Step 1: Generate Your CV

What is the "Generate Your CV" step and when do you need it?

Step 1 is about building your Main CV — a complete, high-quality profile that Smart CV Builder uses as the foundation for all future Smart Applications. You only need to do this once. Upload an existing CV (PDF) or enter your data manually, then complete each section (personal information, skills, work experience, education, and personal branding) and click Submit to save. Your Main CV is permanent: every Smart Application and every translation is created from it, and it is the only CV that holds your Experience Vault.

The richer your information — especially in work experience — the better Smart CV Builder can tailor future job-specific CVs, cover letters, and interview preparation packs.

Quick Steps

1. Log in and open the CV Builder section.
2. Upload your CV (PDF) or choose manual entry.
3. Review extracted data and fill in any missing fields.
4. Complete Personal Information — name, contact details, optional photo.
5. Add Skills — organize into up to six categories.
6. Add Work Experience — fill the Experience Vault for each role, then write your Job Details or click Regenerate Job Details.
7. Add Education and Training — degrees, certifications, courses.
8. Write your Personal Branding statement — or let the AI generate one, or click Regenerate Branding Statement.
9. Click Submit to save your Main CV.

How do I upload my existing CV?

If you already have a CV in PDF format, you can upload it to extract your information automatically.

1. Log in and open the CV Builder section.

2. Click Upload Data From File to open the upload dialog.

3. If you uploaded a file before, select it from the dropdown list. Otherwise, click Upload to add a new file.
4. Click Extract CV Data to populate your information into the form.
5. Smart CV Builder scans your CV and categorizes content into the correct sections:
   • Personal Information (name, contact information)
   • Address
   • Skills
   • Work Experience
   • Education
   • Projects
6. When extraction is successful, click OK to populate the data in your CV form.

How do I enter my data manually?

If you prefer to enter your information from scratch, use the CV form and complete each section step by step.

Personal Information

Fill in the following fields:

• First Name, Last Name, Full Name (as displayed on your CV)
• Phone Number and Mobile Number
• Birth Date
• Email — use a professional email address
• Photo Upload (optional) — upload a professional photo and use the cropping tool. Whether to include a photo depends on regional and industry expectations.

• Address — stored in a separate section for clarity.

Tip: Keep your email and phone number professional and up to date. If you upload a photo, choose a clear image appropriate for your industry.

Skills

You can group your skills into a maximum of six categories. The system includes four standard categories, and you can create custom names:

• Core Competences
• Technical Skills
• Professional Skills
• Language Skills (add proficiency level, for example: English (Fluent) or German (B2))

• Click a category and list the relevant skills.
• Click Sort Skill Categories to organize categories neatly based on category length.

Work Experience

Work experience is one of the most important sections because Smart CV Builder uses it to tailor your CV for specific job applications. Provide accurate dates and detailed descriptions.

For each role, complete:

• Job Title — the title you held
• Company Name and Job Location
• Employment Dates — start and end dates (select Current Job if still employed)
• Company Logo (optional) — with employer consent, but not recommended because images may not be read by ATS
• Experience Vault — a complete and detailed account of responsibilities, achievements, numbers, tools, and key projects. It is private and never shown on your CV. This is the master version of your experience, written once. Smart CV Builder writes your Job Details from it and reuses it across every Smart Application. The Experience Vault exists only in your Main CV.
• Job Details — the short bullet list that is shown on your CV. Write it yourself, or click Regenerate Job Details to have the AI rewrite it from your Experience Vault.

Tip: Include detailed descriptions and reference letters to give the AI a more complete understanding of your professional history.

The progress bar under the Experience Vault shows how much you have written for that role. Once at least 120 characters are saved, Regenerate Job Details becomes available on your Main CV: click it and the AI rewrites that role's Job Details from the vault, in the language of your Main CV. The result arrives as a suggestion labelled Regenerated from your Experience Vault, so you can accept or cancel it before anything is replaced. If the button is unavailable, save your CV first or add more to the vault.

If writing all of that out is the hard part, the AI Experience Builder can do it for you: it interviews you by voice about each role and writes what it learns straight into the Experience Vault of your Main CV.

Upload and Transcribe Reference Letters

You can upload reference letters from previous employers. The system transcribes them automatically and can extract key phrases to better represent your abilities in future Smart Applications. Like the Experience Vault, these transcripts stay private to your Main CV: they are never shown on your CV and never copied into a tailored or translated CV.

Education and Training

For each entry, complete:

• Degree or Qualification
• Institution Name and Location
• Dates Attended — start and graduation dates (or expected graduation)
• Degree Details — relevant studies or achievements
• Optional Trainings — certifications and professional development courses
• Option — upload your graduation certificate

Personal Branding

This is your short introduction to employers — often called a personal summary or professional profile.

• Write a short paragraph summarizing your core skills, experience, and what sets you apart.
• Focus on strengths that match the roles you are targeting.
• If you uploaded CV data, Smart CV Builder can generate a branding statement for you to review and edit.
• On your Main CV you can also click Regenerate Branding Statement. The AI writes a fresh statement from your Experience Vault, in the language of your Main CV, and fills the field for you. An Undo regeneration button stays available until you save, so you can always go back to what you had.

Tip: Regenerate your Job Details and save before you regenerate the Branding Statement, so the statement reflects your latest experience.

How do I save my Main CV?

1. Review each section and edit anything that is missing or incorrect.
2. Click Submit to save your Main CV.

Your saved CV becomes your Main CV and is used as the foundation for future Smart Applications. It is permanent: it cannot be renamed or replaced, and it is the only CV that keeps your Experience Vault.

Key Takeaways

• Uploading an existing CV saves time, but manual entry gives you full control.
• Detailed work experience improves future tailoring for different job descriptions.
• The Experience Vault is private, lives only in your Main CV, and is what the AI writes your Job Details and your tailored CVs from.
• Use personal branding to make a strong first impression.
• Click Submit to save your Main CV as the foundation for future Smart Applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to upload a CV to start?

No. You can upload a CV (PDF) or enter your information manually.

Which section has the biggest impact on tailoring?

The Work Experience section — especially the Experience Vault. The more you record there, the more accurately the system can select relevant points for different job descriptions. The vault itself is never printed; only your Job Details appear on the CV.

What is the "Main CV" used for?

Your Main CV is your saved master profile. Smart CV Builder uses it as the foundation for future Smart Applications, including tailored CVs, cover letters, and interview preparation. It is also the only CV that holds your Experience Vault, and it stays your Main CV for the life of your account.

Why is the Experience Vault missing on my other CVs?

Because it lives only in your Main CV. Tailored CVs, translations, and older copies carry only the Job Details that are printed. To add or fix experience, edit the Experience Vault in your Main CV, click Regenerate Job Details, and create the Smart Application again.

Can I regenerate Job Details on a tailored CV?

No. Regenerate Job Details and Regenerate Branding Statement work on your Main CV only, because that is where the Experience Vault they are written from lives. Regenerate on your Main CV, save, then create a new Smart Application or translation.

Related Articles

• Introduction to Smart CV Builder — What Smart CV Builder is and what it can do
• Process Overview — End-to-end workflow overview
• Step 2: Create a Smart Application — Next step after saving your Main CV
• The AI Experience Builder — Fill your Experience Vault by talking instead of typing