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Find answers to common questions about FixResume — from getting started to billing, privacy, and everything in between.

Getting Started

8 questions

FixResume is an AI-powered resume tool with two core features: (1) the Resume Optimizer, which rewrites your existing resume to match a specific job description — tailoring bullet points, surfacing missing keywords, and scoring your match — and (2) the free Resume Builder, which lets you build a polished resume from scratch using structured form inputs and professional templates. No templates to buy, no monthly subscription.
For the optimizer: you upload your current resume PDF, paste the job description you're targeting, and our AI rewrites your resume to align with that specific role — improving bullet points, highlighting relevant experience, and filling in missing keywords. For the builder: you fill in a structured form (personal info, experience, education, skills, etc.), choose a template, and download a formatted PDF — completely free.
You need an account to use the Resume Optimizer (since it uses credits and saves your history) and to generate cover letters. The Resume Builder is accessible without an account for previewing, but you'll need to be logged in to save your resume to your dashboard. Creating an account is free and takes under 30 seconds.
Resume optimization typically completes in under 60 seconds. The AI reads your resume, analyzes the job description, rewrites the content, calculates your match score, and identifies missing keywords — all in one pass. Cover letter generation also takes under a minute. The Resume Builder is instant since it's template-based.
The Resume Optimizer accepts PDF, DOCX, JPG, and PNG files up to 5 MB. PDF and DOCX are recommended as they contain selectable text that the AI can extract with high accuracy. JPG and PNG (scanned resume images) are also supported — the system will process the image to extract the text, though accuracy may be slightly lower for low-resolution or handwritten scans. Regardless of the format you upload, the optimized output is always delivered as a clean, downloadable PDF.
A general chat model cannot see your file, so it does not know whether your PDF is machine-readable, whether a two-column layout scrambles on extraction, or whether your contact details sit somewhere a parser skips. It also tends to invent metrics when a bullet reads better with one. FixResume works on the document itself, compares it against the posting you paste in, and returns a formatted PDF rather than text you then have to reassemble.
No. Everything runs in your browser, so there is nothing to download or install and no plugin to add to Word. You need only a modern browser and an internet connection.
Yes. The site works on mobile browsers, including uploading a resume and downloading the finished PDF. Longer editing sessions are more comfortable on a larger screen, simply because you are working through several sections of text.

Resume Optimization

11 questions

The AI rewrites your bullet points to reflect the language, priorities, and skills emphasized in the job description. It doesn't fabricate experience — it rephrases what you already have to be more relevant and impactful for that specific role. It also identifies keywords present in the job description that are missing from your resume, which is critical for passing ATS (Applicant Tracking System) filters.
Paste the full job description as-is — responsibilities, requirements, preferred qualifications, everything. The more complete the job description, the better the AI can align your resume to it. At minimum, include the role title, required skills, and key responsibilities. Avoid truncating or summarizing it, as that can reduce the quality of the keyword matching and rewriting.
The match score is a percentage (0–100%) that reflects how well your optimized resume aligns with the target job description. It considers keyword overlap, skill alignment, and the relevance of your experience to the role's requirements. A score above 80% is considered strong. Below 60% may indicate the role requires experience or skills you don't have listed, and the job may not be the right fit.
Missing keywords are terms, skills, tools, or phrases that appear in the job description but were not present in your resume after optimization. These are important because many companies use ATS software to filter resumes before a human ever reads them — resumes missing key terms are often auto-rejected. Review the missing keywords list and, if applicable to your actual experience, consider adding them to your resume.
Yes — and this is exactly the intended use case. Each credit produces one fully tailored optimization. You can upload the same base resume multiple times with different job descriptions, and each run will produce a distinctly different, role-specific version. Your past optimizations are all saved in your dashboard so you can track and compare them.
Yes. After optimization, you can open the resume in the structured editor, make changes to any section (experience, education, skills, etc.), and regenerate the PDF. You can also switch templates. Edits don't consume additional credits — only the initial AI optimization uses a credit.
This usually happens when the PDF contains scanned images instead of actual text, or when the PDF uses a non-standard encoding (common with some design tools like Canva or Figma exports). Try re-exporting your resume from Word, Google Docs, or a standard PDF editor. If the problem persists, rebuild your resume using our free Resume Builder, which produces a clean, text-based PDF.
There is no reliable detection software for short professional documents. What readers do notice is uniform polish across every bullet and an absence of the specific detail real experience produces. Editing the output in your own voice and adding your real numbers removes that signal, which is worth doing regardless.
It rewrites what is already in your resume rather than adding new claims, so it rephrases and realigns rather than fabricating roles or employers. Always read the result before sending it, particularly any figures, and remove anything you could not discuss in detail under questioning.
First check whether the missing keywords describe things you have actually done but worded differently, since that gap is closed simply by adopting the posting's terminology. If the missing items are genuine skills you do not have, a low score is telling you something useful about fit. Most postings describe an ideal candidate rather than a threshold, so roughly seventy percent coverage is still worth applying on.
Yes, and it is one of the more useful cases, because the barrier in a pivot is usually that a recruiter in the new field does not recognise what they are reading. Paste a posting from the field you are moving into and the rewrite will express your existing experience in that field's vocabulary. Strategic decisions, such as which roles to lead with, remain yours.

