Use a standard, readable font (Calibri, Arial or similar) at 10–12pt body size with 0.5–1 inch margins — decorative fonts often fail ATS parsing.
Resume PDF format
Resume Format PDF — How to Create and Export Yours
How to build a resume and export it as a clean, ATS-safe PDF — formatting checklist, font and margin guidance, and common export mistakes to avoid.
Application support
ATS-friendly structure
Government job context
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Use it correctly
Practical resume guidance
Export from Word or Google Docs using 'Save as PDF' / 'Download as PDF' rather than printing to PDF, which can sometimes strip selectable text.
Name the file `FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf` — recruiters and applicant-tracking systems both handle named files better than 'Resume_final_v2.pdf'.
Open the exported PDF and confirm the text is selectable (not an image) — some export paths flatten text, which breaks ATS parsing entirely.
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Resume questions
Common questions answered
What is the safest way to export a resume as PDF?
Use 'Save as PDF' or 'Download as PDF' directly from Word or Google Docs rather than printing to PDF, and confirm the exported text is selectable — some export paths flatten it into an image, which breaks ATS parsing.
What font and margins should a resume PDF use?
A standard, readable font like Calibri or Arial at 10–12pt with 0.5–1 inch margins. Decorative or condensed fonts often fail ATS parsing even when they look fine to a human reader.