARE 

At Basis, we empower agencies and brands with cutting-edge software that automates digital media operations. Our all-in-one platform supports seamless planning, reporting, and financial reconciliation across direct, programmatic, search, and social media.

We’re not just building advanced technology; we’re also building a culture where passionate, motivated individuals come together to drive meaningful change. Our commitment to inclusivity and growth ensures our employees thrive both professionally and personally.

With our headquarters in Chicago, we offer flexible work options across the U.S. and Canada, including remote, hybrid, or on-site at headquarters.

ABOUT THE TEAM
Technology is at the core of what we do. Basis innovative Engineering team designs and develops new features and integrations for Basis, our industry-leading, comprehensive software solution. Our platform processes over 300 billion events per day and uses AI and machine learning to automate and simplify the entire digital campaign process.  The Financial Integrations team builds, scales, and maintains mission‑critical integrations with financial systems, ensuring accurate, timely, and automated financial operations across the digital advertising lifecycle. We power core workflows by delivering reliable, high‑quality data synchronization across platforms. Partnering closely with Product and Data teams, we ensure the end‑to‑end integrity, transparency, and consistency throughout the organization. 

WAYS YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE 
This role operates as a true player‑coach: you will lead the team while also contributing hands‑on to architecture, design, and implementation. You will also contribute by: 
ABOUT THE TEAM
Technology is at the core of what we do. Basis innovative Engineering team designs and develops new features and integrations for Basis, our industry-leading, comprehensive software solution. Our platform processes over 300 billion events per day and uses AI and machine learning to automate and simplify the entire digital campaign process.  The Financial Integrations team builds, scales, and maintains mission‑critical integrations with financial systems, ensuring accurate, timely, and automated financial operations across the digital advertising lifecycle. We power core workflows by delivering reliable, high‑quality data synchronization across platforms. Partnering closely with Product and Data teams, we ensure the end‑to‑end integrity, transparency, and consistency throughout the organization. 

WAYS YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE 
This role operates as a true player‑coach: you will lead the team while also contributing hands‑on to architecture, design, and implementation. You will also contribute by: 
Integrity in Hiring
At Basis, integrity is at the core of how we hire. To protect our candidates and our company, we verify identity, education, and employment history for all hires. Some roles may also require onsite or in-person interviews as part of the process. Any misrepresentation of identity, experience, or skills may result in removal from the hiring process or termination of employment. We value transparency and authenticity and expect the same from every applicant.

Anything Else?
Don’t have every skill listed? No problem! We know experience can be built in many ways. If you have relevant skills that aren't reflected in your resume, we encourage you to share them in an optional cover letter.  

Life with Basis
We’re committed to our people’s growth and well-being because our success is tied to theirs. That’s why we’ve earned recognition as a top workplace, including: Ad Age, #1 Best Places to Work 2025, WorkLife's #1 Most Committed to Work Life Balance, and the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces in Chicago. We offer competitive perks, including a flexible work week, 401k/RRSP matching, mental health support, paid sabbaticals, generous parental leave, flexible work options, and more.

Basis is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate all team members regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race or cultural background, religion, disability, age, and beyond.

If you need assistance with interview accessibility, please contact talent.acquisition@basis.com. Your privacy is important to us, view our policy here.
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