Follow the ladder in order.
- Preserve the work: copy long answers and note the job ID before refreshing anything.
- Read the field: record accepted extensions, maximum size, filename rules, and whether the resume is required.
- Inspect the file: open it, confirm the intended version, check its size, and verify text can be selected.
- Export a clean copy: create a new PDF or DOCX; remove passwords, portfolios, and unnecessary large images.
- Simplify the environment: sign in again, use an up-to-date browser, disable a problematic extension or use a private window, then try another device if necessary.
- Escalate with evidence: save the exact error, screenshot, timestamp, browser, filename, size, and job/requisition ID.
Changing “resume.pages” to “resume.pdf” does not create a PDF. Use Export, Save As, or Print to PDF from an application that can open the original file, then open the result before uploading.
Match the symptom to the likely failure.
| What you see | Likely causes | Safe next action |
|---|---|---|
| “Unsupported file type” | The extension is not accepted, the file was renamed without real conversion, or the portal checks the internal format. | Export a fresh PDF or DOCX from the source document. Follow the field’s listed types. |
| “File too large” | Images, embedded fonts, scans, or portfolio pages increased the size beyond this employer’s configured limit. | Export an optimized copy; remove nonessential images; keep the original separately. |
| Upload spins, stalls, or resets | Browser state, connection, extension interference, session timeout, or a portal incident. | Save answers, refresh once, retry in a supported browser/private window, then use another device or network if available. |
| File uploads but fields are empty or wrong | The file may lack selectable text, use an image scan, or have a layout the parser reads poorly. | Check whether text can be selected/copied, then inspect the extraction and manually correct every field. |
| Password/encryption error | The document is protected or packaged in a PDF portfolio. | Export a new, unencrypted standalone PDF from the original document. |
| Filename or duplicate-file error | The portal rejects special characters, long names, or a name already used in the profile. | Use a short unique filename such as Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf. |
| Upload appears successful but no attachment is listed | The file may still be processing, the session may have expired, or the attachment was not saved. | Wait briefly, verify the filename in the review step, and do not submit until the record shows the intended file. |
An upload failure and a parsing failure are different. The file can be accepted yet produce bad work-history fields. After any successful upload, compare the parsed name, email, titles, employers, dates, education, and skills with the document. The resume parser preview can inspect extracted text locally before you return to the form.
File limits are platform-specific—and can change.
| Platform | Documented formats | Documented size | Important context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse | .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt | Up to 100 MB in current Greenhouse documentation | The employer's page can still have other constraints; candidate guidance suggests re-saving as PDF and reducing size if upload fails. |
| LinkedIn resume upload | Microsoft Word or PDF | LinkedIn recommends less than 2 MB | Try another browser if attaching fails. External “Apply” jobs use the employer site's rules. |
| USAJOBS profile resume | PDF plus several document/image/text formats | 5 MB or less; current federal resumes also have a two-page requirement | PDF portfolios are not accepted. Read the announcement for agency-specific documents. |
| SAP SuccessFactors reimagined candidate experience | .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf in the cited support case | Employer configuration can vary | A JPG/JPEG may be refused in the resume/CV field even when images are accepted elsewhere. |
These limits were checked on 18 September 2026 and are examples, not a universal standard. Greenhouse documents five common file types and a 100 MB maximum. See Greenhouse's current format page. LinkedIn recommends Word or PDF below 2 MB. See LinkedIn's resume instructions. USAJOBS documents a 5 MB limit and its own format rules. See USAJOBS resume requirements.
SAP's public support documentation also shows why field type matters: its cited SuccessFactors resume/CV field accepts PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, and RTF but rejects JPG/JPEG in that flow. See the SAP support case.
Reduce file size without destroying readability.
Keep an untouched master file. Export a separate upload copy, remove decorative full-page images, compress only the upload copy, and reopen it at normal zoom. Make sure text remains selectable, links still work when needed, characters render correctly, and all required pages remain present. Avoid uploading a screenshot of a resume unless the employer explicitly requests an image format.
If the problem is a scan, return to the original editable document and export from there. Optical character recognition can make a scan searchable, but it can also introduce silent spelling and date errors. Review every line before relying on it.
Document a portal problem before the deadline.
Your support message should include the job title and ID, the page or field, exact error text, timestamp and time zone, browser and device, file type and approximate size, steps already tried, and a screenshot with personal information minimized. Ask for the approved next step; do not send sensitive identity documents unless the official instructions require them.
If you accidentally submitted before fixing the attachment, use the wrong-resume recovery guide. If the submit button succeeded but the receipt is unclear, use the submission confirmation checklist.
Common resume upload questions.
Use a format the field explicitly accepts. Re-exporting a clean PDF or DOCX can fix a damaged file, but changing the extension text alone does not convert it.
Only use an employer-listed contact or support channel, and still follow the application instructions. Do not assume an emailed file replaces a required portal attachment.
Save screenshots, the error text, timestamp, job ID, and your ready-to-submit file. Contact the listed support or hiring contact promptly, but the employer decides whether a late document can be accepted.