Getting Started with ResumeCraftr

ResumeCraftr is an ATS-focused minimalist CV generator that leverages OpenAI and Pandoc to parse, optimize, and format resumes. This guide will walk you through the setup and usage of ResumeCraftr, along with tips for customizing your experience.

🚀 What’s New?

🌟 Now with Windows Support! 🖥️

ResumeCraftr now fully supports Windows, making it easier for more users to optimize their resumes across different platforms.

🌟 New Interactive CV Creation! 📝

ResumeCraftr now allows you to create and manage CV sections interactively without needing to parse an existing CV. This makes it easier to build your resume from scratch or update specific sections.

🌟 Improved PDF Generation! 📄

ResumeCraftr now uses Pandoc to convert Markdown to PDF, making the process more robust and less prone to errors. This also makes it easier to preview and edit your resume before generating the final PDF.

Installation

Ensure you have pipx installed, then install ResumeCraftr with:

pipx install git+https://github.com/raestrada/[email protected]

Additionally, make sure you have Pandoc installed:

🟢 Windows

  1. Download and install Pandoc.
  2. Ensure pandoc is in your system’s PATH by running: 
    pandoc --version

    If not, restart your computer or manually add the Pandoc directory to your PATH.

🍏 macOS

  1. Install Pandoc via Homebrew: 
    brew install pandoc
  2. Verify the installation: 
    pandoc --version

🐧 Linux

For Debian/Ubuntu:

   sudo apt update && sudo apt install pandoc
   sudo apt-get install texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-extra texlive-latex-recommended texlive-publishers texlive-science texlive-bibtex-extra biber

For Arch Linux:

   sudo pacman -S pandoc
   sudo pacman -S texlive-most

For Fedora:

   sudo dnf install pandoc
   sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full

Initializing Your Workspace

ResumeCraftr operates within a dedicated workspace directory called cv-workspace. To set up this workspace, run:

resumecraftr setup --language EN --gpt-model gpt-4o-mini

Key Options:

  • --language: Sets the primary language of your CV (e.g., EN for English or ES for Spanish).
  • --gpt-model: Specifies the GPT model to use. For testing, we recommend using gpt-4o-mini.

This will create the cv-workspace directory with the following files:

  • cv-workspace/resume_template.md: The Markdown template used for PDF generation. You can modify this file to customize the CV layout and style.
  • cv-workspace/resumecraftr.json: The main configuration file.
  • cv-workspace/custom.md: A file for adding supplementary information and custom instructions for ChatGPT.

Understanding resumecraftr.json

Here’s an example of a resumecraftr.json configuration file:

{
    "primary_language": "ES",
    "output_format": "pdf",
    "template_name": "resume_template.md",
    "chat_gpt": {
        "model": "gpt-4o-mini",
        "temperature": 0.7,
        "top_p": 1.0
    },
    "extracted_files": [
        "Rodrigo Estrada CV ES.txt"
    ],
    "job_descriptions": [
        "Principal Engineer Verne.txt"
    ]
}
  • primary_language: The language of the CV and job descriptions (e.g., EN, ES).
  • output_format: Output format, typically pdf.
  • template_name: Name of the Markdown template used for PDF generation.
  • chat_gpt: OpenAI settings such as the model, temperature, and top_p.
  • extracted_files: List of extracted text files from your CVs.
  • job_descriptions: List of job description files used for optimization.

custom.md

The custom.md file is a powerful tool where you can add:

  • Supplementary information that may not be in your CV (e.g., achievements, side projects).
  • Additional instructions for ChatGPT to tailor the CV optimization further.

Make sure to keep this file updated with relevant details to enhance your CV optimization process.

Creating a CV from Scratch

ResumeCraftr now allows you to create a CV from scratch without needing to parse an existing document. This is useful for building a new resume or updating specific sections.

Creating a New CV

To create a new CV, run:

resumecraftr new-cv my_cv

This command creates a new CV with the name my_cv and initializes all sections with empty values.

