English
How to make a CV with this builder
A free CV builder only has to do three things: keep your details tidy, lay them out cleanly and give you a file the employer can open. Here is the quickest path through this one.
- Pick a template and an accent colour at the top. Classic is the default for a reason (see the table below).
- Fill in your details, then your jobs, newest first. The preview on the right changes as you type.
- Add education, skills and languages. Open the extra section if you have courses, volunteering or projects worth a line.
- Check the page count in the preview, then press Download PDF. Name the file something like maya-collins-cv.pdf before you attach it.
Your draft saves itself in the browser. If you work on another device, use Save data file and open that file later.
Which template should I pick?
| Template | Layout | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | One column, ruled headings | You apply through an online portal, or the employer is conservative (law, finance, public sector). |
| Sidebar | Coloured side column, photo on top | You send the CV by email to a person, and the role is creative or customer-facing. |
| Compact | One column, dates on the left, skill tags | You have many short jobs or projects and want them to scan quickly. |
If you are unsure, use Classic. Two-column layouts look good to people but some parsers read across the page instead of down it, which scrambles your job titles and dates.
What goes on a CV, and in what order?
Name and contact details first, then a profile of two or three sentences, then experience, education, skills and languages. Put the strongest section first: a recent graduate can lead with education, anyone with a few years of work should lead with experience.
- Contact: email, phone, city. A full street address is not needed.
- Profile: who you are, one proof point, what you want. "Marketing coordinator with four years in e-commerce, grew an Instagram account from 8,000 to 12,000 followers" beats "hard-working team player".
- Experience: job title, company, month and year, then three or four bullets. Go back about ten years, no further, unless an older job is directly relevant.
- Skills: tools and methods you could be tested on. Skip "Microsoft Word" if you are applying for a data role, and leave out bars or star ratings.
How do I write bullets that get read?
Start with a verb, say what changed and add a number if you honestly have one. "Responsible for emails" tells the reader nothing, while "Send three campaigns a week to 48,000 subscribers" does.
| Vague | Better |
|---|---|
| Helped with customer service | Answered 40 to 60 customer emails a day with a same-day reply rate above 90% |
| Worked on the website | Rewrote 35 product pages, which cut returns for sizing questions |
| Managed social media | Posted five times a week and grew followers from 8,000 to 12,000 |
Do not invent numbers. If you cannot measure it, describe the scope instead: "for a team of six" or "across three stores".
Should I put a photo on my CV?
For the US, UK and Canada, no. Employers there often prefer not to see one. For Germany, much of Asia and Indonesia a photo is still normal. When you add one here, use a plain background and a head-and-shoulders crop, and drag the sliders until your face sits in the circle. Always follow the job ad if it says otherwise.
One page or two?
One page for under ten years of experience. Two pages is the ceiling for most jobs, and the second page should be at least half full, otherwise cut it back or pick the Small text size. The pill above the preview turns amber when the CV runs past two pages.
Will an ATS read the PDF?
An applicant tracking system extracts text from your file. This tool draws each page as an image so that the layout looks exactly like the preview, then lays an invisible text layer over it. You can test it yourself: open the downloaded PDF and try to select a line or search for your name. If that works, a parser can read it too.
One limit to know about: the hidden text uses a standard font, so letters outside the basic Latin set (for example Cyrillic or Chinese) will not be in the text layer. Names with common accents such as é or ñ are fine.
Mistakes that cost interviews
- An unprofessional email address. Use your name, not a nickname from school.
- The same CV for every job. Change the profile and the order of bullets to match the ad, it takes five minutes.
- Dates that do not add up. Gaps are fine if you can explain them in one line.
- Sending an editable file by accident. A PDF keeps the layout the same on every screen.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a CV online for free?
Type your details into the form on this page, choose one of the three templates and press Download PDF. The preview updates as you type, so a first draft with a name, two jobs and a school takes about ten minutes. There is no account and no watermark.
Is there really no sign-up or watermark?
Correct. The CV is drawn in your browser and the PDF is created on your device, so there is nothing to register for and no logo on the page. The only limit is that your draft lives in this browser, so use Save data file if you want a backup.
Will the PDF pass an ATS (applicant tracking system)?
Usually yes for the Classic and Compact templates. Each page is a picture with an invisible text layer on top, so the text can be selected, searched and copied. Sidebar uses two columns, which some parsers read in the wrong order, so choose Classic when the employer uses an online application portal.
Should I put a photo on my CV?
It depends on the country. In the US, UK and Canada employers generally do not want one, and some remove it to avoid bias. In Germany, much of Asia and Indonesia a photo is still common. If the job ad does not mention it, leave it out for a US or UK employer and add a plain, well-lit photo for others.
How long should a CV be?
One page if you have under ten years of experience, two pages at most for a longer career. A fresh graduate with a single page and four honest bullets per job reads better than a padded two-pager.
What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
In the US and Canada a resume is a short, tailored summary of one or two pages, while a CV is a long academic document. In the UK, Europe, Australia and most other countries the two words mean the same thing. This tool makes the short version.
Where is my CV data stored?
In your browser on this device (local storage), nothing is sent to a server. Clearing browser data or switching browsers removes the draft, so click Save data file to keep a copy you can load again later.
Can I write the CV in Indonesian or English?
Yes. Switch the CV language and the section headings change between English (Work Experience, Education) and Indonesian (Pengalaman Kerja, Pendidikan). The text you type stays as you wrote it.