How to fill out a job application PDF

Fill out a job application PDF with Quick PDF

1. Save the application to your device Download the PDF from the job posting or email. On iPhone it goes to Files, Downloads; on Android to your Downloads folder.
2. Open it in Fill PDF form Go to quickpdfapp.com, sign in, open Fill PDF form and choose the file. It opens in your browser and is not uploaded.
3. Type into the fields Tap each box and type. Use the checkboxes, radio buttons and dropdowns for questions like availability, shift preference or work authorization.
4. Use Add text for boxes that don’t respond If tapping a box does nothing, the form is flat. Choose Add text, tap the line and type; adjust the size so it fits the space.
5. Sign and date Choose Sign to draw, type or upload your signature and place it on the signature line. Add the date next to it with Add text.
6. Download or Share Download the finished copy. Choose Flatten form if you want your answers fixed to the page, or keep it fillable if the employer asked for that. Share sends it straight to email.

Open Fill PDF form

Fillable or flat: how to tell in five seconds

Open the application and tap the first answer box, such as “Name”.

• A cursor appears or the box highlights: it is a fillable form. Type in each field and move to the next.
• Nothing happens: it is a flat form, often a scan of a paper application. Use Add text and place your answers on the lines yourself.

Many applications are a mix: the first page is fillable and the reference or history pages are flat. Use whichever tool each page needs. Our guide on filling out a non-fillable PDF has more tips for lining text up neatly.

Filling a job application on your phone

You can complete a whole application on a phone, which helps when you are applying between shifts or on the go.

• Turn the phone sideways for a wider view of each section.
• Zoom in before tapping small checkboxes so you do not tick the wrong one.
• Type long answers, like job duties, in your notes app first, then paste them into the field.
• Sign with your finger using Sign, or type your name in a script font if your finger signature looks shaky.
• When you are finished, tap Share to attach the application directly to an email to the hiring manager.

Checklist before you send your application

• Every required field is answered. Write “N/A” rather than leaving a box blank, so it does not look missed.
• Dates and job titles match your resume. Hiring managers often compare the two.
• Phone and email are correct. One wrong digit and they cannot reach you.
• Signature and date are on the right line. Many applications include a statement you sign to confirm the information is true.
• The file has a clear name, such as “Firstname-Lastname-Application.pdf”.
• One file if they asked for one. Use Merge to put your application, resume and cover letter into a single PDF. Merging fixes any form answers onto the page, so do it last, after you have checked every field.
• Read it once on a bigger screen if you can. Small typos are easy to miss on a phone, and a fresh look often catches a wrong date or a missing area code.

Other ways to fill in an application PDF

• iPhone Markup and Mac Preview can type into many fillable forms and add text to flat ones.
• Microsoft Edge on Windows fills many fillable forms and lets you add text.
• Print, handwrite and scan still works, but the result is harder to read and the file is usually much larger.

Quick PDF is a good fit when you want one tool for the whole job, filling, adding text to flat pages, signing and dating, merging your resume in, on any phone or computer, with the application kept on your own device.

Troubleshooting: when the form misbehaves

• My answers disappeared when the employer opened it. Send the copy you downloaded after filling, not the original. Flattening the form keeps answers visible in every viewer.
• The text is too big for the box. Shorten the answer, or with Add text, lower the font size.
• The PDF asks for a password. You need the password the employer gave you; Unlock removes a password you know.
• The file is too large for the job portal. Use Compress, starting with Balanced.
• I made a mistake after signing. Tap Undo, or reopen the original form and fill it again.

Questions people ask