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 .

Future Opportunities ApplicationAll Offices

Lift · United States

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Future Opportunities Application

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FUTURE OPPORTUNTIES APPLICATION 

 

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION  

Founded in 1998, LIFT is a national nonprofit that empowers families to break the cycle of poverty. We operate program sites in four major cities – Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. – where we connect hardworking parents and caregivers of young children to the people, tools and resources they need to achieve greater economic security and well-being. We believe that by investing in families during children’s earliest years, we can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. To learn more, visit www.whywelift.org.  

LIFT is at an exciting moment in its organizational trajectory. We are looking for entrepreneurial, results-driven relationship builders who are committed to LIFT's mission and values.  

 

LIFT's positions are typically hybrid.

 

If there currently is not a position posted that you are interested in but are interested in expressing your desire to work with LIFT, please fill out this General Application. Your application will be kept on file and you may be contacted if a position becomes available that is a fit for your experience and interests. 

 

WHAT WE OFFER  

In addition to a competitive annual salary, LIFT provides an attractive benefits package that includes employer-paid health care coverage, a 403(b) retirement plan, partial cell phone coverage, and pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits. LIFT also provides a generous paid-time-off policy, including a one-week company-wide vacation over the winter holidays. LIFT’s culture strives to be supportive, inclusive and fun!   

 

 

LIFT believes that diversity of background and perspective are strengths and seeks to continue to grow a diverse, highly committed, skilled and collaborative staff. As such, LIFT's staff enjoy a very competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision plans, as well as life, disability and long-term care insurance. LIFT also provides their staff with a professional development stipend, transit allowance, a 403(b)-retirement plan and generous PTO as well as paid holidays. LIFT's headquarters is also located in downtown DC with convenient access to the Union Station Metro stop. 

Offers of employment with LIFT are contingent upon the results of LIFT's standard background checks. 

 

LIFT does not make hiring decisions on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, age, disability, religion, political affiliation, or ideology. 

 

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