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 .

Order Administrator

Brightsign · Minden, NV

BrightSign, the global market leader in digital signage media players, is seeking an Order Administrator to join our growing logistics and operations team. This role requires working full time out of our Minden, Nevada warehouse location.  This is a great opportunity to join a fast-growing industry-leading company.  

Responsibilities 

  • Process both hardware and subscription purchase orders in our NetSuite System (experience preferred but not required), ensuring all orders are cleared daily with no open orders left unresolved. 
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for customers via phone and Zendesk, resolving issues, proactively communicating order status, and building relationships with a solutions-first mindset. 
  • Independently manage and prioritize your ticket queue, take initiative to investigate problems, identify root causes, and drive issues to resolution. Partner with the warehouse fulfillment team to coordinate on order fulfillment, returns, and damaged item processing. 
  • Process returned/damaged items accurately and efficiently. 
  • Support month-end inventory reconciliation and account for inventory discrepancies. 

Ideal Candidate Profile 

  • Customer-first mindset:  you enjoy talking with customers, take ownership of their experience, and feel genuine satisfaction when you solve their problems. 
  • Comfortable and confident on the phone, able to handle a range of personalities, de-escalate frustrations, and communicate clearly and professionally. 
  • High attention to detail with strong note-taking and documentation habits. 
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, experience with NetSuite or Zendesk is a plus. 
  • Team player and always willing to help other members across departments. 
  • Able to stay focused, multitask and manage time wisely. 
  • Strong problem-solving skills, able to identify issues, investigate them, take action and follow through. 

BrightSign offers a comprehensive benefits package, generous time off, and a collaborative work environment. The hourly wage for this role is $20-22/hour and dependent on experience. The actual salary may vary based on experience, credentials, qualifications, and location. If you thrive in a fast-paced, innovative environment, we want to hear from you! 

 

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