# Editing resume sections

> Fill in your resume in the builder's Edit tab: the section list, section and item menus, the rich-text editor, contact details, your photo and custom sections.

Your resume's content lives in the **Edit** tab of the Edit panel, on the left of the builder. Every change shows in the preview right away and saves automatically.

## The section list

The Edit tab opens on a list of sections in two groups.

| Group | Sections |
| --- | --- |
| **Essentials**, marked **ATS reads these** | Basics, Summary, Experience, Education, Skills |
| **Optional** | Picture, Profiles, Projects, Languages, Interests, Awards, Certifications, Publications, Volunteer, References, Custom Sections |

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) turn the Essentials into your candidate profile, so fill those in first. Each row shows how many items the section has, and a hidden section is crossed out with a **Hidden** marker.

Select a row to open that section. To go back, select **Back to all sections** or press <kbd>Esc</kbd>.

**Add a section** at the end of the list creates a [custom section](#custom-sections).

## Add and edit items

Most sections hold a list of items: jobs in Experience, schools in Education, and so on.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the section">
    Select it in the section list. An empty section shows **No items yet**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Add an item">
    Open **Section options** (the **…** next to the section title) and choose **Add a new item**, or use the add button at the end of the item list, for example **Add a new experience**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Fill in the fields">
    A dialog opens with the fields for that kind of item, for example **Company**, **Position**, **Location**, **Period**, **Website** and **Description** for a job. Select **Create**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

To change an item later, select it or choose **Edit** in its menu, then select **Save Changes**.

<Tip>
  In an Experience item, **Add Role** under **Role Progression** lists several positions at the same company, so you
  can show a promotion without repeating the employer.
</Tip>

### Item menu

Each item has an **Item actions** (**…**) menu:

| Action | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Show** / **Hide** | Hides the item from the resume without deleting it. |
| **Move up** / **Move down** | Changes the item's position in the section. |
| **Edit** | Opens the item's dialog. |
| **Duplicate** | Opens a new item dialog filled in with the item's details. Change what you need and select **Create**. |
| **Move to** | Moves the item to another section of the same kind or another page. See [Moving items between sections](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/moving-items-between-sections). |
| **Delete** | Removes the item at once. The "Item deleted" message has an **Undo** button. |

You can also drag an item by its handle (**Drag to reorder**).

### Section menu

**Section options** (**…** next to the section title) applies to the whole section:

| Action | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Add a new item** | Adds an item. Not shown for Summary, which has one text field. |
| **Show** / **Hide** | Hides the whole section from the resume. |
| **Rename** | Changes the heading printed on the resume. Leave it empty to go back to the original title. |
| **Columns** | Lays the section's items out in 1 to 6 columns. See [Fitting content on a page](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/fitting-content-on-a-page#3-put-short-lists-in-columns). |
| **Reset** | Removes every item from the section (or clears the Summary) after you confirm. |

The button before the section title (**Change** … **icon**) picks the icon printed before the heading. Section icons only print when **Hide Section Icons** is off in **Design** > **Page**.

## Rich-text editor

Summary, descriptions, cover letters and notes use a rich-text editor. Its toolbar has:

| Group | Tools |
| --- | --- |
| Text | **Bold**, **Italic**, **Underline**, **Strike**, **Highlight** (with a color), **Text Color** |
| Style | **Paragraph** or **Heading 1** to **Heading 6** |
| Alignment | **Left Align**, **Center Align**, **Right Align**, **Justify Align** |
| Lists | **Bullet List**, **Ordered List**, **Increase indent**, **Decrease indent** |
| Insert | **Add link**, **Inline Code**, **Code Block**, **Table**, **Separator** |

Select **Fullscreen** for a larger writing area and **Exit Fullscreen** to return.

<Tip>
  Keep descriptions to plain paragraphs and bullet lists. Tables, code blocks and headings print, but applicant
  tracking systems read simple text most reliably.
</Tip>

## Basics

**Basics** holds the header of your resume: **Name**, **Headline**, **Email**, **Phone**, **Location** and **Website**.

For anything else, such as a portfolio link, a visa status or a second phone number, select **Add a custom field**. Each custom field has an icon, a text and an optional link (it must start with `https://`). Drag custom fields to reorder them; removing one shows an **Undo** button.

Links to social profiles such as LinkedIn or GitHub go in the **Profiles** section instead.

## Picture

**Picture** adds a photo to the header, in templates that show one.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **URL** or **Upload picture** | Uses an image from a web address, or uploads one (up to 10 MB). |
| **Size** | The photo's size on the page. |
| **Rotation** | Rotates the photo. |
| **Aspect Ratio** | **Square**, **Landscape** or **Portrait**. |
| **Border Radius** | Square corners, rounded corners or a circle. |
| **Border Width** | A border around the photo. |
| **Shadow Width** | A shadow around the photo. |

Use **Hide picture** to leave the photo off without deleting it, and **Delete picture** to remove it.

<Note>
  In many countries employers prefer resumes without a photo, and some applicant tracking systems ignore images. Leave
  it out unless photos are expected where you apply.
</Note>

## Custom sections

A custom section is an extra section of any built-in kind, with its own title. Use one for a second Experience list ("Board roles"), a cover letter, or anything the built-in sections don't cover.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create it">
    Select **Add a section** at the end of the section list, or open **Custom Sections** and choose **Add a new custom section**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Name it and pick a type">
    In **Create a new custom section**, enter a **Title** and choose a **Section Type**: Summary, Experience, Education, Projects, Profiles, Skills, Languages, Interests, Awards, Certifications, Publications, Volunteer, References or Cover Letter. Select **Create**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Add items">
    Open **Custom Sections** and add items to your new section as you would to a built-in one.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Each custom section has its own menu with **Show** / **Hide**, **Update** (title and type), **Duplicate**, **Columns** and **Delete**. For cover letters, see [Adding a cover letter](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/adding-a-cover-letter).

A new custom section goes at the end of the main column on your last page. To move a section to another page or into the sidebar, drag it in **Design** > **Layout**. See [Designing your resume](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/designing-your-resume#layout).

## Undo

Deleting an item, deleting a page, removing a custom field and locking a resume each show a message with an **Undo** button. Other edits save as you make them, and Hiresweep doesn't keep a version history. Before a big rewrite, [duplicate the resume](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/managing-resumes-from-the-dashboard#duplicate) or [download a JSON backup](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/exporting-your-resume#json).

When the agent suggests edits in the builder, you accept or skip each one. See [Using AI in the builder](https://docs.hiresweep.com/guides/using-ai-in-the-builder).