How to prepare a PDF CV for applicant tracking systems
By PDFEditor.ae · Published
What recruiting software needs
Applicant tracking systems read the text in your PDF to pull out names, dates and job titles. They need real text in a sensible reading order. Systems differ, so no layout is guaranteed to work everywhere; if the employer asks for a format, follow it.
Build it for reading order
- Write the CV in a word processor with real text, not text inside images.
- Use clear section headings: Experience, Education, Skills.
- Keep important details in the main column; sidebars can be read out of sequence.
- Export with "Save as PDF".
Test what a parser would see
- Open the PDF and select a few lines to confirm the text is selectable.
- Run it through PDF to Word, which copies the text out in reading order.
- Check your name and contact details come first, and each job title sits next to its dates.
- If a sidebar interrupts your work history, simplify the layout and export again.
Keep it readable and small
If the portal has a size limit, compress the PDF; it is lossless, so the text stays intact. Avoid editing the CV with our Edit Text tool — it saves the edited page as an image, which hides that page's text from software. Edit the source and export again.