Credits & Billing

10 questions

One credit = one full resume optimization. When you submit your resume and job description, one credit is deducted from your balance and the AI runs a complete rewrite, generates a match score, and identifies missing keywords. Credits are only consumed on the initial optimization — editing, previewing, switching templates, regenerating the PDF, and downloading do not use credits.
Credits are available in these packs: Starter (5 credits for $5), Pro Bundle (15 credits for $10), and Career Builder (40 credits for $20). There are no subscriptions or hidden fees, and you only pay for what you use.
No. Credits never expire. Once purchased, they remain in your account indefinitely. You can buy a pack today and use the credits six months from now — there's no rush and no expiry date.
All major credit and debit cards are accepted, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Payments are processed securely through Stripe, which is PCI-DSS compliant. We do not store your card details — Stripe handles all payment data.
If you've purchased credits and haven't used any of them, contact us within 7 days of purchase and we'll issue a full refund — no questions asked. Credits that have already been used (i.e., spent on optimizations) are non-refundable. If you believe a credit was consumed due to a technical error, contact us with details and we'll investigate.
You'll see a notice that your credit balance is zero when you try to optimize. You can purchase more credits at any time from the Pricing page. Your existing optimized resumes remain accessible and downloadable regardless of your credit balance — a zero balance only prevents new optimizations.
Yes — every new account receives 1 free credit upon registration, no payment required. You can use it to run a full optimization immediately after signing up: upload your resume, paste a job description, and see exactly what FixResume does before deciding to buy more credits. The Resume Builder is also completely free and does not use credits at all.
No. Credits are a one-off purchase and there is no recurring billing, no stored plan, and nothing to cancel. You are charged only when you choose to buy a pack.
Yes, because credits are attached to an account so that your balance and optimization history are available when you return. Registration is free, takes under a minute, and includes one free credit.
If an optimization fails because of a technical error on our side, the credit should not be consumed. If you see a credit deducted without a result, contact us with the approximate time and the job title you were targeting and we will investigate and restore it.

Resume Builder

9 questions

The Resume Builder (/builder) is a free tool that lets you create a professional resume from scratch — no upload needed. You fill in a structured form covering personal info, professional summary or objective, work experience, education, skills, certifications, and awards. The builder generates a formatted PDF using one of four professional templates.
Yes. Building and downloading a resume via the builder is 100% free — no credits required, no account required to preview. Logging in is required to save the resume to your dashboard. Optionally, you can choose "Build & optimize" which will then run the AI optimization on your newly built resume — that uses 1 credit.
Your inputs are automatically saved to your browser's local storage as you type. If you refresh or close and reopen the page on the same device and browser, your form data will be restored exactly where you left off. This auto-save happens continuously in the background. The saved data is cleared automatically after a successful build.
Four templates are currently available: Harvard (classic, clean, conservative — ideal for traditional industries), Fresh Graduate (modern layout suited for recent graduates and entry-level roles), Internship (compact and achievement-focused, designed for internship applications), and Freelancer (versatile layout that highlights projects and varied experience). All templates produce ATS-friendly PDFs.
Yes — this is a great workflow. Click "Build & optimize" instead of "Build & save." This will build your resume, then take you directly to the optimizer with your newly built resume pre-loaded. From there, paste a job description and run the AI optimization (uses 1 credit). Alternatively, build and save first, then go to your dashboard and click Optimize on the saved resume.
Inside each section accordion (Work Experience, Education), there's an "+ Add entry" button at the bottom. Click it to add another role or degree. Each entry has its own fields (company, role, dates, bullet points). You can remove an entry using the trash icon next to it. Bullet points within an experience entry can also be added and removed individually.
The builder is designed for filling in a structured form rather than importing a file. If you already have a resume, the optimizer is the better starting point, since it reads your existing document directly. The builder is most useful when your current file has formatting problems severe enough that rebuilding is faster than repairing.
Yes. Open the resume from your dashboard, switch templates, and regenerate the PDF. Switching templates does not consume a credit, so you can compare a few before deciding.
Harvard suits traditional industries such as finance, law, and academia. Fresh Graduate and Internship suit early-career applications where education and projects carry more weight than work history. Freelancer suits varied or project-based experience. All four are built to parse cleanly, so choose on how well the layout fits your material rather than on appearance alone.

