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In this tutorial you’ll create a Reactive Resume account, open a sample resume, put your own name on it, try a different template and download it as a PDF. It takes about ten minutes, and at the end you’ll know your way around the editor. You only need a web browser. The steps use the hosted version at rxresu.me; if your organization runs its own copy, use its address instead.

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1. Create your account

1

Open the sign-up page

Go to rxresu.me/auth/register.
2

Fill in your details

Enter your Name, a Username, your Email Address and a Password, then select Sign up. If you’d rather use an existing Google, GitHub or other account, pick it below the form instead.
3

Continue to your documents

Reactive Resume sends you an email to verify your address. Verifying is optional, but you need it to reset a forgotten password. Select Continue to carry on now and verify later.
You land on Documents, the home page that holds all your resumes and cover letters. It’s empty for now.
The empty Documents page with the heading "Let's start with what you have", a drop zone for a PDF, Word or JSON file with a Choose a file button, and Start blank and Try a sample links underneath.

Documents is empty until you create or import something

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2. Open the sample resume

Select Try a sample. Reactive Resume creates a complete resume for a game developer and opens it in the editor. Starting from the sample lets you see what a finished resume looks like before you replace its content with yours. The editor has two halves:
  • The panel on the left, where you write. It starts with the Basics card (your name and contact details), followed by your sections, such as Summary, Education and Experience.
  • The page on the right, which shows exactly what your PDF will look like. It updates as you type.
The sample’s document name and the name on the resume are a random three-word phrase, such as “Slippery Blush Marlin”. You’ll fix both next.

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3. Name your document

The document name is only for you; it’s how you find the resume in Documents.
1

Open the document menu

Select the document name at the top left of the editor.
2

Rename it

Select Rename…, type a name such as “Game Developer Resume” in Name, then select Save Changes.

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4. Put your name on the page

1

Edit the Basics card

In the Basics card, replace the text in Full name with your own name.
2

Watch the page

The name at the top of the page changes as you type. Try changing Headline to the job title you want too.
The Basics card with Full name set to David Kowalski and a headline, email, phone and location, next to the resume page showing the same name and contact details under a photo.

What you type in the panel appears on the page right away

You don’t need to save. Under the document name, the status changes to Saving… and then Saved.
Made a mistake? Press ⌘ Z (Ctrl Z on Windows and Linux) to undo it.

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5. Try another template

1

Switch to Design

Select Design at the top of the editor, or press 2.
2

Pick a template

Template, at the top of Design, shows all 17 templates filled with your own content. Select one, such as Bronzor, and the page switches to it. Your content stays the same; only the look changes.
3

Go back to writing

Select Write, or press 1, to return to your content.
The Template tab in Design mode with filters for All, One column, Two columns and ATS-safe, a template counter, and previews of the Azurill (selected), Bronzor, Chikorita and Ditgar templates filled with the sample resume.

Design mode's template gallery

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6. Download your PDF

1

Select Download PDF

Select Download PDF at the top right of the editor. Your browser saves the file, named after the name on your resume (for example, David-Kowalski-Resume.pdf).
2

Open the file

Open the PDF. It matches the page you saw in the editor.
The right side of the editor bar with the History and Assistant icon buttons, a Share button and a green Download PDF button with a small arrow on its right.

Download PDF and the arrow next to it, which opens more formats

To download a different format, select the arrow next to Download PDF. The Share & export panel opens on its Download tab, where you can choose PDF, Word, Markdown or JSON and change the file name.
The Share and export panel with Link, Download and History tabs. The Download tab lists PDF (Best for applying), Word, Markdown and JSON, a File name field set to David-Kowalski-Resume, a note that Check has 3 things to review, and a Download PDF button.

The Download tab of Share & export

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What you’ve done

You created an account, built a resume from the sample, made it yours, tried a template and downloaded a PDF. From here, replace the rest of the sample with your own experience, or start a fresh resume from New in the sidebar (press N).

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Next steps

Create your first resume

Start from scratch, or import the resume you already have.

Get to know the editor

Learn the editor bar, the three modes and the page view.

Check your resume

Fix the issues Check finds and compare your resume with a job posting.

Share your resume

Publish a link that recruiters can open in their browser.

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Run your own copy

Want to host Reactive Resume on your own server instead? Follow Self-hosting with Docker; the environment variables reference lists every setting. Developers who want to change the code should start with the development setup.