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 .

Sales Development Representative (EST)

Roadrunner · US - Remote

About RoadRunner

At RoadRunner, our daily motivation is to accelerate the road to Zero Waste™ while providing maximum value for our customers and our communities. We achieve this through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable waste operations. Our team cares deeply about each other and our planet, and we are dedicated to leveraging technology and innovation to modernize a vital industry with integrity, expertise and a passion for create a future where waste is a problem of the past™.

Technology, artificial intelligence and data-driven strategies are the backbone for our team of waste experts to reliably provide our customers with the most streamlined, cost effective and sustainable waste and recycling services. Since RoadRunner’s creation in 2014, we’ve helped more than 12,000 customer locations achieve an average between 10 - 20% savings on their monthly waste bills while also improving their recycling efficiencies. We’re proud that RoadRunner’s industry-leading model has been recognized by the SEAL Business Sustainability Awards 2023, Pittsburgh Business Times’ Best Place to Work 2022, and Pittsburgh Inno’s 2022 Fire Awards. 

Our Glassdoor reviews are fantastic (3.3/5 on 311 reviews), our CEO’s approval rating is 71%, and 65% of our reviewers would recommend working here. Our Indeed ratings have consistently improved as we’ve been expanding our teams (3.5/5 on 85 reviews) and we now have over 14K followers on LinkedIn.

 

***Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

Take a look at this video to see what it is like to be a Sales Development Representative at RoadRunner!

Start Date: April 1st, 2026

Compensation: $50,000 base salary ($24.04/hour) + $6,000 uncapped annual commission + bonuses

Location: 100% Remote (U.S. Based)

🚀 Your Mission

Ready to accelerate your sales career at a company that's disrupting a legacy industry? RoadRunner is the leader in waste and recycling innovation, and we're looking for an experienced Sales Development Representative (SDR) to join our team.

This role is for a proven seller who thrives in a high-volume, outbound environment. You will be the engine of our sales pipeline, leveraging your prospecting skills to connect with businesses, articulate the value of our revolutionary approach, and schedule qualified meetings for our Account Executives. We provide world-class training to build on your existing skills and help you master our industry.

🎯 Your Impact: What You'll Do

  • Leverage Your Prospecting Expertise: Put your proven skills to work identifying and qualifying high-potential leads through strategic cold calling, email campaigns, and social media outreach.
  • Articulate Value: Clearly communicate how RoadRunner's innovative solutions solve real-world waste management challenges and drive sustainability for businesses.
  • Fuel Our Growth: Collaborate closely with Account Executives by scheduling qualified meetings that directly contribute to the company's revenue goals.
  • Maintain a Pristine Pipeline: Diligently track all activities, leads, and follow-ups in Salesforce to ensure accurate data and drive an effective sales strategy.
  • Embrace a Growth Mindset: Actively participate in our comprehensive sales coaching and training programs to continuously sharpen your skills.

⭐ Who You Are: Our Ideal Candidate

The Experience We're Looking For:

  • An Associate's degree with 1+ years of direct sales experience.
  • Demonstrated experience in effective lead generation and prospecting.
  • Demonstrated resilience and a positive attitude in a high volume, cold calling environment.
  • Can speak confidently about your past performance, metrics, and successes in a direct, outbound sales role.
  • Experience tracking sales activity in a CRM (Salesforce is a strong plus).

What Sets You Apart (Key Attributes):

  • A Competitive Spirit: You're driven by goals, motivated by metrics (KPIs), and thrive on the challenge of winning.
  • Resilient & Positive: You maintain a positive attitude under pressure and view temporary setbacks as learning opportunities.
  • Highly Coachable & Accountable: You actively seek feedback, view it as a tool for growth, and hold yourself to a high standard.
  • A Lifelong Learner: You have a genuine passion for sales and are always looking for ways to improve your craft.
  • Exceptional Communicator: You excel at connecting with people, building rapport quickly, and conveying ideas clearly and persuasively.

💰 What We Offer: Compensation & Unbeatable Benefits

We invest in our people. Here’s how:

Generous Compensation:

  • $50,000 Base Salary ($24.04/hour)
  • $6,000 Target Annual Commission (uncapped)
  • $4,000 Performance Bonus upon graduation from our 2-month training program.
  • Clear Promotional Plan with opportunities for increased commission and bonuses.

Top-Tier Health & Wellness:

  • 100% paid premiums for employee medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • 70% paid premiums for your spouses and dependents.
  • 401(k) with a generous company match and complimentary financial planning advice.

Excellent Work-Life Balance:

  • 100% Remote Work within the United States
  • 15 Days of Paid Time Off, 2 Personal Floating Holidays, & Paid Company Holidays.

📈 Our Commitment to Your Growth: The SDR Training Program

We provide a clear path to success with our structured, hands-on training.

  • Weeks 1-4: Foundation & Fundamentals
    • Dive into our state-of-the-art training on sourcing, qualifying leads, and the art of the cold call.
    • Work directly with a full-time sales trainer to build your confidence and strategy.
    • Start making outbound calls and setting your first meetings.
  • Weeks 5-8: Strategy & Refinement
    • Develop advanced sales cadences and strategies for your target accounts.
    • Participate in weekly coaching sessions to identify opportunities and refine your approach.
    • Collaborate with your Account Executive and fellow SDRs to evolve as a team.
  • Week 9 & Beyond: Mastery & Impact
    • Manage a robust pipeline that you actively work to generate consistent results.
    • Confidently overcome objections and demonstrate the value we bring to our clients.
    • Become an integral, high-performing member of your market team and start earning promotions and bonuses.

🤝 Our Simple & Transparent Interview Process

  1. Application Review by our Talent Acquisition team.
  2. Prescreen Phone Call with a Recruiter.
  3. Final 1-Hour Zoom Interview with our Sales Hiring Specialist.
  4. Decision & Offer.

We are excited to consider talented individuals from across the country. However, please note that we currently do not support candidates residing in the following states: Alaska (AK) / Delaware (DE) / Hawaii (HI) / Kansas (KA) / Louisiana (LA) / Maine (ME) / Montana (MT) / Nebraska (NE) / Nevada (NV) / New Mexico (NM) / North Dakota (ND) / South Dakota (SD) / Vermont (VT) / Wyoming (WY) / Puerto Rico

We thank all candidates for their interest in RoadRunner, but we cannot respond to everyone personally. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We look forward to reviewing your application! 

RoadRunner is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. It is the policy of RoadRunner that qualified individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against because of their disabilities regarding job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. It is further the policy of RoadRunner to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. RoadRunner is prepared to modify or adjust the job application process or the job or work environment to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of the applicant or employee to enable the applicant or employee to be considered for the position he or she desires, to perform the essential functions of the position in question, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship.