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 .

General Application: You're Good at Everything

Reformation · Los Angeles, CA

Don't see a position that suits your interests and skill sets right now? No problem! Submit an application to be considered for future roles at Reformation!

Who We Are:

Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We're #2.

Since 2009, we've been on a mission to bring sustainable fashion to everyone. Named one of Fast Company’s Brands That Matter and winning a Best Carbon Footprint award, we have big goals like being Climate Positive by 2025, Circular by 2030, and pushing the whole industry forward along the way. Our work has gotten love in Drapers and Sourcing Journal, and TIME wrote about how great our CEO, Hali Borenstein, is. Basically, we're saving the Earth and looking damn good doing it.

We're a global brand with 50+ stores (and counting) around the world, and our own sustainable factory in LA. We innovate across categories like accessories, swimwear, and sleepwear, and we reach millions of people with campaigns like this, this and this. 

None of this work is possible without the incredible people behind it. We're a mission-based company that invests in an inclusive culture, so we can innovate together and ensure everyone has the space to grow, thrive, and belong.And starting right now, we want to do all that with you.

Benefits & Perks:

  • Eligible employees get employer-sponsored private medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as commuter benefits to help support your travel to and from work.
  • We offer competitive paid time off policies including vacation, sick leave, and company holidays for eligible employees. 
  • We offer retirement planning support for eligible employees, including the option to invest in Environmental Social Governance-aligned (fancy way to say sustainable) funds. 
  • We’re a mission-based company with offices in LA, NYC and London, as well as a global retail team, which means you’ll get to collaborate with people all around the world.
  • You’ll get access to fertility care support through Carrot, and up to a $5,000 USD reimbursement for related fertility expenses after 1 year of employment.
  • We care about the causes our employees care about so we donate to community efforts on a yearly basis. 
  • We offer a clothing discount, culture events (like our annual Ref Values week and Volunteer Time Off), you know, all the meaningful and fun stuff!

Reformation is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the world we want to live in. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status—in accordance with applicable international, federal, state, and local laws.

If you require accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know. We’re here to ensure you have what you need to show up as your best self.

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