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 .

Director of Software Engineering

Fiserv · Toronto, Ontario

Calling all innovators – find your future at Fiserv.

We’re Fiserv, a global leader in Fintech and payments, and we move money and information in a way that moves the world. We connect financial institutions, corporations, merchants, and consumers to one another millions of times a day – quickly, reliably, and securely. Any time you swipe your credit card, pay through a mobile app, or withdraw money from the bank, we’re involved. If you want to make an impact on a global scale, come make a difference at Fiserv.

Job Title

Director of Software Engineering

What does a successful Director of Software Engineering do at Fiserv?

As a successful Director of Software Engineering, you will have end-to-end ownership of a technology platform, leading teams responsible for designing, developing, integrating and operating high-quality, scalable software solutions. This role requires strong people leadership, technical depth and the ability to deliver reliable platforms in a fast-paced, regulated Fintech environment.

What you will do:

· Own the technology platform lifecycle from technical requirements through scalable, secure and resilient production operations.

· Lead, mentor and manage high-performing software engineering teams through rapid, high-quality development cycles.

· Partner closely with Product Management to define product roadmaps, technical strategies and delivery plans aligned with business objectives.

· Translate product requirements into clear engineering specifications, designs and implementation plans.

· Lead Agile delivery practices, ensuring consistent execution, predictable delivery and continuous improvement.

· Oversee project planning, execution and reporting; manage team capacity, priorities and dependencies to ensure milestones are met with quality and accountability.

What you will need to have:

· Bachelor's degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or a related field or equivalent practical experience.

· 8+ years of experience in software development primarily in python; Flask for microservice framework, including hands-on technical experience.

· 3+ years of experience leading and managing software development teams.

· Strong experience with modern cloud and DevOps environments, (e.g., AWS, MySQL version 8, Kubernetes, Docker, CI/CD pipelines.)

· Demonstrated success delivering large-scale, distributed systems with high availability and security requirements.

· Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical audiences.

What would be great to have:

· Experience building and operating large-scale, highly available fintech or payments platforms.

· Familiarity with regulatory, compliance and security requirements in financial services.

· Experience leading distributed or globally located engineering teams.

You must currently possess valid and unrestricted work authorization to be considered for this role. Individuals with temporary visas including, but not limited to, F-1 (OPT, CPT, STEM), H-1B, H-2, or TN, or any candidate requiring sponsorship, now or in the future, will not be considered for this role.

Salary Range:

$148,000.00-$185,000.00

Thank you for considering employment with Fiserv.  Please:

  • Apply using your legal name

  • Complete the step-by-step profile and attach your resume (either is acceptable, both are preferable).

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

Fiserv is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected by law. 

Note to agencies:

Fiserv does not accept resume submissions from agencies outside of existing agreements. Please do not send resumes to Fiserv associates. Fiserv is not responsible for any fees associated with unsolicited resume submissions.

Warning about fake job posts:

Please be aware of fraudulent job postings that are not affiliated with Fiserv. Fraudulent job postings may be used by cyber criminals to target your personally identifiable information and/or to steal money or financial information. Any communications from a Fiserv representative will come from a legitimate Fiserv email address.