A LaTeX resume template you can fill in or edit by hand

Why engineers use LaTeX for resumes

LaTeX gives you precise control over spacing and alignment, and its output looks consistent everywhere. That is why so many computer science and engineering students in India use a LaTeX resume, most often one based on Jake Gutierrez's "Jake's Resume" template, which is published under the MIT licence.

The catch is setup. Installing a TeX distribution, fixing a missing package or decoding a compile error is a lot of work for a one-page document. The builder removes that step.

How the LaTeX editor works

Compiling runs on our server with XeTeX, so your PDF has a real text layer that applicant tracking systems can read. Only a fixed list of common packages is allowed, which keeps compiles fast and safe.

• Fill in your resume with the guided form, or import an existing PDF or Word resume.
• Open "Edit in LaTeX". The builder writes the .tex for you in the Jake's Resume style.
• Edit the source on the left. It compiles a moment after you stop typing, and the PDF appears on the right.
• If something doesn't compile, the error shows the line number. Click it to jump there.
• Download the PDF, or download the .tex file to keep or use anywhere else.

What the source looks like

Each section is a list of entries, and each entry uses a small set of commands. Here is one internship entry, the way the builder writes it:

\section{Experience}
  \resumeSubHeadingListStart
    \resumeSubheading
      {Embedded Software Intern}{May 2024 -- Jul 2024}
      {Sensewave Systems}{Chennai}
      \resumeItemListStart
        \resumeItem{Wrote a C driver for an I2C temperature sensor, tested on 50 units}
        \resumeItem{Cut firmware flash size by 18\% by removing unused HAL modules}
      \resumeItemListEnd
  \resumeSubHeadingListEnd

Note the backslash before the per cent sign. In LaTeX, % starts a comment, so it has to be written as \%. The same goes for &, $, # and _. The form escapes these for you; in the source, you do it yourself.

Tips for a LaTeX resume that works

• Keep it to one page. If it spills over, shorten lines before you shrink margins; very tight margins look cramped when printed.
• Don't put your contact details in icons alone. Write the email and phone as text so a parser can read them.
• Use plain section names such as Education, Experience, Projects and Technical skills.
• Test the PDF: copy all its text into a plain editor and check that the order makes sense.
• Keep the .tex file under version control if you are comfortable with Git, so you can tailor a copy per application.

Arabic in LaTeX

Arabic resumes compile too. The builder switches to the polyglossia package and the Amiri font, and lays the page out right to left, with emails, phone numbers and links kept left to right. If you need both, make an English and an Arabic version of the same resume.