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 .

Senior Graphic Designer

Puffco · Los Angeles, CA

The Role: 

Puffco is looking for a Graphic Design expert, to help push the Puffco brand forward. We are searching for experienced design leadership to aid our product launch campaigns, social accounts, experiential events & activations, and to create work that is competitive and innovative far outside of the cannabis space.

As part of a cross-functional team, you’ll work closely with our Creative Director and Art Directors to develop compelling designs across the consumer journey, from print assets to customer-facing digital interfaces. You’ll also find innovative ways to evolve and scale our brand design systems, taking on complex problems, and designing elegant, simple solutions.

The Responsibilities:

  • Refining the existing brand look (type and consistency across all mediums)
  • Hero Image Art (photo & digital design posters for new products)
  • Art and design cohesive social posts
  • Direct Response Campaigns
  • Print and Packaging
  • Digital Marketing
  • Facebook and Instagram ads (static and motion)
  • Affiliate and Display Advertising
  • Responsive Web design
  • Landing page and Email design

What you Possess:

  • 5-9 years of experience 
  • Must have an online portfolio to apply, no PDF’s.
  • Strong abilities in the Adobe Creative Suite (AI, PS, ID). After Effects and Premiere experience is a huge plus.
  • Experience with type and EULA’s to properly implement solutions.
  • Experience with UX/UI design or working with UX/UI teams.
  • Creative problem-solver and strategic thinker who brings passion, enthusiasm and fresh ideas.
  • Must be comfortable versioning in high volume and solving for the brief with dozens of approaches, to cast a wide net to then zero-in on what is best.
  • Excited to grow your design skills in a collaborative environment with a lively team culture.
  • Detail-oriented and extremely organized.
  • Multi-tasking Ability: You have the ability to move several projects forward in tandem and manage your own bandwidth efficiently. To us, knowing when to ask for help is a strength, not a weakness.
  • Cultural Player: Your interests outside of work help to inform your own aesthetic and identity. You’re constantly looking at who is doing awesome shit and considering how it impacts their audience.

This hybrid role is based out of our Los Angeles HQ and requires 2-3 days per week in office. 

The compensation range for this role is $90,000 - $105,000. Individual compensation is determined based on experience and skillset. 

Perks and Benefits: 

  • Competitive pay, 401K, Medical/Dental/ Vision/Life coverage, Flexible Time-Off 
  • Friendly office in LA Center Studios with a fun casual and comfortable work environment 
  • Snacks, lunches, retreats, and SO much more! 

  

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Puffco strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

 

HIRING PRACTICES

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

 

Puffco’s recruitment policies are designed to place the most highly qualified persons available in a timely and efficient manner. Puffco may pursue all avenues available, including promotion from within, employee referrals, outside advertising, employment agencies, Internet recruiting, job fairs, college recruiting and search firms.

 

**Additional information about our company can be found at www.puffco.com.

 

Follow us on Instagram @Puffco