CV/Resume HTML

HTML CV and resume: from ATS-friendly markup to portfolio sites

The terms CV and resume are used interchangeably in Brazilian Portuguese ("currículo"), but in English they describe different artefacts. A CV (Latin curriculum vitae) is the long-form academic document used in Europe, the United Kingdom and university contexts worldwide; it can run five pages or more and lists every publication, conference and grant. A resume is the short, marketing-oriented document used in the United States and Canada: one page for early-career professionals, two pages above seven years of experience, never more for non-academic roles. Knowing which one the recruiter expects matters as much as the content itself.

An HTML CV opens design possibilities that PDF and DOCX cannot match: interactive sections, hover states on technologies, links to live projects, a shareable URL that updates without re-uploading, and the option to publish as a personal portfolio site on Carrd, Linktree, GitHub Pages or a custom domain. The trade-off is that Applicant Tracking Systems do not parse HTML — for any application that goes through Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, BambooHR or iCIMS, the HTML version is a complement, not a replacement, for a clean PDF or DOCX file.

ATS-friendly markup and the JSON Resume schema

Even when you submit the official file as DOCX, an HTML version still has to follow ATS-friendly conventions, because recruiters often copy and paste content into their internal database. Single-column layout, common fonts (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Georgia), bullet lists instead of tables, plain-text contact details, dates spelled out in full and standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) make the difference between being found and disappearing in the queue.

For a structured single source of truth, the JSON Resume schema (jsonresume.org) defines a canonical JSON object that can be rendered into dozens of HTML themes, exported to PDF and consumed by APIs. Tools like Reactive Resume, Resumake and FlowCV produce free, ATS-friendly HTML and PDF output from the same data model.

Action verbs, quantification and section priority

Every experience bullet should open with a strong action verb in the correct tense: past for finished roles ("Led", "Built", "Reduced", "Negotiated", "Architected"), present for the current one ("Lead", "Build"). Vague responsibilities convert poorly; quantification is what turns claims into evidence. "Increased sales by 20% over six months" beats "increased sales". "Reduced AWS bill from 18k to 9k USD per month" beats "optimised infrastructure costs".

Section priority depends on seniority. Senior candidates lead with Experience and bury Education near the bottom. Juniors and recent graduates invert the order: Education first, followed by internships, projects and Skills. The summary at the top — three to five lines — should name your current role, your strongest specialty and one headline accomplishment.

Bilingual CVs, photo policy and length

Many Brazilian positions accept Portuguese-only CVs, but multinational and tech roles increasingly request a parallel English version. Two strategies work: a single document with two columns (PT on the left, EN on the right) or two separate files with consistent layout, sharing a master JSON Resume source. For international roles in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and most of Northern Europe, remove the photograph, date of birth, marital status and ID number; anti-discrimination laws make that information a legal liability for the employer. In Brazil, Portugal and most of Latin America a small photo and city of residence remain customary.

Portfolio sites, GitHub READMEs and LinkedIn

Developers increasingly publish a personal site at name.dev or a profile-level GitHub README pinned to two or three flagship repositories. Designers host case studies on Behance, Dribbble or Cargo. The CV becomes a one-page summary that links out to those richer artefacts. For most candidates, the LinkedIn profile is still the primary entry point — many recruiters search there first and only open the formal CV after the conversation starts. Keep both versions consistent: a discrepancy between LinkedIn and the file is a red flag.

Frequently asked questions

Does an HTML CV work with ATS? No. ATS engines parse PDF and DOCX reliably and HTML poorly. Use HTML as a portfolio URL alongside a clean PDF submission.

Is a photo required? Yes in Brazil, Portugal and most of Latin America. No in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and most of Northern Europe — anti-discrimination law treats photo CVs as a bias risk for the hiring company.

How long should it be? One page below seven years of experience, two pages for senior profiles. Academic CVs are the only exception and can run beyond five pages.

Can I use colours and icons? In the HTML version yes, with restraint. In the PDF version sent to ATS, stick to one or two colours and skip icons that the parser cannot read as text.

What is the difference between a CV and a LinkedIn profile? LinkedIn is a public, always-current profile optimised for inbound contact and networking. The CV is a tailored, focused document submitted for a specific role. Treat LinkedIn as the discovery channel and the CV as the closing pitch.