The question everyone asks, and the wrong answer everyone repeats
PDF or Word? It's one of the most common questions in any job search. And the answer you hear most often, "send a PDF, it keeps your layout intact," is incomplete and sometimes dangerous.
The real answer in 2026: the format matters less than how the file is built. A poorly made PDF (like many Canva exports) is worse than a basic Word document. A Word file with nested tables is worse than a clean text PDF. The format is secondary: structure is what decides whether an ATS reads you or rejects you.
Across the CVs analysed by CVpass, both PDFs and Word files show up at both ends of the scale: a clean text-based PDF gets a good score, while an image PDF drops close to zero. The quality of the file matters more than its extension.
What ATS software can do (and what it can't)
An ATS has to extract the text from your CV in order to analyse it. How well it does that depends on the nature of the file, not just its extension.
Text PDF vs. image PDF
A PDF can contain two very different kinds of data:
- Text PDF: the text is encoded in the file, so you can select and copy it. An ATS can extract it easily.
- Image PDF: the document is a screenshot or a scan. The text is just pixels. An ATS can't extract it; all it sees is an image.
Many CVs made in Canva or Photoshop, or exported from certain desktop publishing tools, are image PDFs. The result: an ATS score close to zero, no matter how strong the candidate actually is. If you use Canva, see our guide to fixing a Canva CV that ATS software can't read.
What about Word (DOCX)?
A Word file contains structured text that ATS software can read almost every time. Extraction is generally reliable. However, a very complex Word layout, with nested tables, text boxes, or side-by-side columns, can cause the same problems as a badly built PDF.
A practical comparison of formats
Well-built PDF (selectable text, simple layout)
- ✓ Readable by modern ATS software
- ✓ Layout preserved for every recipient
- ✓ Professional and hard to edit by accident
- ✓ Well suited to direct applications by email
- ⚠ Can cause trouble with older ATS software
Word (DOCX, simple layout)
- ✓ Excellent ATS compatibility in almost every system
- ✓ The format some recruiters and staffing agencies expect
- ✓ Quick and easy to edit
- ⚠ The layout can shift depending on the recipient's version of Word
- ⚠ Seen as less polished by some recruiters
Image PDF (Canva, graphic export)
- ✗ Unreadable by ATS software
- ✗ ATS score close to zero
- ✓ Beautiful visual layout (but pointless if nobody reads it)
What do French recruiters recommend?
Practice in France is fairly consistent: PDF is the standard format for applications, as long as it's built correctly.
Recruitment agencies sometimes explicitly ask for a Word file so they can edit your CV before passing it to their clients (removing contact details, standardizing the format). In that case, send a simple, clean Word file.
For direct applications on platforms like Welcome to the Jungle, LinkedIn, or a company's own careers site, a well-structured text PDF is the best choice.
Golden rules for each format
Golden rule for PDF
1. Create it from Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice, or an ATS-friendly CV builder
2. Check that the text is selectable (click in the PDF and try to highlight a line)
3. Avoid two-column layouts, tables, and graphic text boxes
4. One column, clearly titled sections, bullet-point text
Golden rule for Word
1. Simple structure: one column, headings set with heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2), no tables for layout
2. Avoid text boxes and use normal paragraphs
3. DOCX format (not DOC, not ODT)
4. Check that the file opens cleanly in a different version of Word
How to test your CV's ATS compatibility
Test 1: Selecting text
Open your PDF. Click in the document and try to select some text. If you can select and copy words, the text can be extracted. If not, your CV is probably an image PDF.
Test 2: Copy and paste
Select all the text in your PDF (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and paste it into a plain text editor (Notepad, TextEdit). If the result looks like your CV, with sections in the right order and readable text, that's a good sign. If it's a jumbled mess of words, the ATS will struggle in the same way.
Test 3: An ATS scanner
The most reliable test is to upload your CV to an ATS analysis tool. It will tell you directly whether the content is readable and how your score compares against a job posting.
The best workflow in practice
If you're actively job hunting, I recommend keeping two versions of your CV:
ATS version: simple format, one column, text PDF or Word. This is the one you send on every job board and through companies' online application forms.
Visual version: your nice Canva CV or similar, with the polished layout. Save that one for direct email applications to people you know, for job fairs, or to accompany a clean ATS version.
Compatibility by popular ATS in 2026
Not every ATS handles PDF and Word the same way. Here are the general trends, ATS by ATS:
| ATS | Text PDF | Image PDF | Word (.docx) | .pages | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Workday** (large corporations) | OK | NO | EXCELLENT | NO | Word preferred |
| **Taleo** (Oracle, large companies) | OK | NO | EXCELLENT | NO | Word preferred |
| **Greenhouse** (tech, scale-ups) | EXCELLENT | NO | OK | NO | Text PDF preferred |
| **Lever** (scale-ups) | EXCELLENT | NO | OK | NO | Text PDF preferred |
| **iCIMS** (SMBs + large groups) | OK | NO | OK | NO | Both OK |
| **SmartRecruiters** | OK | NO | OK | NO | Both OK |
| **Bullhorn** (IT consulting firms) | OK | NO | EXCELLENT | NO | Word preferred |
| **LinkedIn Easy Apply** | OK | Partial | OK | NO | Both OK |
| **Welcome to the Jungle** | EXCELLENT | NO | OK | NO | Text PDF preferred |
| **Indeed** | EXCELLENT | Partial OCR | OK | NO | Text PDF preferred |
| **APEC** | EXCELLENT | NO | OK | NO | Text PDF preferred |
Rule of thumb: for a CV in France, a well-built text PDF works everywhere. A Word .docx file works everywhere too. Pick whichever displays best for your recipient, unless the posting explicitly asks for a specific format.
