PDF creation

Bri

Hi there,

Anyone recommend a decent free PDF creator (.doc -> .pdf is all I want). A quick google gives a rake of results (some advertised) so I'm a bit confused

Thanks in avance.

P.S. Anyone submit their CV in pdf format? It just strikes me as a lot more reliable. I've had major problems with a Word-based CV appearing differently according to OS and machine. Or is it a crap idea as not everyone has Acrobat (although I reckon all offices do?!)

tba

get cute pdf printer, it works as a virtual printer that you can print to .pdf file.

Direct Link

Fibonacci

Yeah, I have Cute PDF printer and it works great. Get it from www.download.com. A few other there too, but Cute was the one with the best recommendation.

Hobbes

Open Office has a built in save to PDF format. Works grand. Also reads doc files and is free.

Bri

Thanks all.

Syth

Open Office will do the job for you. Reads in lots of stuff and can easily export to PDF. It's open source, so the full version is free to download.

Bri wrote:

P.S. Anyone submit their CV in pdf format? It just strikes me as a lot more reliable. I've had major problems with a Word-based CV appearing differently according to OS and machine. Or is it a crap idea as not everyone has Acrobat (although I reckon all offices do?!)

Not to mention viruses which can be embedded in Word files.

Bri

Yeah I had a look before but was too lazy to d/l it. I really should now!

So you reckon .pdf CVs are acceptable if not better?!

Syth

Bri wrote:

Yeah I had a look before but was too lazy to d/l it. I really should now!

So you reckon .pdf CVs are acceptable if not better?!

It really doesn't matter too much. Though some sence is maybe needed. If your applying for a job in microsoft, wird files might be a good way of buttering them up. If your applying for an open source job, a word file might get your CV dumped

Other than that I don't think it really matters much. At least with a PDF you know how it's going to be displayed and it can be read by all OSs and by all people.

Capt'n Midnight

PDFcreator - gnu
- search Boards for my uploaded config file if you need A0 or A1 paper sizes.

pdf995 - has pop up ads but doesn't mark the pdf.

Bri

Thanks.

Mark the pdf? What's that about?
Watermark, writing or what? I can't have some ad. on the side of my CV!
Surely Open Office won't mark them either and won't have popups?!

Much appreciated.

penexpers

HR Agencies generally don't like PDF documents though.

Bri

That's what I was kinda expecting. Why is that? Are they afraid of them are do they like to cut n' paste?!

Mec-a-nic

Bri wrote:

That's what I was kinda expecting. Why is that? Are they afraid of them are do they like to cut n' paste?!

Having carried out about 10 interviews reciently, yes, some agencys cut & paste, and not very well. It's so they can get their logo on the top, and to remove presonal information so you have to go through the company.
I had to show 2 candidates their own CVs because they didn't recognise them, and one was out of date. So much for spending hours laying out your CV !

penexpers

Bri wrote:

That's what I was kinda expecting. Why is that? Are they afraid of them are do they like to cut n' paste?!

What Mec said, basically PDF's make it harder for them to scan for buzzwords and edit it.

dabhal

pdf995 is pretty good
free and easy to use

dmeehan

i generally save cv word docs as word 6.0 (or is it word 95)

seems to be a lowest comon denominator

Capt'n Midnight

Bri wrote:

Thanks.

Mark the pdf? What's that about?
Watermark, writing or what? I can't have some ad. on the side of my CV!
Surely Open Office won't mark them either and won't have popups?!

Much appreciated.

Of course not - but there are other shareware pdf apps that do , they won't be named because pdf995 / openoffice / pdfcreator all produce nice PDF's

pdfcreator can even encrypt them so you can't cut/paste from them easily

re: Word format - isn't WRITE .WRI lower ?
and AFAIK WORKS seems to be based on Word version 2 if you want to to try that too.