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 .

Enterprise Account Executive - EMEA

Pixaera · Manchester

At Pixaera, we’re a passionate team of builders who are dedicated to delivering solutions that empower people. Today, we’re leveraging Ai and gamification to build a vertical platform that is centered around improving the safety readiness of frontline workers in any high risk industry. If you are a doer who thrives in a dynamic, mission-focused environment, join us!

Who are we?

We’re a passionate team of builders who are dedicated to delivering solutions that empower people. Today, we’re leveraging Ai and gamification to build a vertical platform that is centered around improving the safety readiness of frontline workers in any high risk industry. If you are a doer who thrives in a dynamic, mission-focused environment, join us!

Who are we looking for?

We’re looking for an experienced, commercially-driven Account Executive to further expand our Sales function in the EMEA Region. This role will be responsible for building out our pipeline of new clients, growing the product within their organizations, and influencing our sales strategy.

You will be responsible for:

  • Developing and bringing on board Enterprise accounts in the EMEA in order to exceed our new business ARR targets

  • Developing strong relationships with key stakeholders in global companies, particularly safety executives in energy, manufacturing and construction industries.

  • Build deep understanding of the customers' pain points and how Pixaera can help solve them

  • Work closely with Business Development and the Growth to improve the sales process and cycle

  • Working with leadership and Product to identify new market opportunities

Your contribution to Pixaera will be determined by a combination of:

  • $ ARR value from new logos and growth opportunities

  • Contributions to the sales cycle

  • Customer relationships

  • Retention metrics

Who are you?

  • A successful candidate will have the following skill sets and experience:

    • At least 4 years of experience in an Enterprise Sales role

    • Proven track record of hitting 1m plus in yearly sales targets

    • A history of hitting strong retention and ARR targets

    • Experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

    • Experience working with external stakeholders from large companies

    • A desire to help a startup scale from seed to acquisition/IPO

    • Bonus: Experience in selling to manufacturing, energy, or construction

    What you must be:

    • Passionately customer-focused, always aiming to understand and meet their needs.

    • Obsessive about quality and user experience, striving for excellence in everything you do.

    • A team player, valuing collaboration and open communication.

    • Adaptable and resilient, ready to face the dynamic challenges of a start-up environment.

    • Based in Manchester, with willingness to come to the office 3 times a week.

How do we support and benefit our employees?

  • Fully remote set-up, with 2x company-wide meetups per year to meet and bond with your colleagues.

  • All the equipment you need to succeed provided by Pixaera.

  • 25 days of company vacation allowance per year in addition to local public holidays. If there is a public holiday that you would rather work, let us know and you can swap it for another day in lieu.

  • Competitive stock options.

At Pixaera, we’re committed to building a workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to thrive. We believe that diverse perspectives fuel creativity and innovation, which is why we celebrate individuality and foster an environment of inclusion and belonging.


We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer — discrimination of any kind has no place here. No matter your background, identity, or lived experience, you’re welcome at Pixaera.