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 .

Application Engineer Tier 1

Valgenesis · Lisbon

ValGenesis is a leading digital validation platform provider for life sciences companies. ValGenesis suite of products are used by 30 of the top 50 global pharmaceutical and biotech companies to achieve digital transformation, total compliance and manufacturing excellence/intelligence across their product lifecycle. 
 
Learn more about working for ValGenesis, the de facto standard for paperless validation in Life Sciences: https://www.valgenesis.com/about

As an Application Engineer - Tier 1 at ValGenesis, you will refine your expertise in technical support, software troubleshooting, and customer service. Application Engineers at this level handle moderately complex software issues, provide guidance to entry-level application engineers, and contribute to system optimizations by collaborating with internal teams. This position is suited for individuals with growing experience in application engineering who are ready to develop deeper problem-solving abilities, engage in technical projects, and enhance internal processes. 

Our hybrid schedule for this role is 4 days per week, within a reasonable commuting distance to our Lisbon office. We believe that in-person interaction and collaboration fosters creativity, and a sense of community, and is critical to our future success as a company. 
As an Application Engineer - Tier 1 at ValGenesis, you will refine your expertise in technical support, software troubleshooting, and customer service. Application Engineers at this level handle moderately complex software issues, provide guidance to entry-level application engineers, and contribute to system optimizations by collaborating with internal teams. This position is suited for individuals with growing experience in application engineering who are ready to develop deeper problem-solving abilities, engage in technical projects, and enhance internal processes. 

Our hybrid schedule for this role is 4 days per week, within a reasonable commuting distance to our Lisbon office. We believe that in-person interaction and collaboration fosters creativity, and a sense of community, and is critical to our future success as a company. 
We’re on a Mission
In 2005, we disrupted the life sciences industry by introducing the world’s first digital validation lifecycle management system. ValGenesis VLMS® revolutionized compliance-based corporate validation activities and has remained the industry standard.
Today, we continue to push the boundaries of innovation ― enhancing and expanding our portfolio beyond validation with an end-to-end digital transformation platform. We combine our purpose-built systems with world-class consulting services to help every facet of GxP meet evolving regulations and quality expectations.

The Team You’ll Join
Our customers’ success is our success. We keep the customer experience centered in our decisions, from product to marketing to sales to services to support. Life sciences companies exist to improve humanity’s quality of life, and we honor that mission.​
We work together. We communicate openly, support each other without reservation, and never hesitate to wear multiple hats to get the job done.
We think big. Innovation is the heart of ValGenesis. That spirit drives product development as well as personal growth. We never stop aiming upward.
We’re in it to win it. We’re on a path to becoming the number one intelligent validation platform in the market, and we won’t settle for anything less than being a market leader.​

How We Work
ValGenesis is an equal-opportunity employer that makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. Our goal is to have the best-qualified people in every job. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other characteristics protected by local law.

Key Responsibilities

  • Knowledge & Application:
  • Demonstrate complete knowledge of application support, troubleshooting methodologies, and system workflows.
  • Analyze and resolve complex software-related issues, ensuring alignment with customer needs and regulatory compliance.
  • Provide in-depth technical support, guiding customers through intricate configurations and integrations.
  • Contribute to the development and refinement of troubleshooting documentation, knowledge base articles, and internal best practices.
  • Work with basic SQL queries and system logs to diagnose and resolve advanced technical issues.
  • Complexity & Problem-Solving:
  • Work on high-impact issues that require a combination of technical expertise and analytical thinking.
  • Diagnose and resolve recurring software challenges, identifying patterns.
  • Develop and implement structured problem-solving methodologies, ensuring efficient issue resolution.
  • Analyze ticket trends and provide data-driven insights to refine troubleshooting workflows and enhance support efficiency.
  • Ensure compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs), prioritizing cases based on business impact and urgency.
  • Collaboration & Interaction:
  • Provide structured mentorship to P1 and P2 engineers, guiding them in technical troubleshooting and system analysis.
  • Work closely with customers and stakeholders to ensure seamless implementation of technical solutions.
  • Lead weekly technical review meetings with peers and direct-line leader, presenting insights on complex cases and proposing process improvements.
  • Conduct internal training sessions, sharing advanced troubleshooting techniques and best practices.
  • Qualifications & Experience

  • Typically 2-4 years of experience in technical support, application engineering, or software troubleshooting.
  • Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, IT, or a related discipline (or equivalent work experience).
  • Basic Knowledge with SQL queries and system log analysis.
  • Background in the Life Sciences Industry (e.g., Pharma, Biotech, Validation, Cleaning Validation, Risk Management, or Manufacturing) is highly valued.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical issues effectively.
  • Advanced problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
  • Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating across departments to resolve customer issues.
  • Strong commitment to customer service excellence, ensuring swift and accurate issue resolution.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel) and experience working with ticketing and support management systems.
  • Strong technical documentation skills, with the ability to contribute to structured troubleshooting guides and process documentation.