Does SmartRecruiters read PDF resumes?

Yes — SmartRecruiters reads text-based PDFs (the kind exported from Word, Google Docs, or LaTeX). What fails is a scanned or image-based PDF where the text is stored as a picture. When in doubt, a .docx is the lowest-risk choice.

What resume format works best for SmartRecruiters?

A single-column, reverse-chronological resume with standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), contact info in the body, no tables or graphics, saved as a text-based .docx or PDF.

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ATS guide · SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters resume parsing — how it reads your resume, and how to pass

SmartRecruiters is a global enterprise talent-acquisition platform with strong multilingual support.

SmartRecruiters runs on Textkernel, one of the better resume parsers — it handles columns more gracefully than most and can even OCR images. But it strips document headers and footers, so the classic mistake of hiding your contact info up there will still cost you. Format simply and you'll parse near-perfectly.

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How SmartRecruiters parses a resume

What the parser does well, and what trips it up — so you format for how it actually reads.

Its parsing engine is Textkernel (a partnership SmartRecruiters has confirmed) — machine-learning based, multilingual, and more tolerant of multi-column layouts than older parsers.

Because Textkernel strips headers and footers, contact info placed only there can be dropped — keep it in the body.

It supports PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, ODT and TXT, and can OCR scanned documents, though native text parses far more reliably than an image.

Will SmartRecruiters auto-reject you?

SmartRecruiters keeps a human in the loop and does not autonomously auto-reject resumes on keywords.

How to format a resume for SmartRecruiters

Three concrete fixes that make the biggest difference in this system.

Never put your contact details only in a header or footer — the parser removes them.

Use a single-column, text-based file with standard headings and no decorative symbols.

Avoid scanned/image PDFs even though OCR exists — give it real text.

Who uses SmartRecruiters

Employers widely reported to run SmartRecruiters for recruiting. (Vendors change over time — treat this as a guide, not a live roster.)

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