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 .

Dispatcher II Delivery

Builders FirstSource · Berlin, NJ

Ignite your career at Builders FirstSource, America’s largest supplier of building materials, value-added components and building services to the professional market. The #1 name in our industry, we help make the dream of home ownership more achievable every day. At BFS, you’ll be equipped with all the tools, training, and resources you need, and you’ll be empowered to try new things, gain new experiences, and build a career with unlimited horizons. PURPOSE Assigns motor vehicles and drivers for conveyance of building materials by performing the following duties. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Compiles list of available vehicles. Assigns vehicles according to factors such as length and purpose of trip, freight or passenger requirements, and preference of user. Assigns orders to lift operators to be pulled from inventory. Issues keys, record sheets, and credentials to drivers. Records time of departure, destination, cargo, and expected time of return. Investigates overdue vehicles. Directs activities of drivers by two-way radio. Confers with customers to expedite or locate missing, misrouted, delayed, or damaged merchandise. Maintains record of mileage, fuel used, repairs made, and other expenses. Establishes service or delivery routes. Assigns helpers to drivers. Other duties SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This job has no supervisory responsibilities. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. High school diploma or general education degree (GED); and two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. COMPETENCIES Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write basic business correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees, customers, and members of management. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL ACTIVITY The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. At BFS, we want you and your career to be greater than what you ever could have expected. Our supportive, people -first culture will build you up and empower you to do more, be more, and become better every day. Join us and see what’s possible when you can rise to new challenges, learn new skills, and add to your career tool belt every day. At Builders FirstSource, we offer competitive, affordable benefits designed to make life better for you and the people you love. Our goal is simple — provide great plans that help you and your family to live happier, healthier and more secure lives. To view all our benefit offerings click here www.bldrbenefits.com. Builders FirstSource is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or status as an individual with a disability. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Builders FirstSource, please call (214) 765-3990 or email: [email protected]. Please do not send resumes to this email address - it is intended only to be used to request an accommodation in submitting an application for a job opening.