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 .

Teller

M&T Bank · Berlin, MD

Overview:

Specializes in our branch customer experience through digital engagement, lobby management, transactional processing and retail servicing interactions. Processes a variety of financial transactions in an accurate and efficient manner.

Primary Responsibilities:

Adhere to the established customer service standards and provide a differentiated experience by understanding customer needs and delivering solutions in moments that matter most to them.

Educate our customers through shoulder-to-shoulder digital demonstrations; identify self-service opportunities that meet the customer’s identified needs.
 

Actively engage in lobby management, meeting and greeting customers and proactively inquiring and taking ownership to address the customer’s immediate need.

Accurately balance and process customer transactions efficiently following Bank Policy.

Take ownership of escalated account services issues until resolution; complete and accurately log all customer complaints in the appropriate system.
 

Transition identified sales opportunity and provide introduction to appropriate banking partner.
 

Complete branch-related operational activities as appropriate (e.g cash ordering, vault, ATM, and wire transfer activities).

Process customer/account maintenance accurately.
 

Complete Consumer AML (Anti-Money Laundering)/BSA (Bank Secrecy Act)/ KYC (Know Your Customer related activities.

Adhere to applicable compliance/operational risk controls in accordance with Company or regulatory standards and policies.

Promote an environment that supports belonging and reflects the M&T Bank brand.

Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable.

Complete other related duties as assigned.

Scope of Responsibilities:

The position is responsible for providing exceptional service to branch customers and resolving routine customer problems in a timely manner.  It is important for the jobholder to exemplify empathy, customer centricity, flexibility and adaptability, digital fluency, entrepreneurial spirit and critical thinking in support of the Company’s culture and brand.  The position is responsible for interacting with appropriate areas within the Bank to ensure branch-related operational issues are resolved efficiently and accurately. It is important for the position to stay current on operational changes and demonstrate good risk management decisions to assist the branch in managing preventable losses and reducing fraudulent activity.

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities:

Not Applicable

Education and Experience Required:

High school diploma or equivalent (GED) and minimum of 6 months customer service experience, including data entry and/or cash handling experience
Proven verbal communication skills

Proven interpersonal skills
Proven ability to demonstrated exceptional customer service
Well-organized

Proven time management skills

Proven prioritization skills
Proficient with internet user-level technology

Education and Experience Preferred:

Bilingual based on branch needs

Physical Requirements:

Ability to stand for long periods of time
Prolonged use of hands and fingers
Ability to lift light to heavy objects weighing 5lbs – 30 lbs.
Ability to read fine print
Ability to interact with customers in an open face to face work environment

M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $18.00 - $26.21 Hourly (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.

Location

Berlin, Maryland, United States of America