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 .

HR Generalist

Proof · Detroit, MI

Location: Detroit, MI (Mon-Thur in-office, Fri remote)

About Us

We're Proof, a high growth company in the legal tech industry founded in 2017. We've built a best-in-class legal services platform used by thousands of law firms with a sustained average growth rate of over 10%. Our marketplace platform helps law firms and pro se parties access more efficient, transparent, and accessible legal services that are not traditionally available to everyone. Our primary services are Service of Process and E-Filing. We currently support over 3,000 law firms throughout the US and countless pro se parties.

We welcome people from all backgrounds who seek the opportunity to help build a future where access to legal services is readily available, affordable, and efficient. Work with us if you have the curiosity, passion, and collaborative spirit to achieve the fundamental change in an outdated industry.

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented HR Generalist to join our team in Detroit, MI. This critical, in-office role will serve as a dedicated people partner to our Operations and Client Services leadership teams, playing a pivotal role in establishing and scaling a world-class service-oriented capability center. Reporting to the VP, Human Resources, the HR Generalist will be instrumental in executing people initiatives, focusing heavily on talent attraction, employee retention, and driving operational efficiencies through effective HR practices.

What You’ll Do

Business Partnership & Workforce Planning

  • Serve as the primary HR point of contact and trusted advisor for the Operations and Client Services leadership teams and employees in the Detroit capability center.
  • Track and analyze metrics in partnership with the HR leadership team to develop solutions, programs, and policies that improve organizational performance, talent pipelines, and employee engagement.
  • Drive HR operational excellence and efficiency, identifying and implementing process improvements.
  • Support employee onboarding efforts including new hire orientation and benefit administration. 

Talent Acquisition & Management

  • Collaborate with the Talent Acquisition team to develop and execute innovative recruitment strategies focused on attracting top-tier talent for the Detroit location, particularly in high-demand roles for hourly positions within Operations and Client Services.
  • Develop and implement proactive and scalable employee attraction and retention strategies, such as stay and exit interviews, referral programs, community outreach.
  • Support execution of performance management cycles ensuring consistency, fairness, and a focus on high performance and development.

Employee Relations & Development

  • Manage and resolve complex employee relations issues, conducting effective, thorough, and objective investigations as necessary, ensuring compliance with all state and federal regulations.
  • Partner with leaders to ensure effective coaching and development programs are in place to build strong leadership capabilities and a continuous learning culture.
  • Champion our company culture and values, promoting a positive, inclusive, and engaging work environment.
  • Administer leave of absence policies in accordance with federal, state and local policies.

What You’ll Need

  • Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
  • 5+ years of HR experience, with at least 2 years supporting Operations, Client Services, or similarly fast-paced, large-scale teams.
  • Ability to work full-time in the Detroit, MI office location 4-5 days per week.
  • HR certification is a plus (SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, or SPHR).
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.

Compensation & Benefit Details 

  • Full-time, salary position ranging from $70,000 - $90,000
  • Medical, dental, vision, and 401k are available
  • Flexible time off (paid planned and sick time, and paid holidays)
  • Necessary equipment provided
  • Must be located in or around Detroit, MI as this is an in-person role

E-Verify

This company participates in E-Verify, for more information view the Participation and Right to Work Posters.

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