The key here is to pay very careful attention to what is requested in the job posting or in your direct communications with the organization. However, you may encounter a recruiter or hiring manager who uses older software, or whose candidate-tracking software works with older versions of Word documents, and specifically asks you to save your file as a DOC extension instead of the default DOCX. This format is similar to its predecessor, the DOC extension, but is a bit more feature-rich. Users with the most recent versions of Microsoft Word use the DOCX format. Microsoft Word can create multiple formats of documents. So, when do you use or send a Microsoft Word document for your resume? The simple answer is when it’s specifically requested.īut even simple Word documents sometimes aren’t that simple. Others may like the commenting capabilities on Microsoft Word documents, where they can mark up what they like - or don’t - about your resume. They may be planning to use resume scanning software to analyze your resume or have a policy of uploading your resume to in-house software that only works with Microsoft formats. While many hiring managers and recruiters prefer and will specify the need to send them your resume in PDF, some may request a Microsoft Word document. Microsoft Word DOC/DOCX resume file format The people who need to see or get a copy of your resume can easily download an unchangeable PDF and see an accounting of your career.ĭOCX PDF 2. In this instance, you definitely don’t want anyone to have access to the source file to make any changes. They or a well-meaning admin won’t be able to inadvertently make changes to your resume in the process of opening or forwarding it, and all of the formatting you carefully chose will remain the same.Īnother scenario that calls for the use of an Adobe PDF resume file format is when you save your resume to your personal website or online portfolio for others to download. The recruiter or hiring manager will see on their screen exactly what you have crafted on yours. Using this format is like creating a digital “print” version of your resume. Although you’ll likely have created your resume in Microsoft Word, you’ll save it to PDF format before sending. The safest and most common file format for a resume to use when transmitting your career collateral electronically is an Adobe PDF file. Know that you can get help with the writing and formatting of your resume with our professional Resume Builder, which also allows you to download your document in Word, PDF or TXT format.Ĭhoose from 30+ resume templates and formats to build your resume in minutes. Let’s explore the pros and cons of each resume file format so you can determine which one will work best for your application. N most instances, you’ll have three possible file types to consider: a Word document a PDF file, or a TXT file, which is a plain text format necessary for some candidate information collection systems. Unfortunately, the decision isn’t merely a matter of personal preference.īefore you decide which file format to use for your resume, you’ll have to consider a variety of file types, pay attention to the stated preference of your potential employer, and consider the constraints of their hiring software. Just when you think you’re finally done tinkering with your application documents, you have one last obstacle to overcome: how to save your file. The approach is simple- put yourself in the shoes of a hiring manager, and then craft a relevant resume.It can be unnerving to repeatedly edit your resume, polishing it again and again before sending it off to prospective employers. The sample templates discussed in this thread have a structure that you should emulate if you want to have the best resume eventually. Whenever you are designing a chronological resume, remember to pay attention to relevance.