PDF or Word for an ATS resume?
When to send a PDF, when to send a DOCX, and how to make sure either one can be read by an applicant tracking system.
Follow the application first
If the application form or posting names a file type, send that type. That instruction comes from the employer's own system.
When it does not say
- A PDF exported from a word processor keeps your layout and its text can be selected: most systems read it.
- A DOCX is the safest choice for older systems and for recruiters who edit resumes before sending them on.
- A scanned PDF (a picture of a page) has no text to read. Never send one.
Quick test
Open your PDF and try to select a line of text. If you can select and copy it, the text is there. Paste it into the free checker with the posting to see the keyword match.
Fix the gaps in two minutes
Open the AI resume builder, paste the same posting, and it rewrites your bullets around the missing words. Writing and checking are free; download the finished PDF for $9 once, or $19 a month for unlimited resumes.
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