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Create an Online CV Page You Can Share (No Coding)

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How to Turn Your CV Into a Simple Website

Picture this: you’re sending an email to a potential employer or networking contact. Instead of attaching a PDF resume that they may or may not open, you include a link to your online CV. They click it and immediately see your experience, skills, and work history in a clean, professional format.

That’s the power of an online CV. It’s more memorable, easier to share, and honestly, it makes you look more current and tech-aware. And no, you don’t need to be a developer to create one.

Let me show you how to turn your existing resume into a simple website you can share as a link.

Why an Online CV Makes Sense

Before we get into the how, let’s talk about why this is worth doing:

Easier to share - “Check out my CV at yourname.com” is cleaner than “I’ve attached my resume.” One link works everywhere: emails, LinkedIn, networking messages, business cards.

Always up-to-date - Change jobs or add a certification? Update your online CV once and every link you’ve ever shared now points to the current version. No more “Here’s my updated resume” follow-up emails.

More memorable - People remember “michaelchen.com” more easily than “Michael_Chen_Resume_2024_v3_final.pdf”

Shows initiative - Having an online presence demonstrates you’re proactive and comfortable with modern tools.

Better for ATS - Many applicant tracking systems can scan web pages. A simple, clean online CV can be easier for these systems to read than some PDF formats.

Works on any device - Your PDF might look weird on phones. A web page adjusts automatically.

You control it - Unlike your LinkedIn profile which follows their format, your online CV can highlight exactly what you want.

What to Include (Keep It Straightforward)

Your online CV should have the same core information as your traditional resume, just formatted for web. Here’s what you need:

Your Name and Contact Info

At the very top:

Make your email a “mailto:” link so people can click to send you a message immediately.

Professional Summary

A brief paragraph (3-4 sentences) summarizing:

Example: “Marketing manager with 8 years of experience growing B2B brands through content strategy and digital campaigns. Proven track record increasing web traffic and lead generation for SaaS companies. Specialized in SEO, content marketing, and marketing automation.”

Keep it concise. This is your elevator pitch, not your life story.

Work Experience

List your jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent first). For each position include:

Use the same bullet points you’d use on your regular resume. Focus on accomplishments with numbers when possible: “Increased sales by 35%” beats “Responsible for sales.”

Education

List your degrees and certifications:

You don’t need to include your GPA unless you’re a recent graduate and it’s impressive (3.5+).

Skills

A simple list or categories of relevant skills:

Keep this section scannable. Bullet points or simple columns work well.

Optional Sections

Depending on your field, you might add:

Only include sections that strengthen your profile. Empty sections or irrelevant information just add clutter.

Building Your Online CV

Here’s the step-by-step process to go from Word document to website:

Step 1: Choose Your Platform

You need a website builder that makes single-page sites easy:

Read.cv - Specifically designed for online CVs. Clean, minimal interface. Free option available.

Carrd - Great for simple one-page sites. Very affordable ($19/year for paid plan, free option available).

Wix or Squarespace - More robust builders with resume templates. Monthly cost, but very flexible.

Notion - If you already use Notion, you can create a public page as your CV. Free and functional, though less polished.

Standard Resume - Designed specifically for developer and tech resumes. Clean templates.

For most people, I’d recommend Read.cv or Carrd. They’re designed for exactly this purpose and are affordable (or free).

Step 2: Open Your Existing Resume

Have your current resume open next to you as you build. You’re going to copy and paste most of the content, so having it accessible makes this much faster.

If your resume needs updating, do that first. Get it current before you start converting it to web format.

Step 3: Pick a Simple Template

Choose a clean, professional template. Avoid anything too flashy or busy. For a CV, simple and readable beats creative and complicated.

Look for templates labeled:

The simpler the template, the easier it’ll be to customize and the more professional it’ll look.

Step 4: Copy Your Content Over

Work section by section:

Start with your name and contact info at the top. Make sure your email is clickable (most builders do this automatically if you enter an email address).

Add your professional summary next.

Then work experience, copying each job and its bullet points. Keep the same structure as your resume—you’re translating it to web format, not rewriting it.

Add education, skills, and any optional sections.

This is mostly copy-paste work. Don’t overthink it. If the content was good enough for your resume, it’s good enough for your online CV.

Step 5: Format for Readability

Once your content is in, make sure it’s easy to read:

Use clear headers - Make section names (Experience, Education, Skills) obvious

Keep consistent spacing - Don’t cram everything together. White space helps readability.

Use readable fonts - The template’s default font is usually fine. Avoid script or decorative fonts for body text.

