Exactly how to format and save your resume and why it. Handing in a resume for a job application as a pdf is a good idea if you want your resume to look exactly the way youve made it. This way the receiver will get a copy of the resume in the original format. Before you send your resume, make sure it looks professional. In other cases, you will send your resume directly to a human.
When you are sending cover letter and resume attachments, the first step is to save your resume as a pdf or a word document. In addition, a pdf build created from a ms word file has text. Everything you need to know about submitting a resume. It may be required by the employer that the resume has to be attached and submitted in a specific format such as a pdf document or microsoft word document. A pdf is acceptable to most employers but youre better off sending a.
If the job ad explicitly asks for a cover email, a covering email, or an email cover letter, these are the only instances where you actually should paste your cover letter into your resume email. Ill tell you straight away that im a recruiter so i know all the recruiter explanations for why candidates should send their resumes in microsoft. If you have already started in the art of looking for work, surely more than once you have asked in which format to send your resume, and you have gone around the subject or not if sending it in word or pdf. Also use the same naming convention as you did for your resume, e. If youre emailing a resume directly to someone, then use a pdf as these are typically virusfree when downloaded. Exactly how to format and save your resume and why it matters. It should be concise and no more than one page how to send it. However, the reason you might opt for a word doc is because of the complicated nature of ats tracking systems. Hiring managers or other employees cannot edit or alter the document, ensuring your. Very rarely will you ever want to send a pdf of your resume. Select resumes or other documents located at the top of the page.
If thats the case, you may want to send your resume as a pdf. If not the recipient may not be able to open your resume and you would have fallen at the first hurdle. Emailing your cover letter and resume when sending your cover letter and resume electronically, try to find out if the employer would prefer them as attachments or in the body of your email. Take a look below to find out which format is best. Once youve perfected your resume and are ready to apply for a job, you may wonder whether to send your resume in pdf or word format. If you re applying by email, should you attach your cover letter. If you have a usajobs profile, you can upload and manage your resume, required forms, and other documents. Use a nofrills tothepoint subject line and ensure that you have a professional signature in the end containing all your details. Everything you need to know about submitting a resume on. Doc format microsoft word version of your resume and cover letter, if a cover letter. Place your resume and cover letter inside a protective plastic document sleeve. Remember, these are intended to serve only as examples. If you have bulleted lists in your resume, stick to bullets and stay. Should i send my send cover letter as an attachment.
Employers know which format they prefer and not following directions could cause your resume to be rejected. Should i send my cover letter and resume in the body of the email or as an attachment. If the application instructions specifically state that you should upload as a pdf file. Click the documents link located in the lefthand navigation. You should modify or change as appropriate to customize your resume according to your skills, experience, education, and the job you. Should i submit my resume and cover letters in pdf or doc. If you do so, use the same format as your resume for example, if your resume is a pdf, your cover letter should be too. When the job hiring decisionmaker asks you for a copy of your resume in an email or other medium of communication. Unless a company specifies a specific format, you should generally send your cover letter as a pdf. Specifically, what format should you send via email to a recruiter, hiring manager, or anyone in the hiring process on your career journey. You can create your resume in word, photoshop, illustrator, indesign, etc.
If you need to edit something in your pdf file, you have to have the editable file word. Follow the employers instructions to decide whether you should attach a file or send your cover letter in the body of your email. Related links choosing the right format to send your resume when to use a plain text resume. Heres the right way to submit your resume online on. After you have chosen the best file name for your resume, make sure the final few letters show the correct format of the file. Preparing your resume, also available through the bellevue university career services center. Pdf resumes or word resumes sent to recruiters or hiring managers via email or.
