How to Compress a PDF When Job Portals Cap File Size

Job portals love PDFs and hate large ones. A common limit is around 1MB, which is easy to blow past with scanned certificates.

What actually reduces size

• Flatten unnecessary layers
• Downsample images carefully
• Remove embedded fonts you do not need
• Avoid screenshot-style pages when text PDFs work

A practical workflow

1. Start with the original, not a photo of a printout.
2. Compress once with a reputable online tool.
3. Open the result and check text stays readable.
4. Only compress again if you are still over the limit.

I use FileLumo compress PDF when a portal rejects a resume pack.

Reminder

Aggressive compression can blur stamps and signatures. Always preview before you submit.