Design

File Format

Export as a PDF with selectable text, at the correct page size; never a photo of your resume.

The file format is the last thing standing between a well-written resume and a reader who can actually open and search it.

PDF, with real text, not a scanned image

A PDF preserves your layout across devices and keeps the text selectable and searchable, which most ATS software relies on to parse a resume correctly. A photo, screenshot, or a PDF made from a scanned page can't be parsed at all.

Match the page size to where you're applying

The US and Canada use Letter (8.5" × 11"); most everywhere else uses A4. Submitting the wrong size can shift margins or push content onto an extra page when the recruiter's printer or viewer renders it.

Do

A one-file PDF export, correct page size, with your name in the filename (e.g. john-doe-resume.pdf).

Don't

A .docx file with tracked-changes comments still in it, or a photo of a printed page.

Put it into practice

Build your resume in Fit The Role and these principles are already built into the editor and templates.

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