There are two ways to create a resume today. One option is to use a resume template, such as an office/google doc, and customize it according to your needs. The other option is to use a resume builder, an online tool that allows you to input your information and automatically generates a resume for you.

Using a resume template requires manual formatting work, like copying and pasting text sections and adjusting spacing, which can be time-consuming and error-prone. It is easy to run into formatting issues, such as using different bullet points or font styles after copying and pasting. On the other hand, a resume builder like OpenResume saves time and prevents formatting mistakes by automatically formatting the resume. It also offers the convenience of easily changing font types or sizes with a simple click. In summary, a resume builder is easier to use compared to a resume template.

Other than OpenResume, there are some great free resume builders out there, e.g. Reactive Resume, FlowCV. However, OpenResume stands out with 2 distinctive features:

1. OpenResume is designed specifically for the U.S. job market and best practices.
Unlike other resume builders that target a global audience and offer many customization options, OpenResume intentionally only offers options that are aligned with U.S. best practices. For example, it excludes the option to add a profile picture to avoid bias and discrimination. It offers only the core sections, e.g. profile, work experience, education, and skills, while omitting unnecessary sections like references. Additionally, OpenResume only offers a top down single column resume design as opposed to two column design, because single column design works best for AST.

2. OpenResume is super privacy focus.
While other resume builders may require email sign up and store user data in their databases, OpenResume believes that resume data should remain private and accessible only on user’s local machine. Therefore, OpenResume doesn’t require sign up to use the app, and all inputted data is stored in user’s browser that only user has access to.

OpenResume was created by Xitang Zhao and designed by Zhigang Wen as a weekend project. As immigrants to the US, we had made many mistakes when creating our first resumes and applying for internships and jobs. It took us a long while to learn some of the best practices. While mentoring first generation students and reviewing their resumes, we noticed students were making the same mistakes that we had made before. This led us to think about how we can be of help with the knowledge and skills we have gained. We started chatting and working over the weekends that led to OpenResume, where we integrated best practices and our knowledge into this resume builder. Our hope is that OpenResume can help anyone to easily create a modern professional resume that follows best practices and enable anyone to apply for jobs with confidence.

The best way to support OpenResume is to share your thoughts and feedback with us to help further improve it. You can send us an email at hello@open-resume.com or open an issue at our Github repository. Whether you like it or not, we would love to hear from you.

Another great way to support OpenResume is by spreading the words. Share it with your friends, on social media platforms, or with your school’s career center. Our goal is to reach more people who struggle with creating their resume, and your word-of-mouth support would be greatly appreciated. If you use Github, you can also show your support by giving the project a star to help increase its popularity and reach.