Convert a CV to PDF for Job Applications
A CV is a document you cannot afford to have reflow on someone else's computer. PDF fixes the layout, which is why recruiters expect it, and why the conversion is worth doing properly rather than quickly.
Why PDF for a CV
The document looks the same on every machine, the fonts and page breaks cannot shift, and a reader cannot accidentally edit it. Keep the Word file as your master and convert a fresh PDF each time you make a change, so the two never drift apart.
Before you send it
Name the file with your name and the role rather than something like final-v3. Check the size against the portal's limit, and open the PDF once to confirm that any links, such as a portfolio or email address, still work.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I send my CV as DOCX or PDF?
- PDF, unless the job posting explicitly asks for Word. A few application systems parse DOCX more thoroughly, so follow the instructions in the advert when they are specific.
- Will my CV fonts change when I convert it?
- The layout is embedded into the PDF, so the recruiter sees the same document even without your fonts installed. That is the main reason PDF is the safer format to send.
- The portal rejects my PDF as too large
- Compress the PDF toward the portal's limit. If it is still over, the CV probably contains large images, so reduce those or trim pages you do not need.