HackMyResume/FAQ.md

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
================================

## How do I get started with HackMyResume?

1. Install with NPM: `[sudo] npm install hackmyresume -g`.

2. Create a new resume with: `hackmyresume NEW <resume-name>.json`.

3. Test with `hackmyresume BUILD <resume-name>.json`. Look in the `out/` folder.

4. Play around with different themes with the `-t` or `--theme` parameter.
You can use any [FRESH](https://github.com/fluentdesk/fresh-themes) or
[JSON Resume](https://jsonresume.org/themes) theme. The latter have to be
installed first.

## What is FRESH?

FRESH is the **F**luent **R**esume and **E**mployment **S**ystem for **H**umans.
It's an open-source, user-first workflow, schema, and set of practices for
technical candidates and recruiters.

## What is FRESCA?

The **F**RESH **R**esume and **E**mployment **SC**hem**A**&mdash;an open-source,
JSON-driven schema for resumes, CVs, and other employment artifacts. FRESCA is
the recommended schema/format for FRESH, with optional support for JSON Resume.

## What is JSON Resume?

An [open resume standard](http://jsonresume.org/themes/) sponsored by Hired.com.
Like FRESCA, JSON Resume is JSON-driven and open-source. Unlike FRESCA, JSON
Resume targets a worldwide audience where FRESCA is optimized for technical
candidates.

## Should I use the FRESH or JSON Resume format/schema for my resume?

Both! The workflow we like to use:

1. Create a resume in FRESH format for tooling and analysis.
2. Convert it to JSON Resume format for additional themes/tools.
3. Maintain both versions.

Both formats are open-source and both formats are JSON-driven. FRESH was
designed as a universal container format and superset of existing formats, where
the JSON Resume format is intended for a generic audience.

## How do I use a FRESH theme?

Several FRESH themes come preinstalled with HackMyResume; others can be
installed from NPM and GitHub.

### To use a preinstalled FRESH theme:

1. Pass the theme name into HackMyResume via the `--theme` or `-t` parameter:

    ```bash
    hackmyresume build resume.json --theme compact
    ```

### To use an external FRESH theme:

1. Install the theme locally. The easiest way to do that is with NPM.

    ```bash
    npm install fresh-theme-underscore
    ```

2. Pass the theme folder into HackMyResume:

    ```bash
    hackmyresume BUILD resume.json --theme node_modules/fresh-theme-underscore
    ```

3. Check your output folder. It's best to view HTML formats over a local web
server connection.

## How do I use a JSON Resume theme?

JSON Resume (JRS) themes can be installed from NPM and GitHub and passed into
HackMyResume via the `--theme` or `-t` parameter.

1. Install the theme locally. The easiest way to do that is with NPM.

    ```bash
    npm install jsonresume-theme-classy
    ```

2. Pass the theme folder path into HackMyResume:

    ```bash
    hackmyresume BUILD resume.json --theme node_modules/jsonresume-theme-classy
    ```

3. Check your output folder. It's best to view HTML formats over a local web
server connection.

## Should I keep my resume in version control?

Absolutely! As text-based, JSON-driven documents, both FRESH and JSON Resume are
ideal candidates for version control. Future versions of HackMyResume will have
this functionality built in.

## Can I change the default section titles ("Employment", "Skills", etc.)?

If you're using a FRESH theme, yes. First, create a HackMyResume options file
mapping resume sections to your preferred section title:

```javascript
// myoptions.json
{
  "sectionTitles": {
    "employment": "empleo",
    "skills": "habilidades",
    "education": "educación"
  }
}
```

Then, pass the options file into the `-o` or `--opts` parameter:

```bash
hackmyresume BUILD resume.json -o myoptions.json
```

This ability is currently only supported for FRESH resume themes.

## How does resume merging work?

Resume merging is a way of storing your resume in separate files that
HackMyResume will merge into a single "master" resume file prior to generating
specific output formats like HTML or PDF. It's a way of producing flexible,
configurable, targeted resumes with minimal duplication.

For example, a software developer who moonlights as a game programmer might
create three FRESH or JRS resumes at different levels of specificity:

- **generic.json**: A generic technical resume, suitable for all audiences.
- **game-developer.json**: Overrides and amendments for game developer
positions.
- **blizzard.json**: Overrides and amendments specific to a hypothetical
position at Blizzard.

If you run `hackmyresume BUILD generic.json TO out/resume.all`, HMR will
generate all available output formats for the `generic.json` as usual. But if
you instead run...

```bash
hackmyresume BUILD generic.json game-developer.json TO out/resume.all
```

...HackMyResume will notice that multiple source resumes were specified and
merge `game-developer.json` onto `generic.json` before generating, yielding a
resume that's more suitable for game-developer-related positions.

You can take this a step further. Let's say you want to do a targeted resume
submission to a game developer position at Blizzard, and `blizzard.json`
contains the edits and revisions you'd like to show up in the targeted resume.
In that case, merge again! Feed all three resumes to HackMyResume, in order
from most generic to most specific, and HMR will merge them all prior to
generating the final output format(s) for your resume.

```bash
# Merge blizzard.json onto game-developer.json onto generic.json, then build
hackmyresume BUILD generic.json game-developer.json blizzard.json TO out/resume.all
```

There's no limit to the number of resumes you can merge this way.

You can also divide your resume into files containing different sections:

- **resume-a.json**: Contains `info`, `employment`, and `summary` sections.
- **resume-b.json**: Contains all other sections except `references`.
- **references.json**: Contains the private `references` section.

Under that scenario, `hackmyresume BUILD resume-a.json resume-b.json` would


## The HackMyResume terminal color scheme is giving me a headache. Can I disable it?

Yes. Use the `--no-color` option to disable terminal colors:

`hackmyresume <somecommand> <someoptions> --no-color`

## What's the difference between a FRESH theme and a JSON Resume theme?

FRESH themes are multiformat (HTML, Word, PDF, etc.) and required to support
Markdown formatting, configurable section titles, and various other features.

JSON Resume themes are typically HTML-driven, but capable of expansion to other
formats through tools. JSON Resume themes don't support Markdown natively, but
HMR does its best to apply your Markdown, when present, to any JSON Resume
themes it encounters.

## Do I have to have a FRESH resume to use a FRESH theme or a JSON Resume to use a JSON Resume theme?

No. You can mix and match FRESH and JRS-format themes freely. HackMyResume will
perform the necessary conversions on the fly.

## Can I build my own custom FRESH theme?

Yes. The easiest way is to copy an existing FRESH theme, like `modern` or
`compact`, and make your changes there. You can test your theme with:

```bash
hackmyresume build resume.json --theme path/to/my/theme/folder
```

## Can I build my own custom JSON Resume theme?

Yes. The easiest way is to copy an existing JSON Rsume theme and make your
changes there. You can test your theme with:

```bash
hackmyresume build resume.json --theme path/to/my/theme/folder
```

## Can I build my own tools / services / apps / websites around FRESH / FRESCA?

Yes! FRESH/FRESCA formats are 100% open source, permissively licensed under MIT,
and 100% free from company-specific, tool-specific, or commercially oriented
lock-in or cruft. These are clean formats designed for users and builders.

## Can I build my own tools / services / apps / websites around JSON Resume?

Yes! HackMyResume is not affiliated with JSON Resume, but like FRESH/FRESCA,
JSON Resume is open-source, permissively licensed, and free of proprietary
lock-in. See the JSON Resume website for details.