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 .

Quality Assurance Specialist

Protrials · Regional

We opened our doors with a clear and simple vision: to provide the worldwide clinical research industry with professional services that demonstrate the highest level of experience, quality, and integrity.  Since 1996, ProTrials has supported research that has led to ground-breaking treatments and solutions in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries.
 
What fuels our focus?  Most of us entered the clinical research field to help patients, caregivers, or maybe even our loved ones.  We show up every day committed to do work that matters.  When you join ProTrials, you will join a collaborative community helping to build a healthier world. 
 
We also understand your need to balance a meaningful workload with life’s every-day moments.  At ProTrials, we know that this makes our employees happier, healthier, and more successful.  

ABOUT THE JOB:
In this position, the QA Specialist will support the ProTrials Quality Assurance department. The QA Specialist will maintain the ProTrials’ Controlled Document System and ProTrials Training Program, and other QA supportive Good Clinical Practice (GCP) activities per ProTrials procedures and applicable regulatory requirements (FDA, ICH, etc.). The QA Specialist will participate during Sponsor audits and/or regulatory inspections, as required.
ABOUT THE JOB:
In this position, the QA Specialist will support the ProTrials Quality Assurance department. The QA Specialist will maintain the ProTrials’ Controlled Document System and ProTrials Training Program, and other QA supportive Good Clinical Practice (GCP) activities per ProTrials procedures and applicable regulatory requirements (FDA, ICH, etc.). The QA Specialist will participate during Sponsor audits and/or regulatory inspections, as required.
Except as otherwise permitted or required by applicable law or regulatory requirements, ProTrials will retain the applicant’s personal information in accordance with its statutory obligations and internal policies and procedures.
Information collected during application completion may be retained for a reasonable period of time and in accordance with the company’s established retention policies. Applicants seeking more information may contact [email protected]

ProTrials Research, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. ProTrials does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), pregnancy, and childbirth or related medical conditions (including genetic characteristics), genetic information, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL DO:

  • Responsible for assessing, evaluating, and reviewing corporate operations against GCP regulations to assure real-time observation of activities, issue identification/ resolution, including proper and timely documentation
  • Facilitates and conducts internal and external audits and provides metrics and analysisof trends based on audit findings
  • Assist in the conduct or arrangement of GCP training for all staff
  • Maintain the Controlled Document and Training systems and oversee administrative support utilized in maintaining systems
  • Manage process and tracks controlled documents from the Document Change Control Form (DCRF) process until document approval or retirement, including updating related Controlled Document, training logs, and trackers
  • Responsible for providing quality oversight to the revision, review, and approval of controlled documents
  • Work with document reviewers to advise and revise controlled documents as appropriate and ensure reviews are performed in a timely manner
  • Responsible for providing input and support as appropriate to the creation of new controlled documents
  • Works with QA Management and other departments to identify gaps in controlled documents and recommends solutions
  • Communicate effectively with staff and management across departments on status of Controlled Documents and corporate training
  • Participate in inspection readiness activities and corporate audits, sponsor audits and/or regulatory inspections, as required
  • Works closely with others to determine root cause and potential preventive/corrective actions in support of the corporate CAPA Program. Identifies, classifies, and reports deviations, as appropriate, and typically works on more complex minor and/or major deviations. Ensure support for the timely closure of investigations
  • Assist QA management with the evaluation of learning management systems and other QA technology, as required
  • Assist in the preparation of quality metrics and reports
  • Assist QA management team with other Clinical QA activities as required
  • Other duties, as assigned
  • HERE IS WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:

  • Good working knowledge of FDA, GCP, and ICH regulations, guidelines, and standards governing regulated clinical research and good documentation practices is required
  • Experience working in a GCP environment
  • High level of computer/software proficiency and adaptability
  • Exceptional attention to detail
  • Ability to prioritize multiple daily tasks to meet timelines
  • Strong understanding of Quality Assurance practices and systems
  • Strong independent judgement and decision-making abilities
  • Outstanding interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills and attention to detail
  • Ability to proactively resolve issues in a diplomatic, flexible, and constructive manner
  • Available to travel up to approximately 25% of the time
  • HERE IS WHAT WE OFFER:

  • Your wellness matters to us – that’s why we provide full medical, dental, and vision insurance options for you and your family.
  • We know life doesn’t pause for work – we provide flexible PTO so you can take care of what matters, both personally and professionally.
  • You invest in your future – and so do we. Our 401(k) plan includes a company match to help you reach your financial goals.
  • At ProTrials, we are committed to your growth. Whether you’re looking to expand your skills or take the next step in your career, we provide the support and opportunities you need to keep moving forward.
  • We have the best coworkers, if we do say so ourselves.