Send your job application in the format the employer asks for. If they do not name one, use PDF, which looks the same on every computer, or a Word document (DOCX), and put your full name in the file name.
Looking for a job? The article on how to create the perfect job application sums up what you need to know about writing your resume and your biography, and about the questions to expect and to ask in a job interview.
But what comes between writing your application and being invited to an interview?
You have to send your application. If it has to go by mail, all you need to do is print your cover letter, resume, and attachments and put them neatly into a folder. But what if you have to send your application by email, or upload it?
Choose the right format for your job application
Of course, what matters first and foremost is the content of your resume. The file format you send it in is often the very last thing you think about. That does not mean you can ignore it. A file that is difficult or impossible to open is almost sure to be tossed out unread.
With so many document formats out there, which one should you choose? Isn't the file your word processor saves good enough?
Often, it is not. You cannot assume that the employer can open a .pages file (Apple Pages), an .odt file (LibreOffice or OpenOffice Writer), or an .hwp file (Hancom Office). In most cases, you cannot know which program the person who receives your resume uses, so you cannot know which files they can open without trouble, or without your formatting falling apart. Even a Word file can look different when it is opened in another program.
Applicant tracking systems
Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage their hiring. These systems do not all handle files the same way: some read a Word document more reliably than a PDF, for example.
If you are asked to upload your resume online, there are often guidelines that also tell you which format to use. Some companies also name a preferred format when they ask you to send your resume by email.
So whatever program you used to write your resume, save it in, or convert it to, the format the employer asks for. They will have a good reason for wanting the documents in that format.
Common document file formats
In most cases, you are asked or expected to send your application as a PDF or as a Microsoft Word document.
A PDF has a fixed layout. That means the formatting looks exactly the same whichever program opens the file, and it stays the same when the file is printed.
Microsoft Word has two common file extensions for its documents: .doc and .docx. DOCX has been Word's standard format for many years, and almost every word processor and applicant tracking system opens it. The older .doc format is only worth using if an employer asks for it.
To save your document in another format in Microsoft Word, go to File > Save As and pick the format, PDF included. LibreOffice and OpenOffice have the same option and can also export a PDF, and Apple Pages has File > Export To.
Additional notes
Once you have chosen the requested or best possible format, there are only minor things left to consider. One is the name of your file. You may have only one document on your computer called "Resume", but the employer receives many files with that very name. Make it easier for them to find and recognize your resume by putting your full name in the file name, for example:
- JackJohnsonResume.pdf
- Resume_JanetWaters.docx
Before you send it, check the final file for typos: the Spell Checker opens Word and PDF files and lets you download the corrected document as a PDF or a DOCX file.
The rule of thumb is simple: make it as easy as possible for the employer to open, find, and read your resume.