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 .

IPA Originator

Marcus & Millichap · Austin, TX

Institutional Property Advisors (“IPA” or the “Company”), a division of Marcus & Millichap, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) is seeking Originators who will be responsible for sourcing debt and equity including permanent, bridge, and construction loans through various capital sources including commercial banks, CMBS lenders, insurance companies, private equity, and debt funds. The candidate will be an integral part of the growth and development of IPA’s capital markets business. The primary responsibility of the Originator is to originate loans and oversee transactions from engagement through closing, acting as a liaison between clients and capital sources.

 
The anticipated salary range for candidates who will perform work in Texas is $35,000 – $37,000 per year, plus commission, depending on experience, individual performance, transaction volume, and market conditions. Marcus & Millichap is a multi-state employer and posted salary ranges are provided in good faith for compliance with all relevant pay-transparency regulations. These ranges may not reflect potential compensation for positions based in other states or regions.

Institutional Property Advisors (“IPA” or the “Company”), a division of Marcus & Millichap, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) is seeking Originators who will be responsible for sourcing debt and equity including permanent, bridge, and construction loans through various capital sources including commercial banks, CMBS lenders, insurance companies, private equity, and debt funds. The candidate will be an integral part of the growth and development of IPA’s capital markets business. The primary responsibility of the Originator is to originate loans and oversee transactions from engagement through closing, acting as a liaison between clients and capital sources.

 
The anticipated salary range for candidates who will perform work in Texas is $35,000 – $37,000 per year, plus commission, depending on experience, individual performance, transaction volume, and market conditions. Marcus & Millichap is a multi-state employer and posted salary ranges are provided in good faith for compliance with all relevant pay-transparency regulations. These ranges may not reflect potential compensation for positions based in other states or regions.
Institutional Property Advisors is a leading commercial real estate services firm providing institutional clients with commercial real estate investment sales and capital markets expertise and acclaimed research. A leading advisory to the institutional investment community, the IPA multifamily investment sales practice has closed $15B of transactions over the past 12 months.
 
Marcus & Millichap revolutionized the real estate brokerage industry. The firm was designed to go far beyond simply facilitating real estate transactions. It was developed as an entire system dedicated to maximizing value for real estate investors.
 
In 1971, founders George Marcus and William Millichap launched a new real estate investment business model based on a unique method of matching each property with the largest pool of pre-qualified investors. This simple premise, coupled with an unfailing drive to measure success by client satisfaction, enabled the company to emerge as the industry’s pre-eminent real estate investment services firm.
 
The founders’ vision has been realized by a commitment to specialization, the willingness to foster a culture of information sharing and the foresight to pioneer real estate technology. Today, Marcus & Millichap is the industry’s largest firm specializing in real estate investment sales, financing, loan sales as well as a leading source of research and advisory services.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Marcus & Millichap is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Developing and maintaining strong relationships with an emphasis on developers, owners, and other sources of third-party origination opportunities.
  • Prescreening and qualifying transactions prior to the underwriting and marketing process.
  • Reviewing offering memorandum and on a case-by-case basis screening and structuring transactions and preparing underwriting presentations.
  • Working closely with capital sources to secure the most favorable transactions for the client.
  • Working closely with investment sales agents to enhance their market position and to assist them in generating greater revenue and capturing more market share through both financing and staple financing opportunities.
  • Creating and maintaining relationships with capital sources to achieve superior execution on transactions.
  • Expanding relationships with key market leaders, associations, and professional organizations to function as an active source of referrals to cement the Company as the real estate service provider of choice.

Key Attributes and Experience:

  • A minimum of 10 years of capital markets experience with a brokerage, investment bank or principal.  
  • Ability to successfully transfer key relationships to the Company. 
  • Superior written and verbal communication skills.
  • Collaborative personal/professional style that advances a collegial partnered approach to meeting corporate objectives.
  • Ability to work successfully in a large brokerage institution.
  • Ability to effectively represent customers and business partners.
  • Highly intelligent and creative thinker, with the personal focus, energy, and leadership style to drive business.
  • Track record of creating and developing both client centric and internal relationships.
  • Well-rounded professional with high personal values, exceptional judgment, and discretion.

Benefits:

Marcus & Millichap offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees’ health, well-being, and financial security. Eligible employees may have access to the following benefits, subject to the terms of applicable benefit plans:
•    Health, dental, and vision insurance
•    Paid time off and paid holidays
•    401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions
•    Life and disability insurance
•    Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and wellness resources
Benefits eligibility, coverage, and employer contributions may vary based on position, employment status (full-time or part-time), location, and length of service. This summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee of benefits. Additional details will be provided during the hiring process or upon request.