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 .

Senior Software Engineer

Moonshot Ai · New York City

Why Moonshot AI?

Imagine websites that rebuild themselves on autopilot to sell more, convert better, and grow faster.
At Moonshot AI, we’re making that happen — merging generative AI, large-scale data pipelines, and experimentation into a self-evolving web.

We’re a well-funded, very early-stage startup with a massive vision. Joining now means you’re not just an employee — you’re helping set the technical and cultural DNA of the company. If you’ve ever wanted the autonomy of a founder with the backing of top-tier investors, this is it.

What You’ll Build & Achieve

As our Senior Fullstack Engineer, you’ll be hands-on across the stack — designing, building, and scaling systems that power our AI-driven platform. Expect autonomy, speed, and a ton of ownership.

  • Architect and build scalable systems — from backend APIs to frontend dashboards — that process tens of millions of web events per day.

  • Design large-scale data infrastructure that explains how websites are built, why they perform the way they do, and how to optimize them.

  • Train and integrate LLMs into production to automatically hypothesize, generate, and validate website variants.

  • Shape engineering culture & practices — your fingerprints will be all over our tech stack, architecture, and team processes.

  • Experiment, prototype, and iterate — research + product + AI + scale, all at once.

This isn’t about maintaining yet another SaaS app — it’s about building an AI engine that redefines how digital products are created.

Who We’re Looking For

  • A software craftsman — you write clean, scalable code and know how to ship at speed.

  • 5+ years fullstack experience (Python, JS, AWS preferred, but not a blocker).

  • Experience leading teams or driving major projects.

  • Background in CS, EE, Math, or equivalent hands-on mastery.

  • An AI enthusiast who wants to build with LLMs and shape how they’re applied in the real world.

Bonus Points:

  • Startup experience (you thrive in zero-to-one).

  • Experience training or deploying ML models in production.

At Moonshot, culture isn’t fluff — it’s how we win

  • Curiosity & Growth → We challenge assumptions, ask big questions, and push for mastery.

  • Low Ego → No ivory towers — everyone gets their hands dirty.

  • Ownership → You own outcomes, not just outputs. Shipping is step one; impact is the goal.

  • Trust → Radical transparency and accountability, even when it’s hard.

  • Agility → We move fast, test faster, and aren’t afraid to pivot.

  • This Is Your Company → Ideas fuel breakthroughs. We’re all builders here.

  • Enjoy the Ride → Startups are a rollercoaster — we create good vibes and celebrate wins together.

What We Offer

  • Competitive salary

  • Meaningful equity — real ownership in Moonshot AI’s success.

  • Full health coverage (medical, dental, vision) for you + your family.

  • Unlimited PTO — we trust you to take the time you need.

  • Office-first culture (4 days/week) — Midtown Manhattan, in the middle of it all.

  • Work directly with the founding team — your impact is immediate, visible, and career-defining.

  • Backed by top investors in NYC, SF, and TLV.

View full listing