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 .

Lead Controls Hardware Engineer

GE Vernova · Berlin

Job Description Summary

As lead engineer the successful candidate will be part of a highly motivated, dynamic team of engineers working on the delivery and application engineering of existing and new Controls and Protection engineering applications, focusing on the design of Control and Protection functions for Line Commutated Converter (LCC) and Voltage Source Converter (VSC) HVDC schemes, particularly for HVDC converters and the forthcoming “HVDC Grid”. This is a very exciting and dynamic field of power engineering in which GE’s leading contribution has worldwide recognition.

The successful candidate will be able to innovate, expand their design skills and personal development within an internationally recognised company in this exciting field. The role has a level of autonomy but is focused on execution of activities within an operating discipline supported by standard functional practices and procedures. A degree of judgment will be required at this level but can be supplemented by guidance where required.
The job allows modification of procedures and practices covering work as long as the end results meet standards of acceptability (quality, volume, timeliness etc.).

Job Description

The Candidate

The candidate requires hardware engineering expertise at graduate level or equivalent experience, being able to demonstrate a high degree of knowledge and understanding of Control and Protection hardware engineering principles.

The candidate should demonstrate an ability to think innovatively and apply engineering knowledge.

An enquiring mind and desire to learn new skills, an ability to apply different engineering methods and a willingness to share knowledge are essential qualities. 

An element of self-judgment and the ability to propose different solutions outside of set parameters, but with guidance, is expected at this level. Task are expected to be solved using a combination of experience and on the job training, utilising technical skills and analytical thinking to solve engineering problems. Multiple internal sources will be available to support tasks, give guidance and facilitate the arrival to engineering decisions and solutions.

Skills and Experience

  • Able to work to deadlines with high quality and accuracy.
  • Dynamic and proactive with ability to work on own or as part of a multi-disciplinary engineering team to resolve technical issues.
  • Has knowledge of HVDC. (Preferred attribute)
  • Ensure correct and accurate technical documentation is generated consistent with engineering policies and procedures.
  • Uses technical experience and expertise for data analysis to support recommendations.

  • Has awareness of EHS compliance in design and engineering.
  • Has knowledge of Control & Protection hardware system design and development, understanding schematic capture, wiring schedules, interconnection diagrams and power supply requirements.
  • Has knowledge of component selection, analysis, and qualification testing.
  • Has knowledge of component level design error testing and analysis.
  • Has awareness of Controllership and ROHS/REACH compliance.

  • Has knowledge of industrial networks like Profibus, Ethernet, Ethercat, Passive Optical Networks (PON).
  • Has experience of product verification (bench testing) and validation (integration testing) testing.
  • Has experience of type testing - EMC, Environmental, Halt.
  • Has experience of electronic design for EMC.
  • Has experience of design for manufacture (DFM), test (DFT), industrialisation & design to cost. 

  • Has practical electronic bench testing experience.
  • Use of processes, systems, methodologies and tools to manage product lifecycle challenges such as obsolescence and component lead time.   
  • Has experience of maintaining legacy products including updates and improvements to extend product life span.
  • Is developing their specification & report writing experience and acumen.
  • Confident with requirements capture principles.

  • Has knowledge of design failure mode & effect analysis (DFMEA).
  • Has knowledge of failure analysis and root cause analysis. Has the ability to participate in problem solving activities such as 8D or similar.
  • Awareness of intellectual property and the patent process.
  • Lead and provide the key technical direction to small projects.
  • Interface with manufacturers and integrators.
  • Influences quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the team.
  • Occasional global travel for product validations, product testing and supply chain integration activities.

Specific Abilities

  • Comply with all Quality Procedures, Work Instructions and Processes.
  • Report or resolve any non-conformances and process in a timely manner.
  • Demonstrate commitment to safety through participation in formal and informal discussions.
  • Adhere to all safe working procedures in accordance with instructions.
  • Ensure safety work instructions are complied.

  • Participate in the resolution of safety issues.
  • Comply with the GE code of ethics and Values.
  • Strict adherence to standards and legislation.

Additional Information

Relocation Assistance Provided: No