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 .

Controller

Northwoodspace · Torrance, CA

About Northwood:

Northwood is a modern space infrastructure company focused on connecting space and Earth. The world runs on space. Space will run on Northwood. Our global ground network ensures that missions ranging from national security, to global connectivity, to disaster response can unlock their full potential and operate every day without fail.

Role:

We are seeking a Controller to serve as the financial backbone of our organization, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on execution. This individual will design and implement financial systems, drive forecasting and planning, and provide executive-level insights, while also ensuring that core accounting operations such as invoice entry and accounts receivable are executed with accuracy and timeliness.

Beyond managing the numbers, this role will play a key role in building the finance team and shaping a company-wide culture around thoughtful spending, accountability, and resource stewardship. This is a unique opportunity to help define the financial DNA of a growing technology company.

Responsibilities:

Strategy & Leadership:

  • Lead the in-house transition of accounting functions (monthly close, AP/AR, payroll management, revenue recognition & cost accounting systems design)

  • Build and oversee the company’s financial infrastructure, implement functional accounting strategies, reporting frameworks, and internal controls

  • Partner with leadership on business planning, capital strategy, and operational decision-making

  • Provide timely and insightful financial reporting to executives, board members, and investors

  • Establish and champion company-wide financial controls that promote financial discipline and responsible spending

  • Play a leadership role in shaping the company’s culture around cost-awareness and ROI-driven decision-making

  • Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance team as the company scales

  • Evaluate and implement financial systems and tools that enable growth and efficiency

  • Support external audits, tax filings, and investor reporting

Accounts Payable (AP):

  • Process vendor invoices, match POs to receipts, ensure proper coding of expenses and ensure timely payments

  • Reconcile vendor statements and resolve discrepancies

  • Manage expense reimbursements and corporate credit card reconciliations

  • Maintain accurate AP records and ensure compliance with internal controls

  • Assist in maintaining the vendor master file, ensuring data accuracy and compliance with tax requirements (e.g., W-9s, 1099s)

  • Prepare AP aging reports and other financial reports for review by management

Accounts Receivable (AR):

  • Generate, track and send customer invoices in alignment with contracts

  • Monitor collections, follow up on outstanding balances, and support cash flow forecasting

  • Reconcile AR accounts and resolve billing disputes

  • Partner with sales and operations to ensure accurate billing information

  • Prepare AR aging reports and other financial reports to estimate cash inflows

  • Support liquidity and cash flow planning, analyze variances between forecasted and actual receipts

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business (CPA or CMA a plus)

  • 10+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including prior controller or senior accounting role

  • Experience in a start-up or manufacturing environment strongly preferred

  • Proficiency with accounting software (e.g., NetSuite or similar)

  • Strong understanding of GAAP, financial reporting, ASC 606 and internal controls

  • Hands-on and detail-oriented, with willingness to handle transactional tasks as well as strategic projects

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Prior experience in the aerospace, satellite, telecommunications, or defense industries

  • Proficient in SQL or other data tools for supplier and quality analytics

  • Startup or fast-paced environment experience a plus

Additional Information:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.