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 .

Strategic Account Executive - Toronto

Workiva · Toronto

The Strategic Account Executive  is responsible for obtaining new logo and customer expansion sales opportunities from executive-level buyers and influencers in either private or publicly traded companies. Strategic Account Executives are focused on selling Workiva’s core platform and collaborate with other Workiva Solution Sales teams to deliver multi-solution sales across our large enterprise customer accounts.

Successful candidates will build relationships and identify Workiva products and solutions that meet customer needs to drive customer acquisition within an assigned territory. Sales growth is attained through new customer subscriptions, professional services, delivery and training.

You will engage with both existing and new customers - leveraging Workiva’s platform to meet their complex business needs. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in enterprise platform sales, exceptional strategic thinking abilities, and a deep understanding of the top tier organizations in the region.


What You’ll Do 

  • Actively seek out sales opportunities in collaboration with peer Sales teams, Inside Sales, and Partnerships to generate qualified sales pipeline

  • Utilize information gathered during the needs analysis phase to partner with Solutions Consulting Team in delivering a compelling demonstration of the Workiva platform

  • Skillfully address customer objections - removing obstacles - and finding solutions to various client challenges

  • Lead the sales process naturally - guiding it to a close by effectively showcasing Workiva's value proposition

  • Regularly and promptly update customer relationship management tools to report customer contacts

  • Provide consistent and accurate forward-looking information through pipeline analysis to forecast sales 

  • Develop and deliver strategic account planning with purposeful action to secure sales success

  • Rally internal support to pursue an account and optimize internal resources

  • Prioritize selling activities and ensure timely follow-through

  • Maintain a strong understanding of Workiva products through a commitment to ongoing training and a growth mindset


What You'll Need

Minimum Qualifications

  • 6+ years experience in a related role - enterprise technology or similar complex solution sales across large customer accounts

  • Undergraduate Degree or equivalent combination of knowledge and related career experience

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience selling to senior executives within enterprise customers

  • Understanding of the Software as a Service (SaaS) business model

  • Ability to demonstrate complex software applications

  • Demonstrated experience navigating and delivering sales success across large, enterprise organizations

  • Strong business acumen and an ability to understand complex business challenges

  • Executive presence and an ability to communicate at the most senior level

Travel Requirement & Working Conditions

  • Up to 30% travel for regular customer meetings and events

  • Reliable internet access required for any period of time working remotely and not in a Workiva office

    Workiva is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that great minds think differently. We value diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and interests, and we recognize diversity as an important source of intellectual thought, varied perspective, and innovation.  Employment decisions are made without regard to age, gender identity, race, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.  

    Workiva is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email [email protected].

    Workiva employees are required to undergo comprehensive security and privacy training tailored to their roles, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory standards.

    Workiva supports employees in working where they work best - either from an office or remotely from any location within their country of employment.

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