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 .

Associate Director, Student Outreach

Questbridge · Remote Within the U.S.

Associate Director

Student Outreach

We are searching for an Associate Director, Student Outreach who will play a key role in designing, executing, and refining programming and outreach initiatives to recruit and support high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds in applying to our programs. This position ensures that outreach campaigns are not only operationally sound but also compelling, creative, and responsive to the needs of our audiences. As a content area expert, the person in this role will spearhead strategic initiatives and leverage data to provide actionable insights. The Associate Director oversees work focused on content and programming, leads storytelling and recruitment strategy across channels, and collaborates with multiple teams across the organization to ensure programming is relevant, accessible, and impactful. Reporting to the Director of Student Outreach, the Associate Director will be an integral figure in furthering the QuestBridge mission.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the development and execution of content and recruitment strategies across digital and print channels (email, SMS, web, social media, video, print).
  • Ensure campaigns align with organizational brand and are accessible, culturally responsive, and audience-centered.
  • Collaborate with key staff across the organization to strengthen QuestBridges’s outcomes and drive team’s efforts to innovate on current programs and processes to drive efficiency and ensure scalability.
  • Foster a collaborative, accountable, and growth-oriented team environment.
  • Oversee strategy, coordination, and execution of general resources (e.g., outreach toolkits, resource libraries).
  • Become an expert in the team’s project management tools, and create efficient, streamlined systems to optimize workflows.
  • Collaborate with data and systems related teams on program analysis and systems development.
  • Gather and review feedback from various sources, and use tracking and analytics to measure the impact of efforts.
  • Contribute to creation, planning, and execution of new initiatives.
  • Provide mentorship, guidance, and feedback to Program Associates on team (with possibility of management role). 
  • Stay current with trends in education, recruitment, and marketing to innovate outreach approaches.
  • Plan, travel to, and execute small and large-scale meetings, events, and initiatives, both virtually and in-person.
  • Read and evaluate student applications for National College Match, College Prep Scholars Program, and other opportunities.
  • Perform other administrative and miscellaneous tasks as needed.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree with 7+ years relevant professional experience including work that supports the recruitment of, and marketing/communications to, high-achieving students from first-generation and/or low-income backgrounds.
  • Highly familiar with college admissions processes, including recruiting, applications, and financial aid.
  • Exceptional project management and collaboration skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships and communicate effectively in writing and verbally.
  • Supervisory experience with junior staff or interns.
  • Track record of success in setting priorities, establishing operational processes, and executing on plans with measurable outcomes.
  • Adeptness with CRM systems, technology, and data, with the ability to evaluate and advance current operations. 
  • Strong track record of handling sensitive personal information and situations.

Qualities

  • Strong work ethic, with intense drive to reach goals and contribute to the success of the organization.
  • Warm, positive personality; team player who enjoys working collaboratively with a small team of colleagues.
  • Exceptional attention to detail, and able to maintain focus on the larger picture. Rigorous quality standards in terms of quantitative accuracy, text editing, and visual aesthetics.
  • Self-starting, resourceful, and organized with a keen sense of accountability.
  • Able to comfortably adapt in a dynamic environment with changing requirements and priorities.
  • Deep-seated personal integrity.
  • Desire to grow and develop professionally. 
  • Strong belief in the mission, vision, and goals of QuestBridge (see this link for more).

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive compensation commensurate with experience and skills for the position. The range for the position is $75,000 - 95,000.

QuestBridge strives to provide the best possible benefits for our team members. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous PTO, holidays, and annual end-of-year office closure; 401k; paid parental leave; remote work stipends; flexible work hours; and many more.

Hours and Location of Work

This is a regular, full-time position that is remote within the US. Employees will be expected to be engaged online and travel when necessary.

About QuestBridge

QuestBridge connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with a thriving community and transformative educational, career, and life opportunities that help propel them to lives of fulfillment, meaning, and purpose. 

From our founding over 30 years ago, QuestBridge has always been an organization focused on creating opportunities for students from low-income backgrounds, regardless of race, geography, or academic interest.