How to use it
- Pick a template: five one-column ATS templates, or Classic, Modern timeline and Europass-style.
- Enter your name, target job title, contact details and a short summary.
- Fill in work experience, education and skills; turn sections on or off and reorder them.
- Download the PDF to apply, or the Word file to keep editing.
- Run the ATS self-test to see the text a machine reads from your PDF, and save a JSON Resume file as a backup.
How the resume builder works
The form on the left of the preview builds your resume section by section:
- Header: name, job title, phone, email, city and state, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link.
- Professional summary: two to four sentences at the top.
- Work Experience, Education, Certifications, Projects: each entry has dates, a title, the company or school, and bullet points (one per line).
- Languages, Skills, Additional Information: free-text sections.
- Custom sections for volunteering, awards or anything else.
Tick a section to show or hide it, use the arrows to reorder, and rename any section title. The preview updates as you type, and your draft is saved in this browser so you can come back later. The example data shows how a finished resume looks; replace it with your own or start from a blank form.
Choosing a template
| Template | Looks like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| ATS – plain | One column, black text, uppercase headings, no photo | Large employers and online application portals |
| ATS – modern | One column, colored name and headings with a rule | The same, with a bit of color |
| Compact | One column, dense, black and white | Fitting a lot of experience on one page |
| Minimal | One column, centered header, more white space | Creative and design-adjacent roles |
| Executive | One column, large name, "Core Competencies" right after the summary | Senior and management roles |
| Classic | Header with optional photo, bold titles and italic dates | Smaller employers, roles outside the US |
| Modern timeline | Dates in a left column (a table) | Showing a long history at a glance, when a person reads it |
| Europass-style | Europass structure with a CEFR language grid, no EU logo | Jobs and programs in the EU |
The five one-column templates are marked ATS: their text comes out of the PDF in the same order you see it. Modern timeline and Europass-style use a two-column table, which looks great to people but some applicant tracking systems read left and right columns in the wrong order. When you apply through a large company's portal, choose an ATS template.
Switch between US Letter and A4 at any time; the PDF and the Word file use the size you pick.
What a US resume should include (and leave out)
Include: your name, phone, a professional email, city and state, a short summary, relevant work experience in reverse chronological order, education, and skills that match the job posting.
Leave out: a photo, date of birth, marital status, Social Security number and full street address. Unlike in many European countries, US employers generally don't expect these, and many prefer not to see them because they are not relevant to hiring decisions. The photo field is there for people applying abroad or in fields where a headshot is customary.
One page is usually enough for early-career candidates; two pages is fine with ten or more years of relevant experience.
Writing strong bullet points
Recruiters skim. Make each bullet start with an action verb and, where you can, end with a result:
- Weak: Responsible for scheduling deliveries.
- Strong: Scheduled 40–60 deliveries a day across three states with a 98% on-time rate.
More tips:
- Mirror the job posting. If the ad asks for "inventory management" and "SAP", use those exact words where they are true for you.
- Quantify. Numbers (budgets, people, percentages, time saved) make claims concrete.
- Keep it current. Three to six bullets for recent jobs; one or two for older ones.
- Be consistent. Use the same date format everywhere, for example 2022 – Present.
- Proofread. Read it aloud, or paste it into the word counter to check length.
Word or PDF?
Send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word: it looks the same on every device and keeps your layout intact. Keep the Word (DOCX) file for yourself so you can tailor the resume for each application in Word, Google Docs or Pages.
Everything is created in your browser. Your resume data and photo are stored only in this browser as a draft and are never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
Is this resume builder really free?
Yes. You can create, edit and download your resume in Word and PDF without signing up and without a watermark.
Are the templates ATS-friendly?
Five of the eight are one-column templates built for applicant tracking systems, and you can check any template with the built-in ATS self-test: we create your PDF and read the text back with pdf.js, the way a parser would, then show the headings, order and contact details it found. We won't quote a magic "ATS score" or the often-repeated claim that 75% of resumes are rejected by software, because that number can't be verified. What we can guarantee is that your PDF is real, machine-readable text.
Should I put a photo on my resume in the US?
Generally no. US employers don't expect a photo, and many prefer resumes without one. The field is optional.
Will my resume be saved?
Your draft is saved automatically in this browser, so it is still there when you return on the same device. It is not stored on our servers. Clearing your browser data deletes it.
How long should a resume be?
One page for most early-career candidates and two pages for experienced professionals. Focus on what is relevant to the job you are applying for.
Can I edit the resume in Google Docs?
Yes. Download the Word file and upload it to Google Drive; it opens in Google Docs with the formatting intact.
What is a JSON Resume file?
JSON Resume is an open, MIT-licensed standard for resume data. Save your resume as a .json file to keep a backup outside the browser, move it to another computer, or open it in other JSON Resume tools. Loading the file back restores everything exactly.
Do you charge to download the resume?
No. There's no trial, subscription or paywall: the PDF and Word downloads are free and unlimited, without a watermark. Many popular builders let you build for free and then ask for a trial that renews at $23.95–$29.95 every four weeks when you download; see our comparison of resume builders that charge to download.
Last updated: November 14, 2026