When preparing job application documents like resumes or cover letters, many job seekers face the choice between a word processor like Microsoft Word and a design platform like Canva. While Canva offers appealing templates and an intuitive design interface, it falls short in critical areas that matter to hiring systems, particularly Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Microsoft Word, by contrast, provides a structured, document-focused approach that ensures better compatibility with ATS and parsing tools. Below, we explore why creating a PDF or Word document in Microsoft Word is objectively superior to using Canva for job applications, supported by real-world evidence.

1. Microsoft Word and ATS Compatibility

The Legacy of Microsoft Word Microsoft Word has been the dominant word processor for decades, making it the de facto standard for professional documents. ATS systems, which parse over 75% of resumes submitted online, are explicitly optimized to interpret Word files due to their ubiquity (CareerBuilder, 2018). For example, Workable, a leading ATS provider, explicitly advises applicants to submit resumes in Word or PDF formats generated from Word to avoid parsing errors (Workable, 2023).

The .docx Format’s Structural Advantage The .docx format uses XML-based structuring, which preserves hierarchical elements like headings, bullet points, and tables. This aligns perfectly with ATS algorithms designed to extract text and context from such tags. In contrast, Canva’s design-centric approach lacks this inherent structure, often leading to misformatted content in ATS (Jobscan, 2022).

2. PDF Creation: Text Layering and Readability

Text as Graphics in Canva Canva treats text as graphic elements, fragmenting it into disjointed layers or vectorized images when exported to PDF. A 2021 test by ResumeGo found that resumes created in Canva had a 23% lower ATS readability score compared to Word-generated PDFs due to text fragmentation (ResumeGo, 2021).

Logical Reading Order in Word Microsoft Word ensures PDFs retain a logical reading order, which is critical for ATS systems to parse sections like “Work Experience” correctly. Adobe’s accessibility standards emphasize that tagged PDFs (which Word generates) are essential for screen readers and parsing tools to interpret content accurately (Adobe, 2020). Canva’s untagged PDFs lack this metadata, increasing the risk of misordered or skipped content.

3. Text Encoding and ATS Parsing Accuracy

Font Subsetting in Canva Canva’s PDFs often subset fonts, breaking text into individual glyphs rather than embedding full font sets. This can render symbols (e.g., bullets or icons) as unreadable characters in ATS, as noted in user reports on platforms like Reddit (r/recruiting, 2022).

Vectorized Text Risks Canva occasionally converts text to vector graphics to preserve design integrity. However, ATS systems cannot parse text-as-images, meaning critical details like contact information or skills may be entirely overlooked (Harvard Business Review, 2021).

4. Structural Integrity and Document Flow

Continuous Text Layers in Word Word’s text flow mirrors a book—linear and logically ordered—which ATS systems parse seamlessly. A study by TalentWorks (2020) showed resumes with clear headings and bullet points (as structured in Word) had a 40% higher pass rate in ATS screenings.

Canva’s Fragmented Layers Canva’s text boxes and design elements are often scattered across non-contiguous layers. This disjointedness confuses ATS systems, which may fail to reconstruct the resume’s narrative flow (The Muse, 2022).

5. PostScript vs. Document-Centric Exporting

Word’s ATS-First Export When exporting to PDF, Word prioritizes document structure over visual precision, embedding tags that denote headings, paragraphs, and lists. This aligns with the PDF/A standard, which is optimized for long-term preservation and machine readability (PDF Association, 2021).

Canva’s PostScript Limitations Canva’s PostScript-based exports prioritize pixel-perfect layouts, sacrificing semantic structure. While this benefits graphic designers, it renders resumes prone to ATS errors, as noted in a case study by TopResume (2023).

6. Industry Standardization and ATS Optimization

Word’s Market Dominance With over 1.2 billion Office users globally (Microsoft, 2023), ATS developers prioritize compatibility with Word. For instance, Greenhouse (a top ATS) explicitly recommends avoiding “overly designed” resumes and sticking to Word formats (Greenhouse, 2022).

Canva’s Niche in Design While Canva excels in creating marketing materials, its resumes risk ATS incompatibility. A 2023 survey by Recruiter.com found that 68% of recruiters prefer traditional Word resumes for their reliability in ATS (Recruiter.com, 2023).

Conclusion: Prioritize ATS Compatibility Over Aesthetics

For job seekers, the primary goal is to pass ATS screenings—a task where Microsoft Word’s structural rigor outperforms Canva’s design flexibility. Supported by industry data and ATS developer guidelines, Word ensures critical content is parsed accurately, while Canva’s fragmented text layers and untagged PDFs introduce unnecessary risks. In a competitive job market, compromising on ATS readability for visual appeal is rarely worth the trade-off.