Recruitment Agency won't accept CV in PDF.

Unregistered. · 15-01-2013 01:34PM #1

They want a Word document instead. Is this just so they can parse keywords/phrases from? Any other reason?

Phoenix Lights · 15-01-2013 01:40PM

Unregistered. wrote: »

They want a Word document instead. Is this just so they can parse keywords/phrases from? Any other reason?

In all my time dealing with recruitment agencies I have always submitted my cv in word document. I think that is just the format they prefer.

Unregistered. · 15-01-2013 01:52PM

I want to know why? It's no more easier to read than PDF. I assume it's for machine-reading of the document but I'd like to know if there are other reasons.

Phoenix Lights · 15-01-2013 02:00PM

Unregistered. wrote: »

I want to know why? It's no more easier to read than PDF. I assume it's for machine-reading of the document but I'd like to know if there are other reasons.

Possibly because they can edit a work document pretty easily, change a few things on a cv if they think it looks and sounds better. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can edit the content of a PDF ??

banie01 · 15-01-2013 02:01PM

Generally it is to allow easier database management and CV searching on the database via Boolean searches and keyword search.
But it also means that Agencies can forward CV's with contact details and similar edited out , to clients to see if they are suitable whilst still maintaining confidentiality and exclusivity.

Procrastastudy · 15-01-2013 02:02PM

Jesus not accepting CVs on PDF - I thought that was heresy here :pac:

UDP · 15-01-2013 02:10PM

Unregistered. wrote: »

They want a Word document instead. Is this just so they can parse keywords/phrases from? Any other reason?

Its because they want to rip out your contact details and replace them with theirs. My last job I has a really nicely formated cv which I presented in PDF to the recruitment agency. After I got the job I saw what the company I began working for got. It was a terrible cut and paste job from a pdf with the recruitment agency's logo and contact details at the top.

Unregistered. · 15-01-2013 02:17PM

Ahhh, that makes sense. So they can edit the document to prevent companies from contacting applicants directly. Hadn't thought of that.

Tom Dunne · 15-01-2013 05:28PM

I could offer perhaps an alternative reason.

I looked after the database for one of the big recruitment sites in Ireland and the DB was configured to only accept Word files (very shortsighted in my opinion, the DB could handle all sorts, including PDF).

Though, I would be more inclined to go with the "so they can edit it" reason.

/cynical

Mr. Loverman · 15-01-2013 05:31PM

Unregistered. wrote: »

Ahhh, that makes sense. So they can edit the document to prevent companies from contacting applicants directly. Hadn't thought of that.

That is most likely the reason. In a previous job we used a recruiter and all the CVs had the person's contact details removed. (Of course we probably could have just contacted the jobseeker on LinkedIn or Facebook if we really did want to get them for free.)

Regardless, I'd just do as the recruiter says and send them your CV in Word format. Refusing to do so on principle will just cause you to not get sent forward for the job.

Irish_Elect_Eng · 15-01-2013 07:21PM

Although you an edit well produced PDFs, som folks still create and submit simple scanned PDF which are not compatible with most data systems.

whatnext · 16-01-2013 01:15AM

There are many reason why recruiters want a cv in word:
Easy to edit out contact details and brand it
Some clients insist in receiving cv's formatted in a particular layout
A number of job boards / websites are only compatible / configured for word. Any other format is delivered as a corrupted file.
A number of multi national organisations don't actually accept CV's from recruiters. The recruiter has to cut and paste various aspects of the cv into their "vendor management system"
Quite a large number of recruitment software packages are only searchable in word. The software will in some instances accept other formats but the information will be lost and unsearchable unless the recruiter remembers the applicants name.

Unregistered. · 16-01-2013 11:22AM

Will probably just avoid the recruitment agencies altogether then. (Just had a read of the name & shame thread)

Mr. Loverman · 16-01-2013 12:39PM

Unregistered. wrote: »

Will probably just avoid the recruitment agencies altogether then. (Just had a read of the name & shame thread)

Many people get jobs through recruitment agencies though. If I were you I would continue using them.

Unregistered. · 16-01-2013 12:41PM

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

Many people get jobs through recruitment agencies though. If I were you I would continue using them.

I'd rather make applications directly to the companies at the mo.

Irish_Elect_Eng · 16-01-2013 07:43PM

Depending on the industry some companies do not take direct applications for many roles, relying on contracted recruiters or agencies.

Unless your industry norms dictate differently, a multi-channel approach job-hunting is the most productive.

Unregistered. · 16-01-2013 11:01PM

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

Unless your industry norms dictate differently, a multi-channel approach job-hunting is the most productive.

A lot of the big multi-nationals have their own recruiting system, and many of the companies I've looked at so far take applications directly. IT sector.

avalon68 · 17-01-2013 12:16AM

Phoenix Lights wrote: »

Possibly because they can edit a work document pretty easily, change a few things on a cv if they think it looks and sounds better. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you can edit the content of a PDF ??

You can, but its a little more difficult than just using word.

starlit · 17-01-2013 08:42PM

Unless a company specifies one then stick with PDF. I've sent CV's in PDF format and often hasn't been successful in landing interview compared to MS Word/application format.

I can understand why recruitment agencies rather word format CV's but all it is to them is keywords on a database do a search makes their job easier. It can go through a software system too to see if its CV's what employers are looking for. Though make sure to lock your CV, some recruiters might try to change the wording of your CV just to sell you. They should keep within the frame of your wording if they wish to change anything they should contact you. Heard something like that happened to someone before recruiters used a candidates CV as a template.

Deliverance XXV · 17-01-2013 10:46PM

Another reason they would choose Word files over PDFs is file size. Several thousand PDFs would add up pretty quickly. For example, my CV in Word format is 21.4KB while the same CV is 376KB in PDF. Now I'm sure the PDF's size could be reduced but the ordinary-joe-soap won't know how to, or care really!

Unregistered. · 18-01-2013 01:14PM

Deliverance XXV wrote: »

Another reason they would choose Word files over PDFs is file size. Several thousand PDFs would add up pretty quickly. For example, my CV in Word format is 21.4KB while the same CV is 376KB in PDF. Now I'm sure the PDF's size could be reduced but the ordinary-joe-soap won't know how to, or care really!

Mesh, storage is cheap these days. If they were worried about file size, then surely the LaTeX version would be best?

Recruitment Agency won't accept CV in PDF.

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