Templates and design

There are twelve templates, and applying one takes a click and is undone with ⌘Z.

A template is not a container#

This is worth understanding because it removes a fear people carry from other builders:

So there is no cost to trying all twelve, and no "am I stuck with this now" moment.

The grade on each card#

Each template shows a grade. It is a judgement about how safely a machine will read it, not about how attractive it is.

A high grade means a clean single column, unambiguous headings and no text in places a parser tends to lose. A lower grade means it looks good and takes more of a risk - two columns, sidebars, typographic flourishes.

The ATS check tests your actual document rather than the template in the abstract, which is the better question once you have written it.

Colours and spacing#

Each template has colourways, plus controls for density and spacing. Two things worth knowing:

• Spacing is also a length tool. Tightening it is often the difference between two pages and one, and making it fit uses it deliberately.
• Colour should be an accent. Headings and rules, not backgrounds. A colour that reads well on screen can print as a grey wash.

Design last#

The layout follows the length of the writing, so designing before the content is settled means doing it twice. Get the words right, then choose how they look.