The 6 golden rules of an ATS-friendly CV (any format)
1. Selectable text is a must
Open your file. Click in the CV and try to highlight a sentence with your mouse. If you can copy the text, you're fine. If nothing gets selected (or only an image), start over.
2. A single column is essential
Two-column CVs (info on the left, content on the right) are often misread. Use a single column, top to bottom, like a book. See our Canva CV guide for examples.
3. Standard fonts
Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Geist. Never fancy fonts (Papyrus, Comic Sans, decorative typefaces). Exotic fonts get swapped for default fonts in some PDFs, which breaks the layout.
4. Clearly titled sections
"Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," "Languages": use exactly these headings. Avoid "My Journey," "My Work Life," or "My Talents," because ATS software doesn't recognise them as sections.
5. No icons in headings
A phone icon next to "Contact" often turns into an unknown character when the ATS extracts the text, which breaks section detection. Stick to plain text.
6. Final file format: .pdf or .docx, never .pages
Apple's Pages format can't be read by most ATS software. If you work on a Mac in Pages, always export to .docx or .pdf before sending.
The hidden trap: "styled" exports
- Word to PDF via "Print to PDF" → perfect most of the time, readable text PDF
- Canva to "Standard" PDF → text PDF, but often with columns to watch out for
- Canva to "Print" PDF → IMAGE PDF (avoid at all costs)
- Photoshop to PDF → image PDF unless you use special settings
- Figma to PDF → image PDF
- Word to DOCX with nested tables → broken Word file, similar to a multi-column PDF
- Google Docs to PDF → reliable text PDF
- LibreOffice to ODT, then PDF → sometimes buggy; better to convert to DOCX first
When to choose Word over PDF
1. The recruitment agency asks for it
Some agencies explicitly ask for a Word file so they can remove your contact details before sending your CV to the end client. This is common practice in France for confidential positions.
2. You're applying to a large company that uses Workday or Taleo
These ATS platforms dominate France's CAC 40 companies and have historically favored Word. A Word file generally goes through them better than a PDF.
3. You want your CV to be editable
In-house recruiters at agencies appreciate being able to fix a typo or standardize the format before passing it on.
When to choose PDF over Word
1. You're emailing it directly to a contact
A PDF guarantees that the layout will look exactly the same on the recipient's end. A Word file can shift depending on the version of Office.
2. You're applying on Welcome to the Jungle, LinkedIn, Indeed, or APEC
These platforms accept both, but a PDF displays more cleanly for the recruiter.
3. Your design matters to you (e.g., creative or marketing roles)
A PDF locks in your visual design. A reminder: a beautiful PDF that the ATS can't read will never be seen by a human.
The recommended strategy: keep BOTH versions
The most professional and safest solution is to prepare two versions of your CV:
Version 1: ATS-safe (for high-volume applications)
- .docx AND text .pdf formats
- Single column, Arial/Calibri font, no icons
- Standard section headings
- Exported from Word or Google Docs
- This is the one you send through platforms (Indeed, WTTJ, LinkedIn, APEC, company websites)
Version 2: Visual (for networking and direct contact)
- Can be Canva, an original design, colours
- Send it only for direct, unsolicited applications (email to a contact, networking, job fairs)
- Never through an ATS platform
The cost: 30 more minutes of prep. The payoff: three times the options in your search.
The 3 must-do tests before every submission
Test 1: Text selection
Open your file (PDF or Word). Highlight a sentence with your mouse. If you can copy the text, that's a good sign.
Test 2: The brute-force copy and paste
Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C, then paste into a blank Notepad. The result should:
- Show every section in the right order
- Not mix several columns together
- Keep the words in the right order
If it's chaotic, the ATS will have the same problems.
Test 3: ATS score
Run your CV through an ATS scanner like CVpass (free for 1 analysis). If the score is below 50, it's almost always a format problem. See our comparison of free CV scanners for other options.
FAQ: PDF or Word for your CV
Is PDF outdated for ATS software in 2026?
No. Modern ATS platforms (Workday 2024+, Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS) read text PDFs perfectly. PDF remains a perfectly valid choice.
Does ATS software run OCR on image PDFs?
Indeed is starting to do partial OCR. Most other ATS platforms don't. The result: an image PDF will perform poorly everywhere, except perhaps on Indeed.
Can I send a .pages file?
No, never. Most ATS software can't read it. If you work on a Mac in Pages, always export to .docx or .pdf before sending.
Does the ODT format (LibreOffice) work?
Rarely. Many French ATS platforms don't support ODT. Always convert to .docx before sending.
Does a Word CV with a "fancy" header work?
Word headers (the header/footer areas) are often ignored by ATS software. Put your contact details in the body of the document, not in a header.
What if the posting asks for "a CV" without specifying the format?
Send a clean text PDF. It's the expected default. If it's a recruitment agency, you can send both (PDF + .docx).
My ATS score is low. Should I change formats?
Run the 3 tests above first. If your PDF is an image PDF, rebuild it in Word and then export it. If it's a text PDF but in 2 columns, redo it as a single column. The format itself doesn't decide your score: the structure is what counts.
CVpass produces the right format
When CVpass optimises your CV, it produces a clean, structured PDF designed to be perfectly readable by ATS software. No columns, no images, no tables, just well-organised content optimised for the job you're targeting.
You keep your visual CV for printing and in-person contacts. You use the CVpass PDF for every application that goes through an automated system.
Generate an ATS-friendly PDF in 20 minutes. Free analysis on CVpass →
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