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 .

Analyst/Associate, Investments & Portfolio Management

Rclco · Los Angeles

RCLCO Fund Advisors (“RFA”), a division of RCLCO, is a SEC Registered Investment Advisor and leading real estate investment consulting firm that advises some of the world’s largest pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional investors. Providing tailored investment solutions by leveraging its deep understanding of market dynamics, RFA assists its clients in the implementation of their real estate strategy through the allocation and management of real estate capital across all real estate strategies and property types. RFA currently has approximately $88 billion of assets under advisement and has advised on over $11 billion of equity investments for its clients.

RFA builds upon our decades of experience and renowned expertise in applied real estate analysis to address the important and unique issues regarding real estate investing faced by institutional investors, including:

  • Developing strategies that maximize value throughout the cycle through the development and implementation of investment ideas, pacing plans, policies, and risk management systems;
  • Providing high quality and forward-looking investment analyses, including review of buildings, separate accounts, and funds and programmatic joint ventures that will provide superior risk- adjusted investment returns;
  • Developing and implementing asset monitoring systems that identify and manage risk in existing portfolios on a timely basis to maximize value; and
  • Providing strategic thinking regarding investment analyses, portfolio construction, and management through presentations, articles, and custom work for clients.

Position Summary:

RFA seeks qualified and experienced Analysts and Associates for our Investments & Portfolio Management team. The position will be based in Los Angeles, Denver, or Washington, D.C. 

Key Job Responsibilities:

  • Underwriting new investments on behalf of institutional investors (comprising over $50 billion in invested real estate equity) across multiple property types and locations, including the review of cash flow assumptions, pricing, fees, and preparation of discounted cash flow models including complex waterfall fee structures;
  • Analyzing investment opportunities in operating companies, separate accounts, programmatic joint venture, and funds;
  • Evaluating potential investment partners based on track records, strategies, pipelines, financial and operating structures, and management interviews;
  • Research and develop knowledge of industry trends and participants;
  • Reviewing existing assets, including investment performance reporting, hold/sell analyses, budget reviews, capital plans, restructuring analyses, and appraisal reviews; and
  • Preparing reports and presentations to communicate key findings and recommendations to Investment Committee and clients

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in real estate, finance, economics, or with a demonstrated interest in quantitative analysis in the real estate industry;
  • Work experience requiring quantitative analysis, either through multiple internships or working in the private/public sector;
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word and PowerPoint, and particularly in the use of Excel for financial modeling and analysis;
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
  • Demonstrated knowledge of commercial real estate underwriting and valuation, and
  • Ability to structure quantitative and qualitative problem-solving approaches, and attention to detail and accuracy
  • Years of experience - for Analysts: 1-3 years; Associates: 3-6 years

Our benefits package includes:

  •  Hybrid schedule flexibility, with team members in the office three days per week and the option to work fully remote 4 weeks each year
  • 100% paid healthcare for employees, including dental and vision insurance (with the option to upgrade plans and add dependents at team member's expense)
  • Competitive vacation and wellness/sick time provided annually
  • Family planning and fertility benefits
  • Employer-paid family leave after one year of employment
  • Employee stipend for continuing education and professional development
  • Commuting stipend for team members not driving to work
  • Cell phone stipend
  • Wellness benefits such as an Employee Assistance Program, standing desks available to all team members, and healthy snacks supplied in each office location
  • Annual employer contribution to 401(k)
  • Option to participate in FSA or HSA
  • In-office lunches and social events on a regular basis

Please be sure to indicate your preferred office and report your grade point averages (GPAs) for all relevant academic programs. Incomplete applications will not be considered or reviewed.

Compensation: Depending on title/experience, estimated base salary range: $70-115K, plus annual bonus. 

 

Equal Opportunity Employer - Drug-Free Workplace

RCLCO is committed to cultivating a working environment that respects and values individuals from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.