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 .

Area Manager

Synovus Financial · Tampa, Florida

Job Summary:
Executes the Community Banking strategy to deliver products and services to commercial and private wealth customers in a geographic market, or multiple markets, with assets up to $500MM, or that are high growth. Serves as primary lead of the bank division. Accountable for Community Banking group sales targets and financial performance. Drives overall business development in partnership with Retail, Corporate, and FMS to grow customers, revenues and profit.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Executes the Community Banking strategy in the market(s) to deliver products and services to commercial and private wealth customers. Collaborates and coordinates with the retail leaders and manages business priorities to achieve the strategy goals and objectives. Builds a cohesive Synovus team approach while maximizing the local brand. Responsible for P - L results and exercises decision-making authority over products, pricing, strategy and staffing. Pursues initiatives, investments, and opportunities that fit with and support the company and market strategies. Leads and maximizes the use of the Region's Advisory Board and any related committees.
  • Responsible for the growth in revenue and customer relationships across all bank groups. Builds strong pipelines for all business groups by identifying market opportunities that are consistent with the strategy and takes appropriate action to capitalize on those opportunities. Establishes revenue and profit targets and develops the best portfolio of solutions, products, and services to counter competition and respond to the region and local community needs. Provides feedback on matters impacting the achievement of the desired results; identifies and recommends solutions.
  • Develops and recommends annual business plans and budgets. Responsible for optimizing execution and results; continuously assesses actual performance results against goals and objectives, adjusting tactical and operational plans accordingly. Uses the advantage of company size, internal and external resources, and talent to achieve success. Creates an environment where everyone is held accountable for achieving goals and results. Ensures desired change initiatives and priorities are implemented in a manner that builds buy-in and commitment.
  • Accurately forecasts growth, costs, and business challenges. Monitors the execution of expenditures against the operating plan and makes corrections when necessary. Develops, implements, and monitors action plans to ensure the attainment of financial goals. Uses objective financial and business analyses to evaluate the returns and risks of lending, credit and investment activities; evaluates short- and long-term implications of decisions and identifies solutions to mitigate risk. Responsible for the effective and efficient operation of multiple facilities.
  • Effectively communicates with all stakeholders to inspire internal and external commitment to the organization. Develops and delivers communication that is clear, logical and builds support for the desired perspectives and outcomes. Ensures strategies, change initiatives, and competitive information are communicated in clear and compelling ways. Listens to, leverages, and promotes the diverse ideas, perspectives, and contributions of others across the business. Serves as an advocate for proactive planning and continuous improvement; sets and communicates clear and aligned goals, monitors progress, and accepts accountability; ensures leaders in own organization do the same.
  • Owns the customer relationships; creates and maintains an environment that provides customers with desired products, services, and experiences. Combines experience, insight, and data to determine how to best exceed customer needs. Develops and implements initiatives, practices, and plans to capitalize on customer-focused growth and improvement opportunities. Ensures the removal of barriers to delivering exceptional customer value, service, and support. Builds and sustains trusting, collaborative relationships and alliances across functional, organizational, and geographical boundaries to achieve goals.
  • Promotes ethics and compliance; builds and sustains an environment where adherence to and reinforcement of the highest standards of integrity and ethics are the norm. Identifies opportunities and takes action to enhance compliance within own organization. Ensures market leaders receive the communication and instruction needed to act in accordance with policies and procedures.
  • Promotes reputation and social responsibility; proactively leads volunteer activities, programs, and initiatives in order to improve the community. Seeks and maintains external relationships and alliances, strengthening the company's impact on and reputation in the community. Serves as a credible spokesperson, representative, and sponsor of the company to the public and the community.
  • Demonstrates adaptability, creativity and strength in the face of change, obstacles, and adversity. Adapts to competing demands and shifting priorities. Updates knowledge and skills to handle new complexities and challenges.
  • Recruits strong talent for all business groups to build diverse, high-performing teams that are capable of achieving the organization's priorities and goals. Consults with the Regional HR Director or Director, Talent Management to develop and implement strategies to attract and maintain a highly skilled, diverse and engaged workforce. Supports activities to assess capability gaps, and engage in effective recruiting and selection processes. Keeps HR informed about strategic business plan initiatives that requires HR support.
  • Develops existing talent by encouraging career education, training and development and supports team member efforts in these areas. Identifies, utilizes, and integrates team members' strengths to produce improved results. Mentors, guides, and sponsors the development of key talent. Creates an environment where people processes (i.e. performance management, salary administration) are used effectively to improve team member performance. Sponsors initiatives and programs that promote respect for, interest in, and support of team members. Ensures team members are treated in an accepting, respectful manner.
  • Each team member is expected to be aware of risk within their functional area. This includes observing all policies, procedures, laws, regulations and risk limits specific to their role. Additionally, they should raise and report known or suspected violations to the appropriate Company authority in a timely fashion.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned and/or necessary.
The information on this 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.

Synovus is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment.

Minimum Education: Bachelor degree in Finance, Economics, Business or a related discipline. MBA preferred

Minimum Experience: 12+ years of job specific work experience with demonstrated professional growth and achievement in an organization of comparable size, business diversity, scope and complexity

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
  • Broad and varied knowledge of all banking functions, to include M&A activity and new market entry, leading multiple lines of business and support functions, enterprise risk management and credit risk management
  • Proven ability to manage relationships with the Board, regulators, key stakeholders and customers
  • Demonstrated experience Implementing regional initiatives; setting the strategic course for the business and analysis of results relative to established objective
  • Profit/Loss accountability in the financial services industry. Accountability of financial reporting, compliance and government regulations.
  • Business development and leading through a significant crisis or turnaround
  • Excellent communication skills; ability to communicate the vision and goals and instill confidence

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
  • MBA