CV Maker & Resume Builder

Free CV Maker and Resume Builder - Export a PDF, No Signup

Most online CV builders let you spend twenty minutes designing a document and then ask for a subscription the moment you click download, or stamp a watermark across the page. This one doesn't. Pick a template, fill in the form, watch the A4 preview build itself, and export a clean PDF. No account, no payment step, no watermark.

It also never uploads anything. Everything runs as JavaScript in your own browser - including the photo, which is resized locally before it is stored. Your draft lives in your browser's local storage so you can close the tab and pick it up later. That matters for a document containing your phone number, address and employment history.

Three Templates, and When to Use Each

• Classic - single column, ruled section headings, no colour blocks. The safest choice for large employers and the most reliable for automated parsing.
• Modern - a coloured header band with your name and contact details reversed out. Good for design, marketing, startup and agency roles where a little visual confidence helps.
• Compact - tighter spacing and smaller type to fit more on a single page. Use it when you have a lot of relevant experience but still want to stay on one sheet.

Should You Put a Photo on Your CV?

This is one of the few CV questions with a genuinely different answer depending on where you apply. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and much of continental Europe, a professional headshot is conventional and its absence can look odd. Photos are also common across the Middle East and parts of Asia. But in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia, recruiters are often instructed to discard CVs containing photos, because assessing an applicant's appearance creates discrimination exposure for the employer. That is why the photo here is optional and off by default - turn it on only when the destination expects it.

What Makes a CV Pass an ATS

Most mid-size and large employers run applications through an applicant tracking system before a human reads them. ATS parsers are simple text extractors, and they break on the things that make CVs look designed: multi-column layouts, text inside images, tables, headers and footers, and unusual section names. Every template here outputs a single-column layout with real selectable text and standard section headings - Experience, Education, Skills - which is the format that parses most reliably. For the strictest setups, pick Classic and leave the photo off.

Two things you control that also matter: use the job title from the advert somewhere in your summary, and write dates in a consistent format such as Mar 2023 - Present. Parsers key off both.

How Long Should a CV or Resume Be?

One page if you have under roughly ten years of relevant experience, which covers most applications. Two pages once you genuinely have more to say. Recruiters spend seconds on a first pass, so the top third of page one carries almost all the weight - put your strongest role and your summary there. The preview shows you exactly where the page break falls so you can cut to fit rather than guessing, and the Compact template buys you extra room without dropping content.

Writing Experience Bullets That Land

The weakest CV bullets describe duties: "Responsible for social media accounts." The strongest describe outcomes with a number attached: "Grew Instagram from 4k to 31k followers in 11 months." You don't need impressive numbers, just specific ones. Percentages, headcounts, timeframes, budgets and volumes all work. Start each bullet with a verb and cut every instance of "responsible for" and "helped with".

CV or Resume - Which Word Should You Use?

In the UK, Ireland, most of Europe, Asia and Africa, CV is the standard word for a one-to-two page job application document. In the US and Canada that document is a resume, and "CV" instead means a long academic record listing publications and research. This tool builds the short application document, so it works as either - only the name you give the file changes. If you are applying in the US, save it as Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdf.

How to Save Your CV as a PDF

Click Download PDF and your browser's print dialog opens. Set the destination to Save as PDF, leave the size on A4, and set margins to Default or None. The page is styled so only the CV itself prints - none of the website around it. Always send PDF rather than a Word file: a PDF renders identically on every machine, while a .docx can reflow and break your layout on the reader's screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this CV maker really free?

Yes. There is no signup, no paywall on download, and no watermark on the exported PDF. Many CV and resume builders let you design a document and then charge before you can export it. This one does not.

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

In the UK, Ireland, most of Europe, Asia and Africa, CV means a one to two page job application document. In the US and Canada that same document is called a resume, and CV instead means a long academic record. This tool builds the short application document, so it works as either - only the file name changes.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

It depends entirely on the country. Photos are normal and often expected in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, much of continental Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia. They are discouraged in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia, where employers may reject a CV with a photo to avoid discrimination claims. The photo is optional here for that reason - turn it off when applying to those countries.

Is my CV data uploaded anywhere?

No. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Your details and your photo are saved only to your own browser's local storage so you can come back and keep editing, and they are never sent to a server. Clearing your browser data removes them.

How do I save my CV as a PDF?

Click Download PDF. Your browser's print dialog opens. Choose Save as PDF as the destination and set margins to None or Default. The page is styled for A4 so only the CV itself is exported, not the website around it.

Will this CV pass an ATS scan?

The layout is single-column with standard section headings, real selectable text and no tables or multi-column blocks, which is what applicant tracking systems parse most reliably. For the strictest ATS setups choose the Classic template and turn the photo off.