PDF Resume Templates

To ensure a smooth job application process, check out the following tips for creating a PDF resume correctly.

1. Choose a simple layout:

   Choose a PDF resume template with a clean, easy-to-read layout. Avoid overly complex designs that may not translate well across different devices. The cleaner and more structured your resume layout, the easier it is to convert to a PDF.

2. Use professional fonts:

   Stick to standard, professional fonts like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) widely recognize these resume fonts and will display them correctly on any device.

3. Optimize for ATS:

   To increase your chances of passing ATS scans, avoid using images, charts or tables that could disrupt the parsing process. Instead, highlight your qualifications using bullet points, clear headings, and straightforward language to highlight your qualifications. You can verify your resume’s ATS compliance by uploading it to our free ATS Resume Checker, which will check it for 30+ issues!

4. Check for consistency:

   Ensure that your formatting, such as font sizes, spacing and alignment, is consistent throughout the document. Too many different font styles and sizes can appear unprofessional and distract from what’s most important: your content.

5. Test before submitting:

   Before finalizing your resume, test the PDF on different devices and platforms to confirm that it appears as intended. Ensure all links, such as those to your LinkedIn profile or portfolio, work correctly in the PDF format.

6. Compress the file size:

   If your PDF file is too large, some application systems might reject it. Use a PDF compressor tool to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.

7. Save the original:

   Always keep an editable version of your resume in a word processing format like Word or Google Docs. Doing so allows you to easily update and tailor your resume for different job applications without starting from scratch.

When customizing a PDF resume template, begin with the resume summary section. Introduce yourself to employers with a brief two to five-sentence paragraph listing your most relevant qualifications for the job. A compelling summary statement includes:

• Your profession
• Academic degree
• Years of experience
• Key job requirements (skills or areas of expertise)
• One measurable achievement that helps you stand out

You can build a resume summary for your PDF resume template in paragraph or list style. Check out these two examples:

Paragraph style

“Detail-oriented accountant with 5+ years of experience in financial management and tax preparation. Proven track record of reducing annual expenses by 15% through streamlined budgeting processes. Skilled in financial analysis and reporting, ensuring compliance and accuracy in all financial operations.”

List style

• Experience: Over five years in financial management and tax preparation.
• Achievement: Reduced annual expenses by 15% through streamlined budgeting processes.
• Skills: Proficient in financial analysis, reporting, and ensuring compliance and accuracy in all financial operations.
• Strengths: Detail-oriented, highly organized, and experienced in improving efficiency in financial management.

Another important section that should appear in your PDF resume template is the skills section. To land a job interview, you must include the skills that recruiters require for this role.

Here are some tips for making a strong skills section:

• Add six to eight skills.
• Include a balanced mix of soft, hard and technical skills.
• Incorporate keyword skills from the job description.

Checkout this example of a skills section for a teaching role:

Skills

• Classroom management
• Curriculum development
• Differentiated instruction
• Empathy
• Literacy development
• Time management
• Educational technology
• Conflict resolution

One of the most important sections in a good PDF resume template is the work experience section.

The work experience section can be tricky to format and may shift when shared across devices. All our PDF resume templates include a pre-formatted work experience section, so you only have to fill it out with your details.

Ensure you have a well-written work experience section, and include the following:

• Organize your work history chronologically (most recent job first).
• Include your job title, company name, location and employment dates.
• Outline your key achievements in each role with three to four bullet points.
• Quantify your accomplishments with numbers, dollar amounts and percentages.

Here are some work history achievements for various job titles that you can copy and paste into any of our PDF resume templates.

Project Manager

• Led cross-functional teams to deliver 15+ projects on time and within budget, improving client satisfaction by 20%.
• Streamlined project workflows, reducing project delivery time by 25% and increasing team productivity.
• Managed project budgets totaling $2M+, consistently achieving cost savings of 10% through effective resource allocation and vendor negotiations.

Cashier

• Processed an average of 150 transactions per shift with a 99.8% accuracy rate, minimizing cash discrepancies.
• Upsold promotional items, contributing to a 12% increase in daily sales.
• Maintained customer satisfaction rating of 95% by providing friendly and efficient service.

Social Media Manager

• Increased social media engagement by 35% through targeted content strategies across multiple platforms.
• Developed and executed a viral campaign that boosted follower count by 20K in three months.
• Implemented data-driven social media strategies, resulting in a 25% increase in website traffic from social channels.

An education section is essential for your resume since it will help you show you possess the required academic level for the job.

The education section is highly customizable because it should be tailored to the job requirements and your unique achievements.

Here are some tips for writing an effective education section for your PDF resume template.

• Share the name of your degree and the college or institute you attended.
• Removing your graduation date can help you avoid discrimination bias based on your age (recruiters can guess your age by figuring out when you started college!)
• Do include your expected graduation date if you’re a student.
• You don’t need to include your high school details if you possess a college degree.
• If you have more than one degree, list them in reverse-chronological order.
• Feel free to customize your education by adding relevant achievements such as GPA score, relevant coursework, certifications or any other academic accomplishments.

Here’s an example of an education section:

Education

Digital Marketing Certificate — May 2024
Harvard Business School Online

B.A. in Communications: Journalism
Northwestern University | Evanston, IL

Incorporating strong action verbs is a great way to optimize a pre-written PDF resume template.

Action verbs are an excellent way to start your resume achievements because they tell recruiters precisely what you did and convey more accurate and confident language.

For example, here’s how action verbs make achievements sound more impactful:

• Recuperated the past quarter’s losses by implementing a targeted marketing campaign that increased customer retention by 25%.
• Achieved the highest sales in fiscal year 2023 by developing and executing a new sales strategy focused on key accounts.
• Accelerated production by streamlining workflow processes, reducing turnaround time by 20%.
• Increased profits by introducing a cost-saving initiative that reduced operational expenses by 15%.
• Resolved 1,000+ bug issues on the company’s flagship software, improving overall system stability and user satisfaction.