Resume Parser

A Python tool that converts a plain text resume into beautifully formatted HTML and PDF documents.

Quick Start Guide

Prerequisites

Windows

1. Install Python:

   • Download the installer from python.org
   • Run the installer
   • Check "Add Python to PATH" during installation
   • Click "Install Now"

2. Verify Installation:

   • Open Command Prompt (search for "cmd" in Start menu)
   • Type python --version and press Enter
   • You should see the Python version displayed

Linux/Ubuntu

1. Install Python:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install python3 python3-pip python3-venv
   

2. Verify Installation:

   python3 --version
   

Setup

1. Download the Resume Parser Script:

   • Save the resume_parser.py script to a folder of your choice

2. Create a Virtual Environment:

   • Open Command Prompt/Terminal
   • Navigate to your folder: cd path/to/your/folder
   • Create virtual environment:
     • Windows: python -m venv venv
     • Linux: python3 -m venv venv

3. Activate Virtual Environment:

   • Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   • Linux: source venv/bin/activate

4. Install Dependencies:

   For PDF generation, choose one of these options:

   Option 1 - WeasyPrint (recommended for better CSS rendering):

   pip install weasyprint
   

   Option 2 - PDFKit (requires additional steps):

   pip install pdfkit
   

   Additional steps for PDFKit:

   • Windows: Download and install wkhtmltopdf
   • Linux: sudo apt install wkhtmltopdf

Usage

1. Create Your Resume Text File:

   • Create a plain text file (e.g., my_resume.txt)
   • Format your resume with clear section headings (SUMMARY, EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, etc.)
   • Use bullet points with • symbol for lists

2. Run the Parser:

   • Make sure your virtual environment is activated

   • Basic usage:

     python resume_parser.py my_resume.txt
     

   • Generate HTML with custom filename:

     python resume_parser.py my_resume.txt -o my_custom_resume.html
     

   • Generate PDF:

     python resume_parser.py my_resume.txt --pdf
     

   • Generate both with custom filenames:

     python resume_parser.py my_resume.txt -o my_custom_resume.html --pdf --pdf-output my_custom_resume.pdf
     

3. View the Results:

   • Open the generated HTML file in your web browser
   • Open the PDF file with your PDF viewer

Troubleshooting

• "Command not found" errors: Make sure your virtual environment is activated
• PDF generation fails: Try the alternative PDF library, or open the HTML in a browser and print to PDF
• Missing section in output: Check your text file formatting - section headers should be clearly marked
• Contact info issues: Make sure your email, phone, and location are on separate lines near the top

Example Resume Format

Your Name

City, Country
email@example.com | 555-123-4567

SUMMARY

Your professional summary goes here...

EXPERIENCE

Company Name
Your Title
MM/YYYY - Present
• Achievement 1
• Achievement 2

EDUCATION

Degree, Institution, Year

SKILLS

Category:
Skill 1, Skill 2, Skill 3

CERTIFICATIONS

Provider
• Certification Name

HONORS AND AWARDS

Organization
• Award Name

Using AI to Generate Resume Content

You can use AI language models (like ChatGPT, Claude, or other LLMs) to help create resume content that works perfectly with this parser.

Quick Resume Generation with AI

1. Copy the example format from the end of this README

2. Ask an AI assistant to fill it in based on your needs:

   Please tailor a resume for me using this exact format:
   
   [PASTE THE EXAMPLE FORMAT HERE]
   
   Target this job posting: [PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION]
   
   Include these details about my experience: [YOUR EXPERIENCE]
   

3. Copy the AI's response and save it as a text file

4. Run the resume parser on this file to generate your formatted HTML/PDF resume

Tips for Better AI-Generated Content

• Provide specific achievements with numbers when possible
• Ask for bullet points that follow the "accomplished X by doing Y, resulting in Z" format
• Request revisions for specific sections as needed
• Ask the AI to "make all bullet points start with strong action verbs"
• Include keywords from the job posting you're targeting

Example Prompt

Please create a resume for me in the exact format below. I'm applying for a Senior Software Engineer position at a fintech company.

My experience includes:
- 5 years at TechCorp as a Software Engineer (2018-2023)
- 2 years at StartupX as a Junior Developer (2016-2018)
- Computer Science degree from State University (2016)
- Skills in Python, JavaScript, React, and AWS
- Certifications in AWS Solutions Architect and Scrum Master

Use the format exactly as shown:

[PASTE EXAMPLE FORMAT HERE]

Customizing AI-Generated Content

After getting the AI response, you can:

1. Edit any details to better match your experience
2. Add more specific metrics and achievements
3. Ensure all information is accurate before generating the final document