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 .

Sample Transport Driver

Westgold Resources · Perth, WA

Westgold Resources is shaping the future of gold mining in Western Australia. We are looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join our team who shares our vision of building a sustainable and profitable major Australian gold business.

THE ROLE

  • Pick up and deliver core samples between sites and processing facilities, primarily in the Meekatharra and Cue regions

  • Complete all tasks assigned by the shift supervisor in an organised and timely manner

  • Maintain excellent housekeeping standards and ensure vehicles remain clean and presentable

  • Follow all company procedures, guidelines and work methods relevant to your role

  • Perform minimal manual handling, mainly lifting boxes between 5–10kg

  • Maintain clear communication and situational awareness while travelling between sites

WHAT YOU NEED

  • Current HR Licence (required)

  • Forklift Licence (required)

  • Strong understanding of Work Health and Safety requirements

  • A proactive, safety‑driven approach

  • Strong communication skills and a team‑focused attitude

  • Ability to adapt, problem‑solve and work effectively with minimal supervision

The Westgold Offer:

A permanent full-time position at a successful gold producer

A range of benefits including:

  • Performance based bonus

  • Group salary continuous insurance

  • A health and wellness allowance Health insurance discount

  • A range of Family and Medical leave policies that includes IVF, surrogacy and adoption.

  • Referral Bonus - bring your mates along!

  • 5 years' pro rata long service leave

  • Salary sacrifice options

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that include free confidential counselling, wellbeing services that includes financial advice.

Our full list of benefits and why we are recognised as an Endorsed Employer for Women by Work 180 can be seen on the Work180 website.

Westgold is driven by our core values of Show Respect, Choose Safety and Deliver Value. We believe that these values define our culture, behaviours and actions. We appreciate that not everybody will tick every box for their next dream role, but if you believe that you can bring the passion and drive to contribute to our operations and our values resonate with you then apply now!

Candidates must meet our pre-employment criteria’s which includes medical and drug and alcohol screening, relevant right to work checks and be able to provide a valid Australian national police clearance and an Australian driver’s licence (or be able to obtain).

Westgold is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone matters. We believe diversity is a strength and true diversity includes those from First Nations People, various cultures, age groups, Neurodiverse backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, diverse abilities and religions. We value the unique perspectives and experiences each person brings and that diverse teams leads to innovation and success. Our goal is to have safe and respectful environments where everyone feels empowered to be their authentic selves and we strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Westgold appreciates that standard recruitment processes are not accessible for everyone. If you believe you require additional support or accommodations, so you feel comfortable participating in our recruitment process for this or any of our roles, please feel free to email [email protected]

Westgold reserves the right to close applications early should a suitable pool of candidates be identified. We will never contact you to ask for payment of any kind, whether directly or through a third party.