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Word vs PDF Resume: Which Format Should You Send?

The short answer

Send Word (.docx) unless the job advert specifically asks for PDF.

Why Word is usually better

ATS software parses .docx files more reliably than PDFs. This is because Word files are structured XML — the parser knows exactly where your text is. PDFs can be generated in many ways, and some of them (especially PDFs exported from Canva or Google Slides) do not contain readable text at all — they contain images of text.

Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse and most other major ATS platforms handle .docx better than PDF.

When PDF is better

  • The job advert asks for PDF
  • You are emailing your CV directly to a person (not uploading to a portal)
  • You want to guarantee exact formatting (no fonts changing between computers)
  • You are applying for a design or creative role where layout matters

    • The safest approach

    Keep your CV in Word. When a specific job asks for PDF, export it to PDF from Word using "Save As PDF" — this creates a text-based PDF that ATS systems can read.

    Never export from Canva, Google Docs or PowerPoint to PDF for a job application unless you have confirmed the portal accepts it.