Should a CV Be in PDF or Word?

What format should a CV be in?

CV is short for Curriculum Vitae. A Latin phrase, which can be translated to ‘the course of my life’. A CV is a document that summarises your key skills, achievements and experiences. It shows employers why you’re a good fit for the role.

Job applicants tend to have two main options when formatting a CV:

• PDF
• Microsoft Word Document (DOCX).

Alternatively, you might be asked to type up your experience into an applicant tracking system (ATS).

What is the PDF format?

PDF is short for Portable Document Format. It’s a file format designed to make presenting and exchanging documents easier. The PDF format was created by Adobe and is used all over the world, from classrooms to meeting rooms.

One of the key features of the PDF format is its versatility. The PDF format can be used by anyone, regardless of software, hardware, or operating system.

PDFs also retain their formatting across a wider range of devices and are easy to secure and prevent editing, using tools such as Acrobat Password-Protect PDF.

What is the Word format?

A Word document is a digital file created by Microsoft Word. It’s primarily designed for writing and editing text and features a range of formatting options, allowing users to change fonts, text sizes and more. Users can also embed images and add tables and links into their documents.

From business to marketing, Word documents are widely used across a range of disciplines, thanks to their ease of editing and ability to track changes from multiple editors. However, unlike PDFs, which maintain their formatting across different devices, the content formatting of a Word document may change depending on the program used to open it.

PDF pros and cons.

Pros.

• Maintains the same formatting across different devices and programs.
• Static and can’t be easily altered, unlike Word documents.
• It offers universal compatibility.
• Secure, which is important for documents like CVs.
• Can be compressed without affecting the quality of the document.
• Easy to upload.

Cons.

• Could take up more space than a Word document.
• May not always be the preferred format for recruiters. It’s best to check first.
• Depending on corporate tools and policies, recruiters may find it harder to leave comments or notes on the file directly (though you can annotate and share PDFs via the Microsoft Edge browser).
• Can be difficult to edit or remove contact information. While there are free PDF editing tools, these tend to offer limited features.
• Can be hard for some recruiters to extract content from your document.

Word document pros and cons.

Pros.

• Easy to use, as professionals are often familiar with Word documents.
• Easy for recruiters to leave comments with features such as ‘Track Changes’.
• Simple documents that can be easier for applicant tracking software to read.
• Recruiters may prefer this format, but it’s best to check first.
• Offers spell-checking and writing tools to help sense-check your CV.

Cons.

• Less secure. PDFs let you secure and encrypt your documents to prevent others from editing without your consent.
• Sections can be edited or deleted by accident when sharing.
• Content formatting may not appear the same as how you saved it, depending on how the document is opened.
• Users may have trouble inserting pictures or aligning text around pictures.

How to convert a Word CV to a PDF.

If you prefer to create and edit your CV in Word, you could always convert it to a PDF before you send it to the recruiter.

Sending your CV as a PDF can give you peace of mind that your document is secure. Formatting your CV as a PDF also means you know exactly what your resume will look like when opened by recruiters.

There are two main ways of converting a Word doc CV to a PDF:

Save the Microsoft Document as a PDF in Word.

1. Open your finished CV doc in Microsoft Word.
2. Click ‘File’, ‘Save As’.
3. Open the drop-down box, then click ‘PDF’.
4. Save your PDF file.