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 .

Manager, PV Performance Engineering

Intersect · United States

We’re a team of friends bound together by a mission to preserve our planet for future generations through innovative energy solutions and modern infrastructure. In December 2025, Google announced an agreement to acquire Intersect, to enable more data center and generation capacity to come online faster while accelerating energy development and innovation. After close, we’ll continue doing exactly what we were built to do - develop, construct, and operate the most ambitious power and data infrastructure in the country. Intersect’s operations will remain separate from Alphabet and Google under the Intersect brand. We’re on an aggressive growth trajectory and looking for people hungry to tackle the largest energy challenges on the planet.  Location & Team Gatherings Intersect has been a fully flexible workplace since its founding in 2016.  We’ve been very intentional about the way we do things. We are not work-from-home, hybrid, or in-office - we are any and all of those options! Deepening social connections and offering shared experiences is a cornerstone of the way we work. We connect as a team at our Team Week experiences four times a year and at our recently established Hub locations - SF Bay Area, NYC Metro Area, NY; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; Calgary, AB; and Toronto, ON. We are currently looking for candidates located within 60 miles of any of the listed hubs to foster more in-person connections while maintaining our flexible remote culture. About This Position In this role, you will lead and be accountable for PV design, energy modeling, performance, and production estimates for utility-scale solar projects. You’ll manage engineering consultants and Independent Engineers deliverables, ensuring optimal performance throughout the project lifecycle. Currently a sole contributor role, this position may evolve to include direct reports as the PV team grows. What You’ll Do Engineering & Design • Lead technical design (system sizing, equipment selection, electrical modeling) to meet performance and financial targets. • Oversee technology selection for PV modules, trackers, DC collection, and wire management systems. • Guide Independent Engineers (IE) through project financing diligence. • Optimize design to achieve the lowest Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).  • Develop and manage technical specifications for EPC, energy testing protocols, and vendor requirements. • Support energy estimation for PPA negotiations and ensure cost-efficient, constructible solutions. • Lead analysis of pre-construction met station data to improve energy model accuracy.  • Collaborate across teams (development, land, procurement) to resolve regulatory, permitting, and technical challenges. • Ensure adherence to environmental health and safety standards. Operations • Analyze data to diagnose inverter faults and prepare root cause analysis (RCA) reports. • Use field data to recommend design improvements and maintain as-built models for long-term system analysis Business Development • Support clean fuel and green hydrogen energy modeling. • Develop simplified energy models for green molecule production. What You’ll Bring • BS in Engineering required; MS or PhD in Engineering preferred. • 6+ years in PV performance engineering for utility-scale systems, covering development, design, EPC contracting, and construction phases. • Minimum of 5 capacity tests conducted for utility scale PV power plants per ASTM E2848 standard.  • Managed Independent Engineers scope and deliverables for project financing. • Advised procurement on PV module and single-axis tracker purchases for projects ≥100MW or a cumulative 200MW. • Expertise in performance optimization and risk assessment. • Strong project management skills with a focus on time management and prioritization. •Deep understanding of PV modules, DC collection, inverters, and relevant standards (NEC, UL, etc.). • Proficient in tools like PVSyst and Plant Predict. • Scripting knowledge (VBA, Matlab, Python) is a plus. Bonus Points • Commercially minded engineer focused on LCOE/LCOS • Possesses the ability to quantify risk and opportunities around unknowns in design and technology • Understands PV and ESS development processes • Thrives in a cross functional environment, able to guide discussion and identify dependencies between design, production, cost, land use, and LCOE • Strong coordination skills across internal stakeholders and external engineering/EPC partners.