Available Sections

ResumeCraftr supports the following sections that you can add to your CV:

  1. Contact Information - Personal details like name, email, phone, location, and website
  2. Professional Summary - A brief overview of your professional background and career objectives
  3. Work Experience - Detailed information about your employment history
  4. Education - Academic background, degrees, and certifications
  5. Skills - Technical and soft skills relevant to your field
  6. Projects - Notable projects you’ve worked on
  7. Publications - Any articles, papers, or books you’ve authored
  8. Awards & Achievements - Recognition and accomplishments
  9. Languages - Language proficiencies
  10. Volunteer Experience - Community service and volunteer work
  11. References - Professional references (optional)
  12. Custom Section - Any additional section you’d like to include

Adding or Updating Sections

To add or update a specific section in your CV, run:

resumecraftr edit-section my_cv "Work Experience"

This command will guide you through the process of adding or updating the specified section. You can add multiple entries for sections like Work Experience, Projects, Education, etc.

Viewing Your CV

To view the contents of your CV, run:

resumecraftr view-cv my_cv

This command displays all sections of your CV in a structured format.

Importing and Parsing Resumes

ResumeCraftr can import text from supported document formats (.pdf, .docx, .txt, .md). Place your CV inside cv-workspace and run:

resumecraftr import-cv /path/to/Resume.pdf

This will generate a .txt file containing the extracted raw text.

Parsing into Structured Sections

To classify the imported resume text into structured sections such as contact details, experience, skills, and education, use:

resumecraftr parse-cv

This command creates an .extracted_sections.json file, which contains a structured version of your CV, making it easier to optimize.

Adding a Job Description and Tailoring Your Resume

Adding a Job Description

To tailor your resume for a specific job description, run:

resumecraftr add-job

This will prompt you to either paste the job description directly or provide a file containing the job description.

Tailoring the Resume

After adding the job description, tailor the resume with:

resumecraftr tailor-cv

This step ensures that your resume highlights relevant skills and experience based on the job description. ResumeCraftr uses OpenAI to rewrite and structure the content to be ATS-friendly.

Language Optimization

One of the key benefits of the tailor command is that it rewrites all content in the language you configured during initialization. This means:

  • Grammar and Spelling: The AI automatically corrects grammatical errors and spelling mistakes
  • Language Consistency: Ensures all content follows the same language style and conventions
  • Professional Tone: Adjusts the writing to maintain a professional tone appropriate for resumes
  • Cultural Adaptation: Adapts content to match the cultural expectations of the target language

For example, if you configured ResumeCraftr with --language ES (Spanish), the tailor command will rewrite your resume in proper Spanish, correcting any language errors and ensuring it follows Spanish resume conventions.

Exporting Your Resume to PDF

Once you’re satisfied with your resume, you can export it to PDF using:

resumecraftr export-pdf

By default, the resume will be generated in the language specified in your resumecraftr.json file (set during the setup command). If you want to generate the resume in a different language, use the --translate option:

resumecraftr export-pdf --translate EN  # Generate in English
resumecraftr export-pdf --translate ES  # Generate in Spanish

The command will:

  1. Find all .extracted_sections.json files in your workspace
  2. Let you choose which one to use if multiple files exist
  3. Generate a Markdown file and convert it to PDF using Pandoc
  4. Save the resulting PDF in your workspace

The PDF will be formatted according to the template in resume_template.md, which you can customize to match your preferred style.

5. Exportar a PDF 

# Exportar a PDF (requiere Pandoc y LaTeX)
resumecraftr export-pdf

# Exportar a PDF en español
resumecraftr export-pdf --translate ES

# Exportar a PDF usando un archivo Markdown existente (sin llamar a OpenAI)
resumecraftr export-pdf --skip-md-gen

La opción --skip-md-gen es especialmente útil cuando:

  • Necesitas depurar problemas con Pandoc/LaTeX sin tener que esperar a la generación del Markdown
  • Quieres hacer ajustes manuales al archivo Markdown y volver a generar el PDF rápidamente
  • Ya tienes un archivo Markdown que quieres usar directamente