Write a clear, readable one-page resume in a simple editor and export it as an A4 PDF, with advice on structure, fonts, wording and what recruiters actually scan for.
You do not need a design program to make a good resume. A recruiter is looking for clear headings, recent experience near the top and no distractions. A simple text-based layout does that job well, and it is the format that automated screening software reads most reliably. This guide walks through writing a one-page resume and exporting it as an A4 PDF with Text to PDF.
Plan the structure first
Use this order. It is the order most readers expect:
- Name and contact line. Full name, phone, email, city and, if relevant, a profile link such as LinkedIn or a portfolio.
- Summary (two or three lines). Who you are, what you do and what you are looking for. Skip it if you have nothing specific to say.
- Experience. Most recent first. Job title, company, dates, then short lines about what you achieved.
- Education. Degree, institution, year. If you are a fresh graduate, put this above experience.
- Skills. A short list of tools and abilities that match the job.
- Optional extras. Certifications, languages, projects or volunteering, only if they help for this job.
Write the content
Open the editor and type or paste your text. Some writing rules that make a real difference:
- Start lines with action verbs: “Managed”, “Built”, “Reduced”, “Taught”, “Designed”.
- Show results, not duties. “Handled customer calls” says what the job was. “Resolved 40+ customer calls a day with a 95% satisfaction score” says how well you did it. Use numbers only if they are true.
- Keep each line short. One idea, ideally one line on a printed page.
- Be consistent. Write dates in the same way throughout, for example “Mar 2022 – Aug 2024”.
- Tailor it. Reuse the words from the job advertisement where they honestly describe you. Both people and software look for them.
- Check spelling and names. A misspelt company name or an email typo costs interviews.
To mark list items, type a simple dash or bullet character at the start of each line.
Format it in the editor
In the Text to PDF editor you can set the paragraph style, the font size from 8 to 72, bold, italic, underline, colour and alignment. Select a word or a line first and apply a style to change only that part. A tidy scheme for a one-page resume is:
- Name: Heading 1 or a size of about 20 to 24, centred or left-aligned, bold.
- Contact line: size 10 to 10.5, one line.
- Section headings (Experience, Education, Skills): Heading 2 or bold at around 12 to 14.
- Job titles and school names: bold at the body size.
- Body text: size 10.5 to 11, left-aligned. Justified text can leave gaps between words in short lines.
- Colour: black or a very dark grey for the body. If you use a colour at all, use one, only on section headings, and make sure it prints legibly in black and white.
Make it fit on one page
If the text spills onto a second page, first cut: remove old or irrelevant jobs, merge similar bullets and shorten the summary. Only then use the page fit. Type 1 in Fit to __ page(s) and the tool will scale the text to fit. If it has to scale far down to fit, the text will be small and hard to read, which is a sign to cut more. A page of readable size 10.5 text that has room to breathe beats a crowded page of size 8.
Generate and check the PDF
- Click Generate PDF. A clean A4 file downloads to your device.
- Open it and zoom in. Read each line for typos and check that nothing is cut off at the edge.
- Try selecting some text. If you can select it and use search, the file contains real text.
- Rename the file clearly, for example Ayesha-Khan-Resume.pdf or Ayesha-Khan-Accountant-CV.pdf, not “docsworker-document.pdf”.
The file is made in your browser, so personal details such as your phone number and address are not uploaded anywhere.
What to leave out
- A long objective statement that could apply to anyone.
- Personal details that are not required, such as a full home address, ID numbers or marital status. Check what the employer or country expects.
- Graphics, skill bars and star ratings. They take space and say little. Names of skills in plain words are clearer.
- Reasons for leaving a job. Save these for the interview.
- Anything you cannot explain if you are asked about it.
Keep a master copy
Save your full text in a notes file and make a shorter version of it for each job. Each application then takes a few minutes: paste the master text into the editor, cut what does not fit the job and export. If you need to edit the PDF later for a small change, such as a new phone number, see how to edit a PDF online, or simply change the text and generate it again. If the file is too large for an upload form, this guide on making a PDF smaller helps; a text-only resume is normally already small.
Try it now: Text to PDFFree, no sign-up, and your files stay in your browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Should my resume be one page?
For most people with under about ten years of experience, yes. A recruiter often spends only a short time on a first look, so a focused single page is easier to read than a long one.
Is a PDF or a Word file better for a resume?
A PDF keeps the layout the same on every device, so it is the safer choice unless the employer asks for Word. If a job portal asks you to upload a specific format, follow the instruction.
Can automated screening software read this PDF?
Text to PDF writes real text into the file rather than a picture, so most screening software and search can read it. Keep the layout simple, with plain headings, and avoid tables and images for important details.
How do I make the text fit exactly one page?
Use the Fit to page(s) option and enter 1. The tool scales the text to fit that number of pages. If it has to shrink the text too much to fit, cut some content instead.
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