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 .

Jr. UX Designer

Webfx · Ann Arbor, MI

Hi there! We're WebFX, a full-funnel revenue marketing agency based in the US. We've been 10x named a Best Place To Work, and we'd love to meet you! We are a fast-growing company of more than 700 FXers, that has doubled in size over the past 5 years, with talented team members in 6 US offices, 20+ states, and now based around the globe (and representing 18+ different countries!). While WebFX and our subsidiary companies, such as Nutshell CRM, SEO.com, and TeamAI, are growing rapidly, we are committed to growing strategically and sustainably, and that starts with growing our team of the #BestCoworkers - that’s where you come in! We're looking for talented professionals to join our Ann Arbor office location - home to the Nutshell team! Nutshell is an award-winning CRM and email marketing platform, and as of 2022, WebFX and Nutshell have officially joined forces. Our teams work together closely to provide the very best products and services to our clients, and we're on the hunt for people just like you, who take pride in their work and want to be part of a company that does too. You Might Be a Great Fit For This Position if You Have… A Bachelor’s Degree Successful Nutshellers in this role have majored in graphic design, web design, UX, and other related fields GPA above 3.4 A Background in Design Please include a portfolio showcasing excellent graphic design work, with a premium on web design and/or UX work - we want to get a sense of your style! We’re looking for an excellent design eye and a thorough understanding of how to apply design fundamentals such as Typography, Hierarchy, Layout, etc. A Few Related Skills and Experiences (This is an entry-level role, and experience in every one of these areas is not required - training is provided on all core platforms, tools, and technologies you will need to know! But the following skills/experience are awesome to have, and will help get your career off to a running start:): -0-2 years of experience (We're absolutely open to candidates with no prior full-time work experience, but we'd love to see an internship/part-time/summer job experience in that case!) -Outstanding skills in Adobe Creative Suite and/or Figma -Knowledge of web design/UX best practices -Knowledge of responsive design best practices -HTML/CSS coding experience (not required but a plus) -Experience in creating end-to-end UX processes and workflows, including user journeys, task analysis, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and evaluative research methods -Understanding of how to use design artifacts to effectively build alignment, communicate ideas, and deliver an experience -Experience in Saas product design - a bonus! Any of these Signature Nutsheller Traits! You’re passionate about UX and web design - you even find yourself spending your free time designing and learning new technologies! You are passionate about typography and color theory You have a high level of design skill and technical proficiency You’re energized by designing memorable and effective experiences online You take direction well, but aren’t afraid to take initiative and make decisions You see yourself as a problem-solver, and face challenges with a can-do mindset You put the customer and their goals first You are a professional, dependable, and independent worker with a solid work ethic You’re self-motivated, thrive on challenges, and enjoy getting things done You have an eye for detail and dedication to high-quality work You have an exceptional level of follow-through You possess excellent time/project management skills You work with a sense of urgency and can consistently meet deadlines You are an outstanding communicator and possess strong interpersonal skills You are a lifelong learner who loves to grow and stretch outside of your comfort zone, and are always looking to improve your skills If any of these sound like you, then we want to hear from you! We are committed to growing 1% better every day, and we believe working at Nutshell could quite possibly make your life 1(00)% better! In This Role, You'll Get To... -Lead the UX process and workflow, and work closely with a cross-functional team to build and ship designs. -Produce high-quality creative solutions to complex problems based on research and goals. -Create clear user flows, wireframes, and prototypes for user interfaces. -Plan and lead design sessions to generate ideas or feedback. -Work from and contribute to our existing design system and UI pattern library. -Partner closely with UI developers on a day-to-day basis to create designs. -Partner with UX researchers to write, facilitate, and analyze user research. -Partner with UX writers to ensure all UI copy meets standards -Advocate for the user in projects. -Work at both a detailed design level and a strategic level to influence the product roadmap What You’ll Get From Us! As a product team Nutshell’s product team offers the opportunity to learn from a smart group of teammates who support and drive one another to succeed. Today, our product group comprises nine designers and engineers. Some have decades of experience, some are just out of college with their degree, and a few have entered this field as a second career. As a company -Opportunities to learn and thrive in a friendly, growing SaaS business -A commitment to an inclusive environment that supports our diverse team -A connection to Ann Arbor’s software and startup community through our network of friends and partners -A modern office located on Ashley Street in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor -Flexibility in working modes and locations, as we regroup at our office, and support other distributed team members -The sincerity and commitment of an established company: excellent health benefits, 401(k) matching, an experienced leadership team, and a profitable, growing financial position -The opportunity to help thousands of small businesses each day -Trust and autonomy to ensure you can be the best version of you Potential promotional path for Jr. UX Designer: UX Designer Associate UX Designer Associate Lead UX Designer Lead UX Designer Sr. UX Designer Compensation Negotiable based on work experience Potential additional bonus may be offered for GPA's of 3.8+ or graduating with high honors