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This guide takes you from an empty account to a first resume you can download. It takes a few minutes. If you already have a resume as a PDF, Word or JSON file, you can import it instead of starting blank.

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Before you start

You need a Reactive Resume account. If you don’t have one yet, see Creating an account. Sign in at rxresu.me, or at your own address if you host Reactive Resume yourself.

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Start a blank resume

1

Open Documents

After you sign in, you land on Documents, the page that lists all your resumes and cover letters. On your first visit it’s empty and offers three ways to begin.
The empty Documents page with the heading Let's start with what you have, a Choose a file button, and Start blank and Try a sample links

Documents on your first visit

2

Choose Start blank

Select Start blank. You can also select New in the sidebar (or press N) and choose Start blank in the New document dialog.
The New document dialog with Import a resume, Copy a resume for a job, Start blank, New cover letter instead and Try with a sample resume

The New document dialog

Reactive Resume creates the resume straight away and opens it in the editor. There’s no name or address to fill in first.
Want to look around before typing anything? Choose Try a sample (or Try with a sample resume in the dialog) to get a filled-in resume you can explore and delete later.

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Add your name and contact details

The editor opens in Write mode with the cursor in Full name. The page on the right updates as you type, and every change saves on its own. The editor bar shows Saved under the document name.
1

Fill in the basics

Type your Full name, then a Headline (for example, the job title you’re aiming for), your Email, Phone and Location. Add a Website if you have one.
2

Check the document name

A new blank resume is called “Untitled resume”. Until you name it yourself, it takes its name from your Headline, so it’s easy to find later. To pick your own name, open the document name menu at the top left and choose Rename…, or rename it from Documents.
The resume editor in Write mode with name, headline, email, phone and location filled in on the left and the same details on the page preview on the right

The editor with the basics filled in

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Add your first section

Below your details, under Sections · print order, Reactive Resume suggests the sections most resumes have.
The Sections list on a new resume with buttons for Experience, Education, Skills and Summary, an Import it link, and an Add section button

Suggested sections on a new resume

1

Add a section

Select Experience (or any other suggestion). For anything else, select Add section.
2

Fill in the entry

The section opens with an empty entry. Fill in Position and Company, then Location and Dates. Turn on Present if you still work there. An experience entry appears on the page once it has a company.
3

Add more

Select Add experience below the entry for your next job, or add more sections the same way.
An Experience entry for Gameplay Programmer at Northwind Studios in the editor, with the same entry showing on the page preview

An experience entry and how it prints

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Download your resume

When you’re happy with it, select Download PDF in the top right corner of the editor. The arrow next to it opens other formats.
The right side of the editor bar with the History and Assistant icons, the Share button and the Download PDF button

Download PDF in the editor bar

To come back later, select the arrow at the top left of the editor to return to Documents, where your resume now has its own card.

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Next steps

Get to know the editor

Write, Design, Check and Share modes, and what each part of the screen does.

Fill in your details

Photo, extra contact fields and a summary.

Choose a template

Change how your resume looks without retyping anything.

Manage your documents

Rename, duplicate, lock and organize your resumes.