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 .

VP, Origination

Generate · New York, NY - Hybrid

ABOUT THE POSITION

Generate Capital is building a dedicated platform to originate and deliver large scale, customized, multi technology power solutions for data center and other large load customers. These solutions range from on site generation such as reciprocating engines and fuel cells to grid tied proximate renewables and storage systems. As VP, Origination, you will lead customer engagement and commercial strategy for this platform, serving as the primary interface between sophisticated power buyers and Generate’s integrated development, engineering, and investment capabilities.

This is not a transactional sales role. It is a solution-led commercial leadership role responsible for converting customer demand into long-term, financeable, and executable power solutions.

What you will be doing at Generate Capital as the VP, Origination

  • Originate power solutions opportunities and long-term programmatic partnerships with large load and data center customers and own senior-level commercial relationships

  • Lead structuring and negotiation of complex power agreements, including PPAs, tolling arrangements, behind-the-meter and hybrid solutions

  • Translate customer load profiles, timelines, and sustainability goals into executable commercial concepts

  • Partner closely with internal teams across Power Solutions, Engineering, Development, and Investments to ensure alignment between customer commitments and delivery reality

  • Build and manage a high-quality origination pipeline, prioritizing opportunities based on strategic fit, scalability, and risk-adjusted returns

  • Represent Generate as a credible, long-term power partner in the data center and infrastructure ecosystem

Candidate qualifications & core characteristics:

  • 12+ years of digital/data center experience, energy, and power markets

  • Demonstrated track record negotiating long-term, bespoke power or infrastructure contracts

  • Experience working with sophisticated counterparties (hyperscalers, colos, utilities, or large corporate buyers)

  • Strong understanding of data center power requirements, including time-to-power, reliability, and scalability constraints

  • Ability to balance customer advocacy with execution, finance-ability, and risk discipline

  • Collaborative leadership style with strong judgment under ambiguity

Generate’s compensation packages are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. Salary decisions take into account a wide variety of factors including, but not limited to: skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, geographic location, and other business and organizational needs. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is $220,000 - $260,000. In addition, the compensation package may include a discretionary bonus and other benefits, including health care benefits, retirement benefits, benefits permitting paid days off (including sick leave, parental leave, and paid time off or vacation benefits), and other benefits that must be reported for federal tax purposes. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of this range.

Generate Capital is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or handicap, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.