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 .

Consulting Associate (Intellectual Property practice)

Charlesriverassociates · Houston, Texas, United States

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provide clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns.

Position Overview

CRA’s Intellectual Property practice applies deep expertise in finance, accounting, and economics to the valuation of intellectual property. Patents, trademarks, trade secrets, copyrights, and other intellectual assets are unique, and it takes creativity and intellectual rigor to value these assets objectively. Our expertise is sought by our clients in a variety of contexts, including high-stakes litigation, mergers and acquisitions, licensing negotiations, regulatory compliance, and tax matters. Our experience spans a variety of industries, including software, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer products.

Consulting Associates work closely with senior consultants on project teams. Successful candidates have a strong working knowledge of financial, accounting, and economic concepts and a broad range of research and quantitative skills. A typical Consulting Associate would:

  • Assist the project team with the development of appropriate financial, accounting, and economic analyses and valuation models to support case theories using spreadsheets and databases;
  • Conduct industry, market, and competitive research to develop an independent fact base;
  • Review and summarize client documents and third-party research to identify key information;
  • Perform interview-based research with client representatives, government entities, and industry associations;
  • Assist in the production and development of research summaries, expert reports, and the presentation of findings;
  • Ensure the integrity and accuracy of analyses; and
  • Assist with practice development activities (training, recruiting, knowledge management).

Desired Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Economics, or related analytic discipline;
  • 3-5 years of relevant work experience (up to 2-4 years with Master's), with prior litigation consulting/valuation experience preferred;
  • Solid working knowledge of finance, accounting, and economic methodologies;
  • Command of a broad range of research and quantitative analysis skills (including strong Excel skills);
  • Curious and analytic thinkers who bring creative approaches to non-standard problems;
  • Effective written and oral communication skills;
  • Demonstrated high level of initiative and leadership;
  • Strong teamwork and collaboration capabilities;
  • Excellent time management and task prioritization skills.

Check out our blogs about a typical day at CRA and how you can make an impact!

To Apply

To be considered for this position, please submit the following:

  • Resume – please include current address, personal email and telephone number;
  • Cover letter – please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals.

Career Growth and Benefits 

  • CRA’s robust skills development programs, including a commitment to offering 100 hours of training annually through formal and informal programs, encourage you to thrive as an individual and team member. Beginning with research and analysis skill building, training continues with technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and career mentoring and performance coaching from an assigned senior colleague. Additional leadership and collaboration opportunities exist through internal firm development activities.
  • We offer a comprehensive total rewards program including a superior benefits package, wellness programming to support physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being, and in-house immigration support for foreign nationals and international business travelers.

Work Location Flexibility

CRA creates a work environment that enables our colleagues to benefit from being together in the office to best deliver on our promise of career growth, mentorship and inclusivity. At the same time, we recognize that individuals realize a range of benefits when working from home periodically. We currently expect that individuals spend at least 3 to 4 days a week working in the office (which may include traveling to another CRA office or to client meetings), with specific days determined in coordination with your practice or team.

Our Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

 

 

 

Salary and other compensation

A good-faith estimate of the annual base salary range for this position is $100,000 - $126,500. Stating pay within this range may vary based on factors such as education level, experience, skills, geographic location, market conditions, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position may be eligible for additional bonus incentive compensation.

CRA offers a comprehensive benefits package, subject to eligibility requirements, which may include: medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) retirement plan with employer match; life and disability insurance; paid time off (vacation, sick leave, holidays); paid parental leave; wellness programs and employee assistance resources; and commuter benefits.