Make dates and company names distinct - These should be easy to scan.

Keep bullet points short - If a point runs more than two lines, shorten it.

Step 6: Choose Your Design Details

Customize the look slightly:

Colors - Pick one accent color for headers or highlights. Keep it professional—navy, dark gray, forest green, burgundy work better than hot pink or lime green for most industries.

Photo - A professional headshot is optional but can help. Make sure it’s current and appropriate for your field.

Layout - Most templates have a layout. If you can choose, single column is usually more readable than multi-column for CVs.

Don’t go crazy with design. This is a professional document, not a creative portfolio (unless you’re in design, then you have more flexibility).

Step 7: Set Up Your Domain

The most professional option is getting your own domain:

Domains cost about $10-15 per year. If your exact name is taken, try variations like adding your middle initial or profession.

The free option is using the platform’s subdomain like “yourname.read.cv” which is also perfectly fine, especially if you’re just starting out.

Step 8: Test Everything

Before sharing your CV:

A single typo on your online CV looks worse than on a PDF you can recall. Get it right before publishing.

Making It Stand Out

Within the constraints of a professional CV, you can still differentiate yourself:

Quantify achievements - Numbers stand out. “Increased revenue by 40%” is more impressive than “Grew revenue.”

Use action verbs - Started, led, created, improved, launched, designed, developed.

Be specific - “Managed social media” is vague. “Managed LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, growing LinkedIn following from 500 to 5,000 in 8 months” is specific and impressive.

Customize for your audience - The beauty of an online CV is you can update it for different opportunities. Applying for a technical role? Emphasize technical skills. Marketing role? Highlight campaigns and results.

Sharing Your Online CV

Once your CV is live, use that URL everywhere:

Email signature - Add your name linked to your CV

LinkedIn profile - Put the link in your contact info or About section

Job applications - Include the link in your cover letter or application form

Networking messages - “You can see my background at michaelchen.com”

Business cards - Your CV URL can go right on your card

Email outreach - Networking and cold outreach are easier with a link than an attachment

The more places you use it, the more valuable it becomes.

The PDF vs. Web Decision

You might wonder: should I replace my PDF resume entirely? Not necessarily.

Use your online CV for:

Use a PDF resume for:

Think of them as complementary. Your online CV is your default share, your PDF is for specific situations that require that format.

Keeping It Current

The advantage of an online CV is how easy it is to update:

New job? Add it to your experience section.

Finished a certification? Add it to education.

Significant achievement? Update your bullet points.

Log in, make your changes, save. Everyone who has your link now sees the updated version. No need to resend anything to anyone.

Plan to review your CV every few months, or anytime something significant changes in your career.

Privacy Considerations

Some people worry about having their resume publicly online. A few thoughts:

Contact info - Use an email you don’t mind being public. Your phone number is optional.

Current employer - It’s standard to list your current job. If you’re searching discreetly, you can be vague about some specifics.

Home address - Don’t include this. City or region is sufficient.

Social media - Only link profiles you’re comfortable with employers seeing.

Your online CV should have the same information you’d put on a PDF resume—nothing more sensitive than that.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Too much information - Your CV should be concise. If your PDF resume is one page, your online CV should have roughly the same amount of content.

Outdated information - If you create this and then forget about it, it becomes a liability. Update it when things change.

Too casual - This is a professional document. Save the personality for your blog or personal site.

Broken links - Test every link regularly. A link to your LinkedIn that goes nowhere looks sloppy.

Not mobile-friendly - Most people will view it on their phones. Make sure it works well on small screens.

Typos - Proofread multiple times. Have someone else review it.

Cost Reality Check

Creating an online CV can be completely free:

Free option:

Professional option:

For job seekers, this is one of the best investments you can make. It’s cheaper than printing fancy resume paper and more useful.

Your Modern Resume

An online CV isn’t just a trendy alternative to a PDF—it’s genuinely more functional for how people communicate now. Sharing a link is easier than attaching files. Updating one page beats maintaining multiple versions of documents.

You’re already putting effort into your resume. Taking that same content and putting it on a simple web page takes maybe an hour but makes you more shareable, more memorable, and easier to find.

You don’t need design skills or technical knowledge. You need your existing resume content and an hour to copy it into a template. That’s it.

Your next job opportunity might come from someone clicking a link in your email signature. Make sure that link shows them a current, professional, easy-to-read version of your experience.

Create your online CV today. Copy your resume content, choose a simple template, get a clean URL, and start sharing that link. Your career presence just became a lot more portable.

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