The short version
- Send a PDF by default — as long as it is made of real text, not a picture of a page.
- Send Word when the posting or the recruiter asks for it, or when a recruiter will edit your resume for a client.
- Test any PDF in ten seconds: select all, copy, paste into a plain text editor, and read what comes out.
- Name it First_Last_Resume.pdf and keep it under a few megabytes.
The short answer
Send a PDF, unless you are asked for something else. A PDF made from text looks identical on every screen and printer, cannot be accidentally edited, and is read reliably by modern applicant tracking systems.
Why PDF is usually right
The reputation PDFs have for “failing the ATS” comes from how some PDFs are made, not from the format. A PDF exported from a word processor or typeset by a resume tool contains real text; a parser extracts it the same way it reads a Word document. The PDFs that fail are scans, designs exported as images, and multi-column layouts whose text comes out in the wrong order.
What you gain is control: your layout, fonts and line breaks arrive exactly as you set them, rather than reflowing on a recruiter’s machine with a different version of Word and a missing font.
When to send Word
- The posting asks for it. Follow instructions; it is the first test.
- A recruiter or agency asks for it. Agencies often reformat resumes for their clients.
- An old application portal only accepts .doc or .docx. Rare now, but it happens.
If you send Word, keep the layout as simple as an ATS-friendly PDF: one column, standard headings, no text boxes or tables for layout.
The ten-second PDF test
Open your PDF, select all the text, copy it and paste it into a plain text editor. Then read it top to bottom. If your name, contact details and every section are there, in order, a parser will be fine. If chunks are missing or the order is scrambled, fix the layout before you apply anywhere.
Naming and size
Name the file so a recruiter can find it among hundreds: First_Last_Resume.pdf. Avoid resume_final_v3.pdf. Keep it small — a text PDF is usually well under a megabyte, and anything over a few megabytes risks an upload limit.