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 .

Sr Investment Associate

Northern Trust · Miami, FL

About Northern Trust:

Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.

Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world’s most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Senior Investment Associate

The Senior Investment Associate partners closely with Portfolio Advisors (PAs) and client service teams to deliver proactive, high‑quality service to high‑net‑worth clients. This role supports the day‑to‑day workflow of PAs by preparing client‑facing materials, coordinating meeting logistics and technology, and providing analytical and operational support related to investment activity.

The Senior Investment Associate plays a critical role in maintaining client confidence by ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and attention to detail across all deliverables. This position thrives in a highly collaborative, team‑oriented environment and requires a consistently positive, solutions‑oriented attitude. The ideal candidate values partnership, takes pride in supporting colleagues, and is motivated by contributing to strong client and team outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

  • Prepare, proof, and coordinate presentation materials for existing and prospective clients.
  • Support client meetings by coordinating required technology and ensuring materials are accurate and complete.
  • Monitor and take ownership of compliance‑related tasks and follow‑up procedures, including consulting with PAs on deficiencies and communicating with clients to resolve exceptions.
  • Track investment and trade activity from execution through settlement; research and resolve account or operational discrepancies.
  • Analyze investment themes, performance results, and related data to support client communications and internal discussions.
  • Monitor current and outstanding capital structure offers and ensure all related deadlines are met.
  • Communicate relevant research, recommendations, and offer information to PAs in a timely manner.
  • Provide coverage for Portfolio Managers’ desks as needed, including distributing research and portfolio construction information.
  • Adhere to Portfolio Advisor guidelines and proactively identify opportunities to mitigate risk and prevent errors.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong analytical and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
  • Broad understanding of financial markets and investment concepts, developed through prior experience or on‑the‑job training.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (advanced functions preferred) and PowerPoint; working knowledge of FactSet and Bloomberg is highly preferred.
  • 2–3 years of experience in investment operations, client service, or personal trust servicing.

Education and Credentials

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.
  • Strong interest in the investment industry; candidates pursuing the CFA are preferred.

Work Environment

  • This is an office-based position. Duties and responsibilities must be performed onsite to support effective collaboration and client service.

#LI-LG1

Working with Us:

As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.

Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve! Join a workplace with a greater purpose.

We’d love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world’s most admired and sustainable companies! Build your career with us and apply today. #MadeForGreater

Reasonable accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected].

We hope you’re excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us. We value an inclusive workplace and understand flexibility means different things to different people.

Apply today and talk to us about your flexible working requirements and together we can achieve greater.

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