# Is there any way to convert a .jpeg to a .doc? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615 "2005-01-13T23:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/1 "2005-01-13T23:03:14Z")
Or a .txt or an .html? So I’m a graphic artist so, guess what? I designed my resume in a graphic program. And saved it as a .jpeg. Which I figured would work to e-mail to people since, what are .jpegs for? But I keep running into jobs (for graphic designers!!!) that insisted on resume attached as a .doc. Sheesh. Don’t they expect graphic designers to have resume with…graphics? Anyway can I convert it? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![biddee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@biddee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biddee)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/2 "2005-01-13T23:11:09Z")
You could import the jpg into a word file. The text would be uneditable though. What program did you use to create the CV? You may need to recreate it in Word, unfortunately. If you have the layered photoshop file, you may be able to create a layered pdf file and import that into word, but it’s a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/3 "2005-01-13T23:19:54Z")
I think you have to use OCR software in order to turn the pictures of characters into actual characters to save them as a text file. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/4 "2005-01-13T23:20:11Z")
Short answer; no. A JPEG image is just that - an image file that just describes where to display what colour of pixel. It doesn’t know anything about the text in your CV other than that it’s black pixels in a certain position. You can place the jpeg in a .doc file, but it’ll still be just an image (and won’t look terribly professional, either). Out of interest, what software did you use in the first place? Now, technically you _could_ find some sort of character recognition software, run it through that and tidy up the results, but I’m almost certain it’ll be less of a pain to just re-type it into Word. Character recognition always leaves you with a bunch of errors, and will produce horrible formatting, if any. Personally, if you’re after something that looks snazzy but is still editable, I’d have thought a desktop publishing package would be a better bet, or even something like Adobe Illustrator, since then you’ll be able to edit and update the text but also save the thing as a PDF, which pretty much anyone can read these days. However, I’m neither a graphic artist nor a professional CV person, so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/5 "2005-01-13T23:23:37Z")
Two possibilities occur to me. None are a perfect solution, but they might save you some typing. 1. Go back to the original prg you wrote the text in, and copy the text to the clipboard (or whatever the Mac uses) then paste into Word. 2. If that isn’t possible, run the JPG file thru an OCR program, which might be able to extract the text only. The moral of the story is: think before you res, and use the most appropriate prog for the task. Text – word processor. Graphics – drawing or painting program. Rows and columns of numbers – spreadsheet or database. Sounds – sound editor. Video – video editor. You get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/6 "2005-01-13T23:35:07Z")
> [@](#): > > since, what are .jpegs for? They’re certainly not appropriate for a “typical” resume or, for that matter, any image that consists of mainly text or simple graphics against a plain background (like a map). Not that you **can’t** get a JPEG to eventually look good, it is just that the jpeg compression adds a lot of fuzziness where there is an abrupt transition between pixels. I have interviewed candidates and proposals from design firms for graphic design projects. If any of them sent me a resume as a JPEG file, I would immediately put them in the “no” pile. IMHO, a resume, even in this field, shouldn’t be too creative. If the employer/client wants to see samples of your work they will be requested independently of the resume. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/7 "2005-01-14T00:12:39Z")
Ditto. JPEGs are generally horrible for line art or long blocks of text. You are much better off using GIFs. JPEGs are meant to be used mostly for continuous tone photographs. The name JPEG itself—Joint Photographic Experts Group—bears this out. The compression algorithm does not handle line art and limited color palettes very well. When I design web pages, it’s pretty obvious to see the difference between a JPEG and GIF used on text. A GIF is much clearer, while the JPEG tends to exhibit artefacting, no matter what compression level I use. To be blunt, I wouldn’t even dream of submitting a graphic design resume as a JPEG, and I don’t blame people like **Stan Doubt** for throwing it out because it seems to indicate a bit of carelessness. A Quark XPress file, PDF, or .doc embedded with graphics clearly makes the most sense. You’re probably not going to want to submit a Quark file, so PDFs and Docs are the only way to go. Even a GIF of a resume would look unprofessional to me. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/8 "2005-01-14T00:33:28Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Which I figured would work to e-mail to people since, what are .jpegs for? I just have to jump on the bandwagon and say that that’s a horribly conceived idea. What if the person you’re mailing the giant (and probably compression-artifact-filled) image to wants to enter any of your information into some other program, or even reference that info in a subsequent email to you? They certainly can’t copy-and-paste it, so they’re left to retype stuff by hand. Making a potential employer do extra work just so you can have a “unique” resumé is probably not a good idea. Besides, if you simply **must** use graphics, why not use a file type that compresses better, visually speaking? Something like .png, perhaps?. > [@](#): > > Sheesh. Don’t they expect graphic designers to have resume with…graphics? Highly doubtful. A resumé is not a portfolio. > [@](#): > > Anyway can I convert it? Not without some work. It’d probably be easier just to create a text-only resumé from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/9 "2005-01-14T00:35:23Z")
Thanks everyone. This has been very informative. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/10 "2005-01-14T00:40:35Z")
> [@Stan Doubt](#): > > They’re certainly not appropriate for a “typical” resume or, for that matter, any image that consists of mainly text or simple graphics against a plain background (like a map). Well, I meant, meant for e-mailing. But I take your point, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/11 "2005-01-14T01:30:32Z")
**Betenoir,** if you have graphics to show someone, make a graphics file. If you have text, make a text file. Attach these to an email – that way you get the best of each. If you must combine them, use a layout program (Quark, InDesign) to create a PDF file which preserves the attributes of both. Everyone can read it – although they may not want to. If they say they want a DOC file, make a DOC file. Prospective employers – make 'em happy! ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/12 "2005-01-14T01:45:33Z")
The missing word here is portfolio. A resume is a document about you. Examples of your work belong in your portfolio. At the very most, I would include a link to an online portfolio. If you actually get to a face to face interview, it is very common for them to ask you to bring your portfolio. If that happens, you should have good quality prints of your digital work to take with you. If you don’t have a portfolio, get one together now. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/13 "2005-01-14T17:17:04Z")
Amplifying what **Joe Random** said - More and more companies pour all the resumes they receive into a database so the HR folks can slice and dice and do extracts (show me all applicants who have an MBA and claim to know about Java, Oracle databases and Himalayan woodchucks). If they arrive in a normal .doc format in email, the system just reads them in. If they arrive as paper, they’ll be OCR scanned. If your resume is such that it won’t OCR (odd typeface, crappy fax, intrusive background image, etc) or it’s in an incompatible document format, tough noogies kiddo - your resume just “disappeared” ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-way-to-convert-a-jpeg-to-a-doc/284615/14 "2005-01-14T17:36:39Z")
Many OCR programs work on TIFF files. If you can convert your .jpg to a TIFF, you might be able to run it through the OCR. However, the chances are that the quality would be so poor that you would be better off retyping.