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 .

Digital Strategist

Terrahq · Remote (U.S.)

Terra is looking for a Digital Strategist who can turn big ideas into smart, actionable marketing strategies that move the needle for our clients. In this role, you’ll act as a CMO for your assigned accounts, connecting the dots between insights, creative thinking, and measurable results. You’ll design multi-channel plans that blend organic content, paid media, SEO, and automation into seamless audience experiences. You’ll collaborate with our creative, technical, and media teams to bring strategies to life. Every project you touch will have a clear vision, a solid plan, and the impact to back it up.
 
 
Terra is looking for a Digital Strategist who can turn big ideas into smart, actionable marketing strategies that move the needle for our clients. In this role, you’ll act as a CMO for your assigned accounts, connecting the dots between insights, creative thinking, and measurable results. You’ll design multi-channel plans that blend organic content, paid media, SEO, and automation into seamless audience experiences. You’ll collaborate with our creative, technical, and media teams to bring strategies to life. Every project you touch will have a clear vision, a solid plan, and the impact to back it up.
 
 
About Terra
Terra is a digital marketing and creative agency built by an integrated and international team of content creators, strategists, designers, and developers. We help organizations reimagine and deliver their most ambitious digital projects and initiatives.
 
Acting as an extension of our clients’ teams, we craft exceptional online experiences, content, and marketing strategies for brands around the world. We take our clients’ challenges personally and do the hard, human work required to produce creative solutions that get results.
 
Terra is also an equal opportunity employer.
 
We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote team members regardless of their race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status (as required by applicable law).
 
Our top goal as an employer is to bring together a diverse mix of talented people who are excited to join our company, stay with Terra for a long time, and do their best work while they’re here. We take pride in the quality of the services and work we provide to our clients, and we know none of it is possible without the hard work and commitment of our passionate and creative employees.
 

What You'll Do

  • Lead the marketing strategy for your assigned client accounts, ensuring all initiatives are aligned with business objectives and audience needs.
  • Drive client discovery sessions to surface insights, clarify goals, and define meaningful performance metrics.
  • Develop cross-channel marketing strategies that integrate content, paid media, SEO, email, and automation into cohesive, results-driven experiences.
  • Collaborate with the Senior Digital Strategist to ensure your account strategies align with Terra’s broader strategic approach and best practices.
  • Partner with creative, technical, and media teams to translate strategy into effective campaigns, providing direction and feedback throughout execution.
  • Review content and campaign plans to ensure they meet brand standards, messaging priorities, and channel objectives.
  • Monitor performance, surface insights from data, and make strategic adjustments to maximize impact.
  • Stay ahead of market trends and evolving customer behaviors, continuously spotting opportunities and threats
  • Contribute to Terra’s own marketing and strategic initiatives, bringing forward new ideas and recommendations.
  • Collaborate with company and department leadership to support Terra’s own branding and marketing efforts, as well as specific sales pursuits.
  • Who You Are

  • You bring 6–8 years of experience developing and leading digital marketing strategies across multiple channels, ideally in an agency, start-up, or consultancy environment.
  • You have a clear career storyline of marketing wins that you owned, and can back them up with data.
  • You have expertise in at least two core marketing practice areas—such as SEO, paid media, content marketing, email, or automation—and a strong understanding of how all channels work together.
  • You have owned client accounts or major strategic workstreams, from discovery through execution, and can confidently steer direction while adapting to changing priorities.
  • You maintain a broad vision while getting your hands dirty when you need to. You can jump right into the action, and can follow the plot even when it gets complex.
  • You are skilled at leading client conversations that uncover insights, clarify objectives, and set a clear course toward measurable results.
  • You’re comfortable translating complex ideas into clear, persuasive strategies for stakeholders, including senior executives.
  • You build trust quickly, balancing strategic vision with a practical, results-oriented approach.
  • You collaborate seamlessly with cross-functional teams—design, content, media, and development—to bring strategies to life.
  • You are organized, adaptable, and able to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment without losing sight of the details.
  • You’re eager to contribute to Terra’s strategic direction while learning from and working closely with the Senior Digital Strategist.
  • You’re comfortable learning new tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Semrush, and HubSpot, and you’re always exploring new platforms that can help us work smarter and deliver better outcomes.
  • You are comfortable owning project success, being the go-to person for client questions and concerns, and briefing your strategies to cross-functional teams. 
  • When a question is raised, you’re the first to speak up and problem-solve!
  • Perks and Benefits (full-time employees only)

  • 11 observed holidays + unlimited paid time off
  • Additional 4 mental wellness days per year
  • 100% company funded health insurance premium, with dental and vision options
  • 401(k) plan to help save for your future
  • Permanent remote work option
  • Summer Fridays (office closes at 3:00 PM) and Fall/Winter/Spring Fridays (office closes at 5:00 PM)
  • Monthly wellness stipend and quarterly employee appreciation gift
  • One-time reimbursement for work from home equipment
  • Monthly team bonding sessions / happy hours
  • Team retreats at our NYC headquarters
  • Pre-tax commuter benefits
  • The opportunity to join a dynamic, close-knit team that loves going to work with and for each other every day