But despite what statistics say about pdf being the favored format, its still a good idea to find out what your potential employer prefers and submit your resume in that format. Many job posting instructions specify a preferred format, typically either microsoft word or pdf portable document format. If you want to ensure that the document can be read, you may want to send two copies of each, one in word and one in pdf format. Heres how to choose the right file format for your resume. Doc if its a larger institution that uses resume screening software ats. You should include a phone number with your country code, with good formatting e. Whether you choose a pdf format resume or a word format resume depends on you. If you re submitting to a small company or directly to a person via email, a pdf is the way to go. You can upload and store up to five resumes in your profile. Some have suggested pdf is the best resume format, to include fancy graphics, or unique formatting in order to uniquely stand out. Should anything go wrong with your online portfolio or media based submission, employers will certainly come back and. The easiest way to email your resume is by attaching the file directly to the email. Should i send a cover letter as a pdf or word file.
Attach your resume and a cover letter saved in pdf with professional file names e. For example, the employer may request that you upload or email your documents in a. Whether you want to email or fax your resume, paste it into a job board. What is the best way to format a resume if in your current position you have multiple job. Doc is preferred because its easier to make edits to your resume.
Pdf resumes or word resumes sent to recruiters or hiring managers via email or uploaded to an application portal are sent as attachments, so the employer can view the document on their computer and print it out if needed. Make sure this is an account that you check often so that you dont miss important emails about interviews. Dont forget to attach the resume and cover letter before you hit. Should i send my resume and cover letter as pdf or word. If you create a pdf version of your resume from a ms word file, that pdf file can be scanned by applicant tracking systems. To stand out, you should carefully tailor your resume to fit the job description. Rather than attaching your resume as a file to an email, you can put your resume in the body of the message. Publish your resume as a pdf with all the formatting, links and images that make it a powerful engaging resume and when youre asked for a word doc send them a simple rich text file. It is often used for posting a resume on a website or job board. If you cannot make your resume look good by copying and pasting it in the email, i suggest using the same approach as in the previous scenario. Some might consider the pdf to be the best resume file format. You re now ready to choose the best resume format for your needs. Why your resume should be a pdf and not a word doc linkedin. Align it with the job description of the target job.
Should you combine your cover letter and resume into one. Email, the cover letter should be the body of the email message attach your resume as an ms word attachment, attach resume and cover letter as two separate documents standard mail, the cover letter should be printed on resume paper match paper used for resume. The recipient must have adobe acrobat reader a free download to open and. Sending a cover letter as an attachment in an email or on an online job application is standard. If the job posting doesnt specify how to send it, you can also choose to send your cover letter as an attachment. Or you can save it as a pdf so nothing moves around. If youre sending your resume to a recruiting agency a. Not only will the sleeve serve the purpose of keeping the pages neat, it will also allow the hiring manager to pull out your resume. Submitting your resume as a doc doesnt guarantee your resume will look the same way it does to you. Well discuss what the best file format is for emailing your resume and cover letter. When emailing your cover letter and resume, either include the cover letter as an attachment or copy and paste its text into the email message. How to know if your resume should be a pdf or word the muse. You can still attach your cover letter in a separate file, just make sure it matches the content of your cover email.
Well, as a general rule of thumb, you should always have a pdf back up on hand. Especially if you want your resume to maintain formatting and if are applying for a creative job that requires your resume to reflect a particular skill set such as graphic design. Upload your resume as a pdf or a microsoft word document. While its tempting to do this rather than to build a full profile from scratch, you should avoid it. Though there are advantages and disadvantages of using both, you should generally send your resume as a pdf. You want to make sure that the pages of your resume are taken as a whole. A printed resume on paper is good for facetoface situations like job fairs and interviews as a leavebehind. That way, itll look exactly as you want it to, no matter what formatting or fonts you have in it, and itll look the same both on the web and on your. The most important thing is to follow the employers instructions. Choosing the right format for sending a resume pongo. Should i submit my resume and cover letters in pdf or doc format.
What format should your resume be in word, pdf or something else. One question thatve heard several times goes something like this. But when should you send your resume in word format and when should you send it in pdf. Linkedin has made it very easy to upload your resume as a pdf to make it part of your linkedin profile. Include a line in the email that mentions that you have attached the pdf files.
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