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 .

Program Master Scheduler

Lusternational · Sacramento, California, United States

Are you ready to take on a career-defining challenge where your expertise in scheduling and risk management will directly impact major infrastructure programs? We’re looking for a Program Master Scheduler to steer timelines for large, heavy-civil infrastructure projects, including highways, roads, bridges, transit (including rail and bus), and airport projects delivered through both traditional and alternative methods. Ideally, someone who thrives on solving complex scheduling puzzles, mitigating risks before they become roadblocks, and ensuring large-scale programs stay on track. If you have a passion for precision, a knack for problem-solving, and the leadership skills to guide stakeholders through the intricacies of project scheduling, we want to hear from you. 

This is a long-term, full-time, onsite position located in Sacramento, CA.

Responsibilities may include, but not limited to, the following 

  • Review and analyze owner/project manager and contractor prepared CPM schedules, baseline schedules, and monthly schedule updates to identify critical paths, near critical paths, milestone impacts, phasing shifts and potential trends.   
  • Collect field progress data, update status weekly or monthly, and produce look-aheads, variance reports, and earned-value forecasts.  
  • Run critical path and what-if analyses to test sequencing options, recovery plans, and alternative delivery scenarios.  
  • Perform schedule-risk assessments—identify drivers, quantify exposure with tools such as Monte Carlo simulations, recommend contingencies, and track mitigation actions.  
  • Analyze schedules for opportunities to reduce schedule risk, critical path duration, and recover delays by creating and analyzing what-if schedules.   
  • Perform schedule audits on project schedules to ensure data is “risk ready.” 
  • Support change orders and claims by preparing Time Impact Analyses that tie delays to cost and contractual entitlement.  
  • Analyze contractor delay claims including owner risk through the application of forensic scheduling principles.   
  • Continuous analysis of schedules and provision of alternatives and expected outcomes to avoid any schedule delays.    
  • Apply Earned Value Management techniques to schedules for purposes of reporting key performance indicators (KPIs).   
  • Identify key items which may not be included in structure schedules (such as utility relocations, environmental and or seasonal restrictions, or procurements).  
  • Perform review and analysis of schedules for reliability, risk identification, risk review, and risk assessments.  
  • Provide recommendations for increased schedule reliability.  

Skills and Attributes 

  • Adaptability to technological advancements in scheduling, software tools, project management systems, which may require “out of the box” thinking and application.  
  • Ability to work independently with minimal direction, under pressure and successfully prioritize deliverables. 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.   
  • Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills.   
  • Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.   
  • Natural curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and a passion for continuous improvement. 

Minimum Qualifications 

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or related field or equivalent combination of education/experience.   
  • 15+ years' progressive experience in project scheduling or similar role for heavy civil rail and roadway transportation projects, including full CPM baseline development, resource or cost loading, and progress updating. 
  • Experience scheduling for large programs (e.g., $500M+) utilizing quality and risk-based thinking.  
  • Experience with alternative delivery methods (e.g., DB, CM/GC, P3) to include an understanding of the implications of each for schedule governance and reporting. 
  • Experience conducting critical path and variance analyses, preparing Time Impact Analyses, and quantifying schedule risk using Monte Carlo or similar methods.  
  • Experience with Earned Value Management (EVM), resource planning, and cashflow management. 
  • Experience creating and presenting technical presentations in group settings and meetings.   
  • Forensic CPM scheduling skills regarding analyzing delay claims, including the use of forensic scheduling software (e.g., Acumen Fuse, Schedule Cracker, Project Analyzer, etc.) 
  • Proficiency with schedule risk analysis tools (e.g. Primavera Risk, Deltek Acumen Fuse, @Risk, etc.)