Resumé - .doc or .pdf?

[treerootCO]

What format is preferred? Microsoft Word seems antiquated.

 

[Beater]

while antiquated, more accepted by the business world. PDF is more for documentation and imaging. a lot of firms don't install acrobat on imaged machines.

 

[sleeoffroad]

I always thought PDF was better since people can not easily change it. I think when you want to send a document as a image PDF is better. Pretty much accepted standard.

 

[Uncle Ben]

What format is preferred? Microsoft Word seems antiquated.

Give it out with both options.

 

[wesintl]

Both is good but when looking .rtf and .doc are the preferred. Remember, simplicity is key with a resume. If an employer has to wait for adobe to load up and you have 3 pages without 20 years of work they are going to move on.

1-2 page simple doc with key and relevent info it best. At least what I found looking and now reviewing and interviewing prospects.

 

[nakman]

I prefer .pdf, and you can include a link to a free Adobe reader if you want with your email. But if your prospective employer can't open a .pdf you probably don't want them as an employer anyway.. consider it a screening tool.

But I get more irritated with Word files when I see all the squiggles below their names, and employers, and misspelled words, etc. Or if they have formatting characters turned on for some reason and I have to look at all those return arrows, or the worst is when they used some stupid font that I don't have, so I have to then pick an alternate? all those go in the trash.

The "rev control" that Christo points out is valid too... 1 vote for .pdf

 

[SteveH]

I'd use .PDF as it's stable and nearly everyone has downloaded the free Acrobat reader, or needs to.

Two reasons not to use Word - fonts may get corrupted on the receiver's end, and they may have grammar or spell check turned on, and it will highlight any unknown or mispelled words or grammar problems (sentence fragments). This can be distracting at best, and way too revealing at worst.

Besides, Word is evil - ask any technical writer...

Steve

 

[Beater]

true nuff what everyone says about word, but most online resume builders will not accept pdf.

have both.

 

[Hulk]

I prefer when prospective employees send me PDFs. Word docs can actually carry viruses and other nastiness. I mentally subtract a point from anyone who sends a Word doc instead of a PDF. Of course, in the graphic design world, PDFs have been the standard now for several years.

Honestly, my perception is nearly everyone has some method of reading PDFs these days. New computers usually come with Acrobat Reader pre-installed.

 

[Beater]

yeah - if you guys are on the engineering side this is all true. I keep forgetting that you are all code happy geeks...

in sales/front office, word still rules.

 

[wesintl]

I would agree with everything said. If you can get the resume DIRECTLY to the person I think .pdf is better.

Fact is though simple text formats still rule due to the fact that HR puts them in a database to be scanned for key items that the employer is looking for. PDF's are difficult to put into a Database. If your blindly applying or using services like Monster the simplier the better...

No harm in asking a few recruiters what would be best in your situation.

Key is to have multiple for different situations and or perspective employers.. etc.

 

[Rzeppa]

As much as I hate anything MS, I have found that the vast majority of prospective employers expect Word, and most actually require it. My personal preference is Adobe: PDF is universal, but wouldn't it be great if they'd accept *.PSD?, but I'm one of those geeks =-)

 

[treerootCO]

I submitted it as a .pdf