Cover Letters

7 questions

After your resume is optimized, on your dashboard you'll see a "Cover Letter" button on each of your resumes. The AI writes a personalized cover letter based on your optimized resume content and the job description you provided. It structures the letter with a strong opening, a body that highlights relevant experience, and a professional closing — all tailored to the specific role.
Yes. Generating a cover letter uses 1 credit. Make sure you have sufficient credits in your balance before initiating the generation. Once generated, editing and re-downloading the cover letter do not consume additional credits.
Yes. After generation, you're taken to an editor where you can make any changes — reword sentences, add personal touches, adjust the tone, or change the formatting. You can change the font, font size, and text styles (bold, italic, underline, bullet lists).
Cover letters are downloaded as PDF files. The PDF is formatted with clean typography, proper margins, and standard A4/letter proportions — ready to attach to a job application or email.
Yes. Saved cover letters appear on your dashboard alongside the associated resume. Your cover letter remains available for download as long as its associated resume is not deleted.
No. Cover letter generation works from an optimized resume and the job description attached to it, which is what allows the letter to reference your actual experience against that specific role. Run the optimization first, then use the Cover Letter button on that resume from your dashboard.
Between 250 and 400 words across three or four short paragraphs on a single page. Beyond that attention drops away sharply, and a longer letter usually means the resume is being summarised rather than supplemented. Use the space for context the resume cannot carry.

Downloads & PDFs

8 questions

All resumes — whether from the optimizer or the builder — are downloaded as PDF files. PDFs are the standard format for job applications because they preserve formatting across all devices and operating systems. The PDFs are generated server-side using headless browser rendering, which ensures the output matches the on-screen preview.
Yes. All templates used by FixResume are designed with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) compatibility in mind — they use plain, single-column text layouts without tables, text boxes, headers/footers, or graphics that confuse ATS parsers. The text in the PDF is selectable and extractable, which is what ATS software requires.
Your dashboard lists all past optimizations and builds. Each entry has a "Download" button that generates and downloads the PDF on demand. You can download any resume as many times as you want — re-downloads are free and don't use credits.
Yes. As long as your account is active, all your resumes are saved and available for re-download from the dashboard. There is no time limit on how long resumes are stored. If you deleted the resume from your dashboard, it cannot be recovered.
The preview in the browser uses your local system fonts and screen rendering. The downloaded PDF is generated server-side using a headless browser with web fonts loaded. Minor differences in font weight, line-height, or spacing can occur. If the difference is significant (layout breaking, missing sections), please contact support with a screenshot of both versions.
Downloads are PDF only. PDF preserves the layout exactly across devices and is read reliably by applicant tracking systems, whereas Word files can reflow depending on the reader's version and installed fonts. If a specific posting asks for a Word document, open the PDF in Word or Google Docs and save a copy in that format.
Use FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf, with hyphens rather than spaces. The filename is stored against your application record and appears in the recruiter's file list beside everyone else's, so "resume.pdf" is indistinguishable and "resume_final_v3.pdf" reads as an unedited working file.
Check whether your browser blocked a popup, since the file opens in a new tab in some configurations. Trying a different browser or disabling extensions that intercept downloads resolves most cases. If it still fails, contact us with the browser and device you are using.

