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 .

Account Executive Commercial Sales

Pendo · Raleigh, NC

Pendo is seeking a motivated, strategic Account Executive to join our growing Commercial Sales organization in a full-cycle role, responsible for both net-new and existing business. You will own the full customer lifecycle within a territory of small-to-midsize (SMB) and growth-stage businesses (<300 FTEs), leading prospecting, new customer acquisition, account management, renewals, expansions, and churn mitigation. This role combines the responsibilities of both Account Executive and Account Manager, creating a single point of accountability for revenue growth and acceleration across the customer journey. You will serve as the primary point of contact for customers in your book of business. To ensure success, you can expect to work with Customer Success, Solutions Engineering, Legal, and Finance to ensure long-term customer value while achieving quarterly sales and retention targets.

This opportunity is ideal for a consultative seller with who takes ownership and enjoys managing a full book of business and relationships. If you are energized by working in an innovative, results-focused environment, this could be for you.

Role Responsibilities

  • Develop deep expertise and understanding of Pendo’s products
  • Own the full sales cycle for net new prospects and current customers from discovery through close, leading expansion and renewal strategies within your book of business
  • Building consistent weekly pipeline generation in collaboration with business development
  • Manage a rolling forecast and consistently hit pipeline creation and bookings targets
  • Lead value-based discovery to uncover customer challenges and align Pendo's platform as the solution
  • Navigate free trials and proof of concept evaluations with prospects
  • Build executive-level customer relationships while partnering internally to address technical needs and deliver value realization
  • Create and execute account plans that drive net new, expansion opportunities and long-term growth
  • Develop and deliver pricing proposals and negotiate contracts, managing billing questions and renewal transactions with precision
  • Maintain timely and accurate records of activities in Salesforce and other tools in our sales tech stack

Minimum Qualifications

  • Actively leverages AI-powered tools and automation in daily workflows to increase efficiency and impact. Maintains a strong understanding of the rapidly evolving AI landscape and translates emerging capabilities into practical business advantage
  • 2+ years of experience in B2B SaaS net new sales and account management with closing responsibilities
  • Proven ability to manage a full sales cycle, including renewals and expansions
  • Experience providing tailored technical product demonstrations to net new and existing customers
  • Strong negotiation and contract management skills
  • Demonstrated track record of consistent goal attainment
  • Business acumen with an understanding of SaaS metrics and customer value drivers
  • Competency with sales pipeline management and CRM tools, including Salesforce.com
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Preferred Qualifications

  • Training in MEDDICC and/or Force Management methodologies
  • Experience managing a territory of SMB and/or emerging market accounts
  • High emotional intelligence (EQ) and ability to resolve conflict with empathy
  • Ability to multitask and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced
  • environment
  • Desire to learn and grow within a team-based culture
  • Self-motivated, proactive team player
  • Excellent time and process management skills, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks
  • Treats work like a craft, constantly honing and refining skills to adapt to an ever-changing landscape

 

Pendo Description

Pendo was founded in 2013 by former product managers, who combined their heads and hearts to build something they wanted but never had as product managers -- a simple way to understand and attack what truly drives product success.  Our mission is to improve society's experience with software by leveraging the power of AI.

Come join one of the fastest-growing startups, supported by best-in-class institutions like Battery Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Spark Capital and Meritech. You will gain experience in a diverse and exciting set of technologies and clients and have a real impact on Pendo's future. Our culture is passionate, dynamic, and fun.

 

EEOC

We are an equal opportunity employer and believe having diverse teams where everyone brings their whole self to Pendo is key to our success. We welcome all people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives.

 

Accessibility

Pendo is committed to working with, and providing access and reasonable accommodation to, applicants with mental and/or physical disabilities. If you think you may require accommodation(s) for any part of the recruitment process, please send a request to: [email protected]. All requests for accommodations are treated discreetly and confidentially, as practical and permitted by law.

 

Compensation
Our salary ranges are based on paying competitively for our size and industry, and are one part of many compensation, benefits and other reward opportunities we provide.

The expected OTE salary range for this role in Raleigh, NC is $115,000 - $140,000 (50/50 split).

Individual pay rate decisions, including offers made within and over the expected salary range, are based on a number of factors, including qualifications for the role, experience level, skillset, and balancing internal equity relative to peers at the company.