It May Have Vanished Into Thin Air.
You’ve sent them your resume, but radio silence. Why didn’t anyone get back to you?
Let’s dive into a mystery that’s been causing a bit of confusion in the recruiting world—resumes being sent as image-based PDFs instead of the good ol’ text-based ones! You might be thinking, “A PDF is a PDF, right?” Well, not exactly. Trust me, not all PDFs are created equal, especially when it comes to sneaking past the infamous Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and into the hands of a recruiter.
Picture This:
You’ve worked tirelessly on your resume—polished every word, formatted it like a masterpiece. But instead of sending a sleek, professional document, you’ve accidentally sent what amounts to a Picasso. Sure, it looks nice, but good luck getting anyone to figure it out! That’s because instead of a functional, readable file, you’ve sent a PDF that’s really just a picture of your resume. Unless you’re trying to win recruiters over with some avant-garde art (spoiler: we’re not that into it), this isn’t the best approach. Let me explain why.
Text-Based PDFs: The Superstar
A text-based PDF is like the VIP pass to the job application world. It’s the golden ticket that gets noticed by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are programmed to scan for keywords, experience, and all the important stuff that makes you stand out. If a recruiter or ATS can highlight the text in your resume, you’re in the clear! This format allows machines (and humans) to easily search, highlight, and process the content of your resume.
Pro Tip: Want to know if you’re in the clear? Just open your PDF and try highlighting or copying some text. If the ATS can “see” your resume the same way you do, your chances of getting noticed go up dramatically. Congratulations, you’ve just earned yourself a spot in the ATS good graces!
Image-Based PDFs: The Ghost
On the flip side, sending an image-based PDF is like handing over your resume in invisible ink. The ATS sees a blank slate because it can’t scan or process an image. That beautiful resume you spent hours on? Poof! It’s invisible. And unless your recruiter has superhuman powers (another spoiler: we don’t), there’s no saving it. Your resume is officially in the ghost zone, my friend.
To be clear, an image-based PDF usually happens when someone scans a printed resume or takes a screenshot and then converts it into a PDF. So, while it looks like a PDF, it’s really just a fancy picture. And no, the ATS doesn’t appreciate your photography skills—it needs data it can read!
Quick Tip: How to Avoid the PDF Pitfall
Before you hit send on that job application, here’s a super simple way to ensure you’re sending the right kind of PDF:
1. Open your PDF and try to highlight the text.
2. Can’t highlight? Oops, it’s a ghost. Hit “save as PDF” properly, and bring your resume back from the dead!
And if you’ve accidentally created an image-based PDF, don’t worry. You can use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to convert it into a text-based format. This little trick will transform your ghostly resume into something ATS-friendly and ready for action!
Bottom Line
Don’t ghost your own resume. The easier it is for ATS robots to read, the quicker it gets in front of those human recruiters (who still don’t appreciate avant-garde art). Stick to the basics, save your PDF properly, and let your resume do the talking!
This article was prepared by the Doyen Search Group LLC. editorial team, drawing on extensive experience in the hospitality industry.
Contact Doyen Search Group LLC. today for expert recruiting services or a talent acquisition consultation.
DOYEN SEARCH GROUP LLC
+1.503.761.6349
PORTLAND, OR