Privacy & Security

8 questions

Yes. Resume files and extracted text are stored in encrypted cloud storage. Data is transmitted over HTTPS (TLS) at all times. Access to your resume data is restricted to your account — other users cannot see your resumes. Our infrastructure runs on reputable cloud providers with industry-standard security practices.
No. Your resume content is only used to (1) perform the AI optimization you requested, and (2) display your history in your dashboard. We do not sell, share, license, or expose your personal data or resume content to any third party for advertising, analytics, or any other purpose. The AI model used for optimization does not retain your data for training purposes.
Your resume data, optimization history, and account information are stored for as long as your account is active. If you delete a specific resume from your dashboard, it is removed immediately. If you delete your entire account, all associated data — resumes, cover letters, credit history, and personal information — is permanently deleted within 30 days.
Yes. On the dashboard, each resume card has a delete option (trash icon or delete button). Deleting a resume removes it and its associated cover letter permanently. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you've downloaded any versions you want to keep first.
Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe, a PCI-DSS Level 1 certified payment provider. FixResume never sees or stores your full card number, CVV, or billing details. We only receive a transaction confirmation and the last 4 digits of your card from Stripe for display purposes.
No. Your resume content is used only to perform the optimization you requested and to show your history in your dashboard. It is not used to train models, and it is not sold, shared, or licensed to third parties.
Yes. Nothing you upload is published, shared, or visible to anyone but you, and we do not contact your current or previous employers for any reason. Your account activity is not disclosed to anybody, so a search stays between you and the employers you choose to apply to.
It is not required, and your contact details need to be present for the finished resume to be usable. If you would rather limit what you upload, your home address and date of birth can be left out safely, since neither belongs on a modern resume anyway. Your name, email, phone, and city are the ones worth keeping.

Account & Access

6 questions

Click "Log in", then "Forgot your password?" and enter the email address on your account. You will receive a reset link that stays valid for 60 minutes. If it does not arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder and confirm you are using the same address you registered with.
Use the "Continue with Google" button rather than the email and password fields. Accounts created through Google do not have a password set, so the email login form will not recognise them. If you would like to use a password as well, log in with Google first, then set one from your profile page.
Yes. Go to your profile page and update the email field. Your credits, saved resumes, and cover letters all stay attached to the account, so nothing is lost. If the account was created through Google, changing the email here does not change which Google account you sign in with.
Check your spam or promotions folder first, since automated messages are often filtered there. Confirm the address on your profile is spelled correctly, and add our sending address to your contacts so future messages arrive in your inbox. If nothing appears after ten minutes, contact us and we will look into it.
Go to your profile page and use the delete account option at the bottom. This permanently removes your resumes, cover letters, and personal information. Download anything you want to keep first, because deletion cannot be undone and unused credits are not refundable once the account is gone.
Use the contact form on the site, or open a support ticket from your dashboard if you are logged in. Tickets are the faster route for anything account-specific, because they arrive with your account already attached. Including the resume or optimization involved, and a screenshot if something looks wrong, usually saves a round of questions.

Resume Advice

8 questions

One page if you have under ten years of relevant experience, two pages above that. Almost nobody needs three, the exceptions being senior executives, academic CVs, clinical roles, and some government application formats. Compressing a long career onto one page usually means deleting the quantified achievements that would have set you apart.
Not in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, or Australia, where photos create discrimination exposure for employers and some discard applications containing them. Photos remain conventional in much of continental Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia. Follow the norm of the country where the role is based, and include one whenever the application asks for it.
Label it honestly in your work history with a short descriptor and the dates, such as "Career Break — Family Caregiving", and keep the explanation to one line. Add any courses, freelance work, or volunteering from that period, since the real concern is whether your skills stayed current rather than why you stopped. Stretching dates to hide a gap is the one approach that reliably fails, because employment dates get verified.
List hard skills and demonstrate soft ones. Named tools, platforms, methodologies, and certifications belong in the skills section, ideally eight to fifteen of them grouped under short labels. Traits like communication and leadership appear on every competing resume and cannot be verified, so show those through your achievements instead.
Send one whenever the posting asks for one, and whenever your resume raises a question a reader would otherwise answer for themselves, such as a career change, a gap, or a relocation. For high-volume automated applications it rarely changes anything. A generic letter is worth little; a specific one occasionally decides a close call.
Make it machine-readable and use the employer's vocabulary. Stick to a single-column layout with conventional section headings, avoid tables, text boxes, and any text inside an image, and keep your contact details in the body rather than a document header. Then mirror the exact terms the posting repeats, since recruiters search the database using those words.
Around fifteen to twenty percent, which is usually a rewritten summary, reordered bullets, adjusted wording in a few lines, and a reordered skills section. That is a fifteen-minute edit by hand and the single highest-return thing you can do per application. Running it through the optimizer does the comparison for you in about a minute.
Using it to phrase real experience more clearly is what a professional resume writer does, and nobody considers that dishonest. It becomes a problem when a tool supplies achievements or metrics you did not produce. A useful test: could you talk about any line for two minutes in an interview without discomfort?

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