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How to combine a CV and cover letter into one PDF

By DeckleUpdated

To combine a CV and cover letter into one PDF, open Merge PDFs, add both files, put the cover letter first and choose Merge PDFs. You get one PDF with the letter followed by the CV, ready to attach or upload. Both original files stay as they were, so you can still send them separately if an employer asks for that.

Merge PDF
Illustrated document pages containing a chart, photograph and text.
Illustration · a document can contain more than its visible pages.

How to combine a CV and cover letter with Deckle

  1. Save your CV and your cover letter as PDFs from the app you wrote them in. Merge PDFs takes PDF files only.
  2. Open Merge PDFs and choose Select files, or drop both PDFs onto the page.
  3. Check that both files are ticked under Files to merge.
  4. Put the cover letter at the top. Drag its row by the handle, or use Move earlier.
  5. Change Output PDF name to something an employer will recognise, such as jane-okafor-cv-and-cover-letter.pdf.
  6. Choose Merge PDFs, then download the combined file.
  7. Open it and check that page 1 is the letter and that the CV starts on the next page.

The result screen tells you how many pages were combined from the two files. A one-page letter and a two-page CV should give three pages.

Which goes first?

Put the cover letter first. Recruiters read in the order a document is built: the letter introduces you, then the CV backs it up. If the job advert asks for a different order, or for supporting documents such as a portfolio or certificates, follow the advert.

Application asks for Order in the list
CV and cover letter Cover letter, CV
CV, cover letter and references Cover letter, CV, references
CV and portfolio samples Cover letter, CV, portfolio
"One document" with certificates Cover letter, CV, certificates in date order

For a larger pack, such as a graduate scheme or visa application, see how to put application documents into one PDF.

When to send one file and when to send two

Many online application forms have a single upload box labelled "CV" or "Resume". If there is no separate box for a letter, a combined PDF makes sure the letter is seen. Where the form has two upload boxes, use them, so each document arrives in the place the employer expects it.

For email applications, one attachment is easier for the recipient to save and forward. Mention in the email that the letter and CV are in the same file.

Make the file easy to read

  • Use the same page size for both. If your CV is A4 and your letter is US Letter, the merged PDF keeps both sizes, and the pages look uneven when printed. Set the same paper size in the app you wrote them in and export again.
  • Check the fonts after export. Open each PDF before you merge it. If a font looks wrong in the PDF, it will look wrong in the merged file too.
  • Remove a stray blank page. A blank page at the end of a CV is common when the last line spills over. Delete it with Organize PDF pages before merging; see how to delete pages from a PDF.
  • Keep the links working. Merging copies pages as they are, so web links to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile still work in the combined PDF if they worked in the original.

Tips

  • Name the file after yourself, not the job. jane-okafor-cv.pdf is easier to find in a shared folder of applicants than application-final-v3.pdf. Keep the name to 150 characters or fewer, without slashes.
  • Tailor the letter, merge again. Keep the CV PDF as it is and merge it with a new letter for each application. The CV file is never changed by the merge.
  • Check what the PDF says about you. The Author and Title fields can carry an old name or a template title. Remove PDF metadata removes the document properties that hold them.
  • Don't add a password. An application system has to open the file to read it, and a recruiter should not need to ask you for a password. Send the CV unlocked.

Other ways to combine a CV and cover letter

  • Put both in one document before exporting. If you wrote the letter and CV in the same word processor, paste the letter at the start of the CV file, add a page break and export once. This works when both use the same template.
  • Preview on a Mac. You can drag one PDF into another's sidebar in Preview. See how to merge PDF files on a Mac for both methods.
  • On a phone. Deckle works in the mobile browser too. See how to merge PDF files on iPhone and iPad or on Android.

Frequently asked questions

Should my cover letter and CV be in one PDF?

Only when the application asks for one document or offers a single upload. If there are separate upload fields, use them.

Will merging change the formatting of my CV?

No. Merging copies each page exactly as it is. Fonts, layout and web links stay the same.

My CV is a Word document. Can Deckle convert it?

No. Deckle has no Word conversion. Save the document as a PDF from Word, Pages or Google Docs first, then merge the PDFs.

Can I add a certificate photo to the same PDF?

Yes. Convert the photo with JPG to PDF first, then add that PDF to the merge list after your CV.

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