Creating a website used to feel like something only professional developers could do. I’m not a full-time programmer — I work as an HSE/Safety Officer — yet I built a fully functional, responsive, and user-friendly Free Resume Builder website using AI (ChatGPT and Gemini 2.5). If I can do it, you can too. This post explains my process, the concrete steps I followed, and the lessons I learned along the way.
Why I Decided to Build a Resume Builder
Job seekers often struggle to make professional resumes. Many tools are paid, complicated, or require signups. I wanted a simple solution that met these goals:
Free to use
No login required
Fast and mobile-friendly
Generates downloadable PDF resumes
My aim was to remove friction so anyone could create a clean, ATS-friendly resume in minutes.
The Big Idea: Use AI as Your Developer, Teacher, and Troubleshooter
I didn’t start with deep technical knowledge or a complete plan. Instead I used AI iteratively:
Ask a clear question.
Copy the AI’s code into my editor.
Test in the browser.
Ask follow-up questions to fix or improve things.
AI acted like a personal developer, UI designer, and debugging partner — all in plain English
Step-by-Step: How I Built the Site
1. Create the Basic HTML Structure
I asked ChatGPT for a clean HTML layout with sections for:
Name & contact
Professional summary/objective
Experience (dynamic entries)
Education
Skills
Photo upload
The output was a semantic, responsive HTML scaffold I could immediately use.
Add JavaScript Features
Using plain language prompts I got JavaScript for:
Live resume preview (updates as you type)
Dynamic “add/remove experience” sections
Auto-generate resume objective (based on job title)
Photo upload and simple cropping/masking
PDF download (client-side generation)
Multiple templates and dark mode
AI produced the code blocks; I tested and refined them in the browser.
4. Fix Errors and Conflicts
Whenever something broke (CSS conflicts, JS errors, or WordPress embedding issues), I pasted the problematic code and described the issue. ChatGPT gave step-by-step fixes and explained why the problem occurred.
5. Make It Responsive and Mobile-Friendly
I asked for media queries and layout adjustments. The AI suggested breakpoints and simplified CSS rules that translated the desktop design into a smooth mobile experience.
6. SEO & Content
AI helped write SEO friendly:
Titles and meta descriptions
On-page headings and microcopy
A promotional blog post (like this one)
These changes help my site rank better when people search “free resume builder”.
Features I Ended Up With
Live editing + real-time preview
Multiple resume templates (clean, modern, professional)
Dynamic sections (experience, education, skills)
Auto-generate objective and responsibility bullets
Photo upload and basic masking to apply profile images to templates
Client-side PDF export (no server required)
Dark mode and responsive layout
Easy embed into WordPress via a Custom HTML block
Key Lessons & Tips for Beginners
Start simple. Build a minimal working version, then iterate.
Give clear prompts. Tell the AI exactly what you want: UI, behavior, or output.
Test often. Small changes are easier to debug than large rewrites.
Use client-side tools first. If you can avoid a backend, deployment and hosting are simpler.
Learn by doing. You’ll pick up HTML/CSS/JS faster when you solve real problems.
Ask for explanations. When AI gives code, ask it to explain — that’s how you learn.
Why This Matters
AI has lowered the barrier to building real tools. You don’t need years of training to ship a useful product. With the right prompts and a bit of curiosity, students, freelancers, and professionals from any field can create web tools and launch projects that provide real value — even generate passive income.
Final Thoughts
Building my Free Resume Builder was empowering. The process taught me practical coding basics, design choices, and how to debug issues — all while producing a working product that helps job seekers. If you’ve ever been intimidated by web development, start small and let AI guide you. Describe what you want, try the code, and iterate. AI will do the heavy lifting — you direct the vision.
If I could build this — as an HSE Officer with no formal coding background — you absolutely can too. Start today and let AI be your co-developer.