TL;DResume

AI-powered resume and cover letter customization for job applications.

Stop copying your resume into ChatGPT for every application. TL;DResume gives you a system to manage job applications, generate tailored resumes and cover letters, and export polished PDFs — all powered by AI but grounded in your real experience.

Two Ways to Use TL;DResume

🌐 Hosted Version (Recommended for most users)

app.tldresume.com

No installation required. Works in any Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, etc.).

• Your data stays on your computer (uses browser File System Access API)
• Bring your own AI API key (Anthropic or OpenAI)
• Free to use, no account required

💻 Local Version (For developers)

Self-host the full Next.js application with additional features like Puppeteer-based PDF generation.

See Local Installation below.

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Features

• Fit Assessment: Get honest feedback on how well you match a role before investing time
• Smart Resume Tailoring: AI rewrites your resume for each job, using only facts from your base resume (no hallucinations)
• Cover Letter Generation: Distinctive, personality-forward cover letters that don't sound like everyone else's
• Gap Analysis: Identify weaknesses and provide context the AI can use to strengthen your application
• Resume Review: Periodic brutal-but-helpful review of your base resume with actionable improvements
• PDF Export: Multiple professional styles (Modern, Classic, Monospace)
• Local-First: Your data stays on your machine. No accounts, no cloud, no subscriptions.

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Getting Started (Hosted Version)

1. Go to app.tldresume.com
2. Select a folder on your computer for data storage
3. Get an API key from Anthropic or OpenAI
4. Paste your existing resume (or start from scratch)
5. Start applying to jobs!

Requirements:

• Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, Vivaldi, etc.)
• Firefox and Safari are not supported due to File System Access API limitations

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Local Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ (Download)
• An AI API key from Anthropic or OpenAI

Setup

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/adamprime/TLDR-esume.git
cd TLDR-esume

# Install dependencies
cd resume-app
npm install

# Configure environment
cp .env.local.example .env.local
# Edit .env.local with your API key and data path

# Create your base resume
cp ../resume-template.md ../resume.md
# Edit resume.md with your actual experience

# Start the app
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 and complete the setup wizard.

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Resume Format

Your base resume should be a Markdown file with YAML frontmatter:

---
name: Jane Doe
email: jane@example.com
phone: +1 (555) 123-4567
location: San Francisco, CA
linkedin: linkedin.com/in/janedoe
---

# Jane Doe

## Summary
Operations leader with 10+ years...

## Experience

### VP of Operations | Acme Corp
**San Francisco, CA** | 2020 - Present

- Scaled team from 5 to 30 people
- Reduced operational costs by 40%

Pro tip: Take your existing resume and ask ChatGPT to "convert this to markdown matching this format."

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Workflow

1. Create a new application — paste the job URL and description
2. Run Fit Assessment — get honest feedback on your match
3. Fill in gaps — answer questions about experience not on your resume
4. Generate resume — AI tailors it using your gap answers
5. Add cover letter hooks — personal context for a memorable letter
6. Generate cover letter — distinctive, not generic
7. Export PDFs — choose your style
8. Apply!

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Cost

AI API calls cost money, but it's cheap:

Model	Cost/Application
Claude Sonnet 4.5	~$0.10-0.20
Claude Haiku 4.5	~$0.02-0.05
GPT-5 Mini	~$0.05-0.10
GPT-5 Nano	~$0.01-0.03

Most users spend $0.05-0.20 per application (resume + cover letter).

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Project Structure

TLDR-esume/
├── hosted-app/          # Hosted web app (app.tldresume.com)
├── landing-page/        # Landing page (tldresume.com)
├── resume-app/          # Local Next.js application
├── style/               # PDF export CSS templates
└── resume-template.md   # Template for new users

Your personal data (gitignored):

• resume.md — Your base resume
• versions/ — Generated applications
• export/ — PDF exports
• archive/ — Old resume versions
• preferences.json — Your settings

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Contributing

Found a bug? Have an idea? PRs welcome! Please open an issue first for major changes.

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License

Elastic License 2.0 — Free to use, modify, and self-host. Cannot be offered as a competing hosted service.

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Built by Adam Tervort during a job search. If it helps you land a job, pay it forward by connecting good people with good opportunities.

Links: Website · App · GitHub