Exporting Your Resume as PDF

Exporting your resume as a PDF ensures it looks professional and maintains formatting across all devices and platforms. This guide covers everything you need to know about PDF export.

Why Export as PDF?

PDF format is the industry standard for resumes because:

Formatting Preservation: Your resume will look exactly the same on any device
ATS Compatibility: Most ATS systems can read PDF files
Professional Appearance: PDFs look more polished than Word documents
File Size: PDFs are typically smaller and easier to email
Security: PDFs are less likely to be accidentally edited

How to Export Your Resume

Follow these steps to download your resume as a PDF:

Open your resume in the resume builder or preview page
Click the "Download PDF" or "Export PDF" button
Wait for the PDF generation to complete (usually takes a few seconds)
The PDF will automatically download to your device
Open the PDF to verify it looks correct

PDF Export Options

When exporting, you can choose:

Page Size: Letter (8.5" x 11") or A4 (8.27" x 11.69")
Margins: Standard margins (0.5") or custom margins
View Mode: Recruiter view (formatted) or ATS view (plain text)

Before Exporting

Review your resume before exporting:

Check for spelling and grammar errors
Verify all dates and contact information
Ensure formatting looks correct
Check that content fits on the page(s) properly
Review the preview to see exactly how it will look

Naming Your PDF

Use a professional filename for your resume:

Naming Convention

Use a clear, professional format:

• "FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf"
• "FirstName_LastName_JobTitle_Resume.pdf"
• "FirstName_LastName_CompanyName_Resume.pdf"

Avoid spaces and special characters. Use underscores or hyphens instead.

PDF Quality Settings

Our PDF export uses high-quality settings:

Print Quality: Optimized for both screen viewing and printing
Text Selectable: Text can be selected and copied (important for ATS)
Color Accuracy: Colors are preserved accurately
File Size: Optimized for reasonable file sizes while maintaining quality

Troubleshooting PDF Export

PDF Generation Takes Too Long

If PDF generation is slow, try refreshing the page and exporting again. Large resumes with many sections may take longer to process.

PDF Looks Different Than Preview

Make sure you're viewing the PDF in a proper PDF viewer (Adobe Reader, Chrome PDF viewer, etc.). Some browsers may render PDFs differently.

Text Not Selectable

If text isn't selectable, the PDF may have been exported as an image. Contact support if this happens - it's important for ATS compatibility.

File Size Too Large

If your PDF is too large, check for embedded images. Consider reducing image sizes or removing unnecessary images.

Best Practices

Export Tips

• Always review the PDF before submitting
• Keep a master copy and create job-specific versions
• Use consistent naming conventions
• Store PDFs in an organized folder system
• Export both recruiter and ATS versions if needed