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 .

Sales Development Representative, EMEA (Outbound)

Ironcladhq · London

Ironclad is the leading AI contracting platform that transforms agreements into assets. Contracts move faster, insights surface instantly, and agents push work forward, all with you in control. Whether you’re buying or selling, Ironclad unifies the entire process on one intelligent platform, providing leaders with the visibility they need to stay one step ahead. That’s why the world’s most transformative organizations, from Rivian to the World Health Organization and the Associated Press, trust Ironclad to accelerate their business.


We’re consistently recognized as a leader in the industry: a Leader in the Forrester Wave and Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contract Lifecycle Management, a Fortune Great Place to Work, and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Workplaces. Ironclad has also been named to Forbes’ AI 50 and Business Insider’s list of Companies to Bet Your Career On. We’re backed by leading investors including Accel, Y Combinator, Sequoia, BOND, and Franklin Templeton. For more information, visit www.ironcladapp.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

This is a hybrid role. Office attendance is expected two days per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays in London. There may be additional in-office days for team or company events.

We’re hiring our first-ever outbound SDRs in London. This is a chance to join a proven, high-performing sales team, build the EMEA outbound motion from the ground up, and learn from some of the best sellers in the industry. If you’re energised by building pipeline, love the idea of shaping something new, and want real career growth in sales, this role is for you.

What You'll Do:

  • Own and prioritise a strategic target account list within your territory

  • Research and build account plans (adding contacts, sending personalised emails, and making strategic outbound calls)

  • Run confident, high-level conversations with senior executives at target accounts

  • Tell a compelling story in meetings, sharing tailored pitches, product insights, and data that help prospects see why they need our platform

  • Capture and organise sales intelligence in Salesforce so the broader team has clean, actionable data

  • Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Product to share feedback from the market and influence how we position and improve our platform in EMEA

  • Consistently hit and exceed monthly quotas for qualified opportunities

What You Bring:

  • 1+ years of experience as an SDR, ideally in B2B SaaS and with a strong outbound component

  • Energy and drive to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

  • Curiosity and eagerness to master core sales tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, Outreach, and Salesforce

  • Self-sufficiency and a strong internal sense of urgency; you’re hardworking, humble, and accountable

  • Thoughtful approach with strong attention to detail, while still keeping the bigger picture in mind

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, plus persistent, professional follow-through with prospects and customers

  • Collaborative mindset; you enjoy working with other teams and owning projects beyond pure prospecting

  • Flexibility and coachability; you take feedback well and are comfortable iterating quickly

  • Comfort with both giving and receiving feedback as part of a high-performing, learning-focused team

  • Friendly, positive attitude and excitement to be part of a tight-knit group that works hard and values the social, in-person team experience

Nice to Have:

  • Experience selling to in-house legal teams or legal stakeholders

  • Experience in a high-growth tech or SaaS company

  • Familiarity with the UK/EMEA market and selling into multiple countries or regions

Why This Role is Different:

  • First-of-its-kind: Be among the first outbound SDRs on the ground in London and help define how we win in EMEA

  • Impact and visibility: Work directly with experienced AEs and sales leaders who are invested in your development

  • Growth path: Build a strong foundation in outbound, with a clear path to more senior SDR roles or an AE track over time

UK Full-Time Employee Benefits at Ironclad:

  • Private Medical & Dental insurance, covered at 100% for you and dependents

  • Life assurance and Income Protection

  • Generous leave policies, including parental leave, medical leave and compassionate leave

  • Family-forming support through Maven for you and your partner

  • Monthly stipends for wellbeing, hybrid work, and (if applicable) phone use

  • Standard pension contribution scheme

  • Regular team events to connect, recharge, and have fun

  • And most importantly: the opportunity to help build the company you want to work at

Candidates must have the unrestricted right to work in the United Kingdom.


US Full-Time Employee Benefits at Ironclad:

  • 100% health coverage for employees (medical, dental, and vision), and 75% coverage for dependents with buy-up plan options available

  • Market-leading leave policies, including gender-neutral parental leave and compassionate leave

  • Family forming support through Maven for you and your partner

  • Paid time off - take the time you need, when you need it

  • Monthly stipends for wellbeing, hybrid work, and (if applicable) cell phone use

  • Mental health support through Modern Health, including therapy, coaching, and digital tools

  • Pre-tax commuter benefits (US Employees)

  • 401(k) plan with Fidelity with employer match (US Employees)

  • Regular team events to connect, recharge, and have fun

  • And most importantly: the opportunity to help build the company you want to work at

**UK Employee-specific benefits are included on our UK job postings

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.