A CV is a document created and used by an individual to present his or her background, skills and achievements in order to find a new job. The two most popular file formats for sending your CV are PDF and Word. Although some employers may specify the format of your CV in the recruitment description, make sure you pay attention to the details before creating it.
In this article, we will understand the advantages and disadvantages of sending your CV in PDF or Word format. Thanks to this you can make the best choice for yourself!
What’s good about PDF?
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is a versatile file format created by Adobe that provides users with an easy and reliable way to present and exchange documents. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you submit your CV in this format. The advantages of using the PDF format are as follows;
- Maintain all formatting
The biggest advantage of presenting your CV in PDFformat is that there are no unexpected formatting changes. No matter what devices you open the file on, it will look exactly the same. - Protect your information
Protect your PDFby restricting editing in Adobe Editor to prevent others from copying your personal information. - Understanding an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is human resources management software that serves as a database of job applicants. ATS will scan your CV in the system before sending it to the company, so your CV must be very readable to facilitate keyword searches and candidate ranking. Adobe PDFwould be a great choice as it will always have the highest compatibility with all databases.
Do you want to create your own PDF file with a PDF editor?
If you are looking for a PDF editor, SwifDoo PDF now offers PDF editing functionality. It is optimized to handle large file sizes, you can easily import high resolution images or add free illustration icons to the panel.
The SwifDoo PDF Editor is also a comprehensive program, offering editing tools and document protection options such as password encryption and file signing. Due to its large package of capabilities, the program is perfect for more experienced users or as a multi-functional system in enterprises. There are formatting settings and a module for extracting and exporting pages to a selected location as independent files. In addition, SwifDoo PDF will be useful for converting documents to various formats , such as Office extensions, HTML, text or images (JPEG, PNG, BMP or TIFF).
SwifDoo PDF is a free trial version and has multiple paid editions – Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, 2-Year and Perpetuals. The Pro package includes more advanced editing tools, and the Perpetual plans allow you to upgrade to any future versions for free.
Is the Word format worse for resume?
It is true that some recruiters may expect to collect their CV in Word format because they may want to edit a few things before inserting it into the database, so having the Word format may be beneficial, but such a requirement is usually written in the description.
- Reduce Resolution
Many people may find it easy to modify charts, shapes, clip art, and insert images in Word files. However, most word processing software is not an expert in handling graphics, which may result in reduced resolution when the recruiter opens the file on his or her computer with a different version of the word processing software. - Redefine Layout and Margin
It’s possible that the margin setting in your word processing software is defined differently on the recruiter’s computer. Therefore, the page break may end up in a completely different position, making your CV unreadable.
Make your CV in PDF
Now that you know what format to choose for your CV, but before you start creating your CV, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
- Research the company and read the job description carefully
- Keep your CV simple with stand-out paragraphs and titles
- Check if the specific file format for the job posting exists
- Choose a simple and easy-to-use PDF creator such as SwifDoo PDF
A few simple steps to improve your CV
The development of modern forms of communication, including the Internet, means that we are bombarded with information from every side. Persons involved in recruitment do not have any discounts in this respect. Often, their work largely involves reviewing dozens of CVs in one day. In such a situation, the candidate may “get lost” in the sea of other application documents and be treated as another, same person.
- Define keywords
- Compare your CV with job offers
- Improve your CV parsing
- Highlight important information
- Make sure your CV is saved in the correct format
Your CV should be saved in one of the popular formats. These include: PDF, doc, docx, rtf, or odt. Documents saved in these formats can usually be opened on any operating system you have. A CV saved in a rare format may pose a risk that the recruiter will not be able to quickly view its content.
In closing
Even the best-written CV will not replace the qualifications required for a given job position. It’s a fact. However, a recruiter who has to process a large amount of information in a short time will pay attention more quickly to a CV in which the information he is interested in will be well highlighted.
It is also important that your CV is friendly to the software used in recruitment, so in this case PDF is a the most convenient method.
