A recruiter may open your resume on a phone between meetings, in a browser tab or inside an applicant tracking system that extracts the text automatically. You have maybe thirty seconds to make an impression, and a surprising number of applications stumble on avoidable file problems: a name like "Resume_final_v7 (2).pdf", a scan of a printout, a 14 MB file that bounces. Here is how to package your resume so the file never gets in the way of your experience.
Why PDF is the usual choice
A PDF keeps your layout, fonts and spacing exactly as you designed them. A Word file can shift on a different computer, replace a font you chose, or show tracked changes you forgot. PDF is also accepted by almost every job portal and opens on any device without extra software.
The exception: if the posting says "Word format only", follow the instruction. Some systems and recruiters edit resumes and ask for a .docx.
Create the PDF properly
Export the PDF from the program you wrote the resume in, using Save As or Export. In Word choose File, Save As, PDF. In Google Docs choose File, Download, PDF Document. This gives you a "real" PDF where every word is text.
Avoid these shortcuts:
- Printing and scanning your resume. It produces an image that cannot be searched and often looks grey and slightly crooked.
- Photographing the page.
- Screenshots turned into PDFs.
A simple test: open the PDF and try to select a sentence with your mouse. If you can highlight it, the text is real.
Choose a clear file name
Recruiters download dozens of files. Make yours easy to recognise and sort. Good examples:
- Maria-Lopez-Resume.pdf
- Maria-Lopez-CV.pdf (if the region says CV)
- Maria-Lopez-Resume-Marketing.pdf (when applying for a specific role)
Avoid version tags like "final2", spaces turned into odd characters, and generic names such as "resume.pdf" that overwrite each other in a downloads folder.
Page count, size and layout
- Length: one page is often enough early in a career, two pages for experienced applicants. Local customs differ, so check typical expectations in your field or country.
- Page size: use the standard for where you are applying, A4 in much of the world and Letter in the United States and Canada. See our guide to PDF page sizes if you are unsure.
- File size: under 1 to 2 MB is comfortable. Most resumes made of text are far smaller. If yours is large because of a photo or graphics, shrink it with Compress PDF.
- Fonts: stick to common, readable fonts at 10 to 12 points. Exports embed fonts, so the look is preserved.
Make it friendly to software and screen readers
Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that read the text of your resume and place it into fields. Highly decorative layouts, text inside images, tables used for layout and unusual symbols can confuse some of them. No one can promise how every system works, but these habits help:
- Use real text for headings and contact details, never an image of text.
- Prefer a clean, single-column structure with clear headings such as Experience and Education.
- Put contact details in the body of the page, not only in the header or footer.
- Make links clickable, and check they work after exporting.
Keep in mind that a human will read it too. A resume that is clear for a machine is almost always clear for a person.
Set the document details
Every PDF stores properties such as title and author. Odd values like "Microsoft Word - Document3" can appear in a browser tab or a recruiter's file list. Use Edit PDF Metadata to set the title to something like "Maria Lopez – Resume" and the author to your name. It takes ten seconds and looks careful. The same tool can clear fields you would rather not share.
Cover letter, portfolio and other attachments
If the application form allows only one upload, you can put the cover letter first and the resume second in a single PDF. Combine them with Merge PDF, check the order, and keep the combined file within the size limit. If the form allows several files, upload them separately so each is easy to open.
For multi-page portfolios, add numbers with Add Page Numbers so the reader can refer to "page 3" in an interview.
The final check before you press send
- Open the PDF on your phone. If the text is tiny or cut off, fix the layout.
- Open it in a browser as well as your usual viewer.
- Select text and run a search to be sure the words are real text.
- Click every link.
- Read it once more for typos, aloud if possible.
- Check the file name and size.
- Do not add a password. Recruiters should not need to ask you for one.
