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 .

STORE WORKER

Defense Commissary Agency · Atsugi, Japan

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army) Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI) Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible Reinstatement Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 In order to qualify, you must meet the requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision. Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of a(n) STORE WORKER without more than normal supervision. Performing common tasks such as assists in inventories of stock, and place items in stockroom, work under close supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee who observes tasks in progress and upon completion to make sure they are properly performed. In wage examining, there is no length of experience and/or training required to be eligible. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to do the work as listed above in the screen out element- Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating. Applicants who do not receive two points on the screen-out elements (SOE) will be eliminated from further competition. You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas: Ability To Do The Work Of The position Without More Than Normal Supervision Ability to Interpret Instructions, Specification, etc. Dexterity and Safety Knowledge of Materials Technical Practices (theoretical, precise, artistic) Work Practices (includes keeping things neat, clean, and in order) Physical Effort: Work requires continuous walking, standing, bending, and/or stooping, and moving of arms to fill shelves, counters, and to build displays. Frequently lifts or moves heavy boxes or crates weighing up to 50 pounds. Occasionally, with assistance, lifts items weighing over 50 pounds. Working Conditions: Most of the work is performed in the store display areas which are will lighted and maintained at a comfortable temperature. The store aisles are often crowded with customers and grocery carts. When working in the storage area or loading dock, the incumbent may be exposed to hot or cold weather or damp or drafty conditions. May be exposed to differences in temperatures in storing or obtaining items in refrigerated rooms. There is a danger of minor injuries such as cuts, scrapes, and bruisers or heat sealer burns. Selecting officials may select or not select from a certificate of best-qualified candidates OR from a list of applicants eligible for noncompetitive placement (5 CFR 335). If you are currently stationed in the overseas area, all of your overseas time will be credited toward your current overseas tour end date. Your overseas time served will not reset upon accepting this assignment. If you have returned from OCONUS within the past 2 years or less, your time previously served in the OCONUS area will be credited to your 5-year overseas rotation upon accepting this assignment. ***Special Note for Military Members*** MILITARY RETIREES: A retired member of the Armed Forces may not be appointed to a civilian position in DoD (including a non-appropriated fund position) within 180 days after retirement -[**unless the following conditions have been met: the Secretary concerned authorizes the appointment; or the position is authorized special pay under 5 U.S.C. 5305; or a state of national emergency exists]. Separated Military Members: Resumes will be accepted from members of the Armed Forces who indicate in their applications that they are available for appointment within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement. Military members may be appointed while on terminal/ transitional leave, before the effective date of their military retirement/separation. Military Retirees: Within the DoD (Department of Defense), including non-appropriated fund positions, the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following the retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326 or 5 U.S.C. 5305.