Help and FAQ

Everything you need to go from a blank page, or an old PDF, to a finished CV.

Getting started

The first time you open the editor it shows a sample CV so you can see what a finished one looks like. You have three ways to begin:

Edit the sample. Replace the sample text with your own, section by section.
Import your existing CV. Press Import PDF or drag a PDF onto the page. The editor reads the text and fills in your name, contact details, sections and roles.
Start blank. Press New for an empty template.

The left panel is the editor and the right panel is a live preview of the PDF. Drag the divider between them to resize, double-click it to reset, or use the arrow buttons on it to hide one side.

Editing your CV

The editor is split into collapsible groups: the theme, the header (name, title lines, contact details and photo), the sidebar sections, the main sections, and the design settings.

Reordering. Drag any row by its dotted handle, or use the up and down arrows next to it. You can move roles, bullet points and sidebar items the same way.
Roles. Each role has a company, dates, a title and blocks of text. A block can have an optional bold heading, which works well for grouping responsibilities.
Achievements. Roles can also have a short list of achievements shown under their own heading. Use it for results you can measure.
Contact details. Set each line's type to phone, email or link, and it becomes clickable in the exported PDF.
Photo. Photos are optional. Add one in the header group or drop an image onto the page. In many countries, including Australia, the UK and the US, CVs usually don't include a photo.

Choosing a design

The Theme group has ready-made designs, from a classic left sidebar to single-column layouts. Pick one, then fine-tune fonts, colours, text sizes, margins and spacing in the Design group. When you have something you like, choose Save current design as a theme to keep it.

If you are applying through large employers' online portals, consider the Single Column design. Our guide to ATS-friendly CVs explains why.

Exporting

Press Export PDF (or Ctrl+S, ⌘+S on a Mac) to download your CV. The PDF is A4, uses standard fonts, and contains real text that recruitment systems can read. Open it and check it before you send it.

Saving and moving between devices

Your CV is saved automatically in this browser as you type. It is not stored online, so it won't appear on your phone or another computer by itself. To move it:

Press Save data to download a .json file containing your CV and saved themes.
On the other device, open the editor and press Load data, or drag the file onto the page.

The data file is also the best way to keep a backup, or to keep different versions of your CV for different kinds of job.

Frequently asked questions

Is it really free?

Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no paid tier. The site is paid for by the ads shown around the editor and on these pages.

Do you see my CV?

No. The editor runs in your browser and its code never sends your CV anywhere. There is no server that stores CVs. Our privacy policy has the details, including what the ad network collects.

My PDF won't import, or says it looks like a scanned PDF

The importer reads the text inside a PDF. If your CV was scanned or saved as an image, there is no text to read. Rebuild it from the blank template instead, or run the PDF through an OCR tool first. PDFs exported from Word, Google Docs, Pages, LinkedIn and most other CV builders import well.

The import got some sections or roles wrong

Every CV is laid out differently, so the importer sometimes puts a line in the wrong place. Everything it read is in the editor, so you can drag misplaced lines to where they belong or fix them by hand. It is usually much quicker than retyping.

Some characters show as question marks in the PDF

Exported PDFs use the standard PDF fonts, which cover English and Western European languages (including accented letters such as é, ü and ñ) and common punctuation. Characters outside that set, such as Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic or emoji, can't be shown and are replaced with a question mark.

What does "Sidebar overflows" mean?

The sidebar content is taller than the page. Remove some sidebar items, make the photo smaller, reduce the body text size, or switch to a design without a sidebar.

I lost my CV

Your CV is kept in this browser's storage, which is removed if you clear your browsing data, use a private window, or switch to a different browser or device. We never have a copy, so we can't restore it. Use Save data regularly to keep a backup file.

Can I use it on my phone?

It works on phones and tablets, but a CV is much easier to edit on a larger screen. On a small screen the editor sits above the preview, and each scrolls on its own.

Letter size or A4?

Exports are A4, the standard in Australia, the UK, Europe and most of the world. US and Canadian employers can print and read A4 without any problem.