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 .

SR. FIELD MECHANIC

Home Depot · LOUISIANA - VIRTUAL - LA01

With a career at The Home Depot, you can be yourself and also be part of something bigger.

Position Purpose:

The Sr. Field Mechanic is an experienced, highly skilled mobile repair technician that performs repairs on many types of rental construction equipment. Examples of equipment range from earthmoving, aerial, landscaping, and material handling. The Sr. Field Mechanic performs a majority of repairs on a jobsite or in a mobile environment. Examples of repairs range from general repairs and maintenance, up to more complex repairs on hydraulic, electrical and diesel engines.

This position reports directly to the Rental Repair Supervisor (RRS). The Sr Field Mechanic also plays a key role in teaching and training other associates by passing on their in-depth rental repair and equipment knowledge.

The Sr. Field Mechanic is required to be on call with a rotating schedule, including nights and weekends and performs other duties listed on this job description as well as other duties assigned by the Rental Repair Supervisor.

The Sr. Field Mechanic is also referred to as a Sr. Field Rental Technician.

We’re proud to be on the 2022 Forbes World’s Best Employers list. The Home Depot is growing – grow your career with us. We're building a pipeline of talented candidates for future openings and that's where you come in.


Key Responsibilities:
  • 10% Communicate Operating Procedures - Provides expert knowledge to all Rental associates and customer in the proper operation of the equipment and standard operating procedures
  • 70% Diagnose, Maintain and Repair Equipment - Diagnose, maintain and repair all components of the machine, including gas and diesel engines, hydraulics, electrical systems, fuel systems, and brake systems
  • 10% Document Work - Documents all work performed on tablet technology, including completion of work orders to capture parts usage and labor, performing parts inventory counts, etc.; Performs aerial lift inspections according to required checklist
  • 5% Operate Forklift - Safely operates forklift to load, unload, and move equipment and materials in the shop and yard
  • 5% Proper Storage and Disposal of Materials - Follows safety protocol, including proper storage of supplies and fuel, proper disposal of waste oils and fluids, and proper lifting and moving of materials and equipment
Direct Manager/Direct Reports:
  • This position typically reports to Rental Repair Supervisor
  • This position has 0 Direct Reports

Travel Requirements:
  • Typically requires overnight travel less than 10% of the time.
Physical Requirements:
  • Must continuously stand or walk or regularly requires lifting/handling/carrying material or equipment of moderate weight (8-20 pounds).
Working Conditions:
  • Usually in a comfortable environment but with regular exposure to factors causing moderate physical discomfort from such things as dust, fumes or odors.