flatten.ovh

Documentation & FAQ

Who is this site for?

flatten.ovh is for anyone who needs to convert their resume into a machine-readable plain text format for job applications.

If you're struggling with:

• Resume formatting breaking when pasted into Workday, Taleo, or government job portals
• Text boxes that scramble your carefully formatted PDF
• ATS (Applicant Tracking System) rejection due to parsing errors
• Copy-pasting issues where your resume looks weird or garbled

If you have:

• A resume in JSON Resume format that needs to be rendered as clean ASCII text
• A Markdown resume that needs converting for job applications
• Any document with smart quotes, em-dashes, or special characters that break in old HR databases

If you're looking for:

• An ATS-friendly plain text resume template for 2025
• ASCII resume formatting that works for tech jobs and government positions
• A way to strip formatting and ensure your resume is 100% machine-readable without scrambling

Why use a plain-text resume?

Most modern Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)—like Workday, Taleo, and iCIMS—don't actually "see" your beautiful PDF. They parse it into raw text. If your resume has columns, tables, or icons, the parser often scrambles the information, turning your "Work History" into an unreadable mess.

flatten.ovh ensures that what you see is exactly what the machine gets.

The "Portal Problem"

When you copy-paste from a PDF or Word doc into a government portal or corporate job board, "hidden" formatting often breaks the layout. We solve this by:

• Flattening Columns: Converting multi-column layouts into a single, logical flow.
• Character Sanitization: Modern fonts use "Smart Quotes" and "Ligatures" that look like garbled symbols (? or ``) in older HR databases. We strip these out.
• ASCII Standardization: We use standard characters that have been readable by computers since the 1970s.

Safe Character Mapping

Our sanitizer automatically converts high-glitch characters into safe alternatives:

Original	ASCII Replacement	Reason
Smart Quotes (" ")	Standard (")	Prevents encoding errors.
Em-Dash (—)	Double Dash (--)	Ensures readability in text boxes.
Bullet Point (•)	Asterisk (*)	Guaranteed to render on all systems.
Ligatures (fl, fi)	f + l, f + i	Prevents words from merging into symbols.

Does this work with JSON Resume?

Yes. If you use the JSON Resume open-source schema, simply paste your code. This tool is designed to render that schema into a perfectly spaced, human-readable .txt file using monospaced logic.

Is my data safe?

Yes. flatten.ovh is a "zero-knowledge" utility.

• No Database: We do not store your resume.
• No Tracking: We don't use cookies or analytics.
• Client-Side: All conversion happens in your browser. Your personal information never leaves your computer.

How do I use the sanitized output?

After clicking "Download .txt" or "Copy Text":

For online portals (Workday, Taleo, government sites):

• Copy the text and paste directly into the portal's text box
• DO NOT paste into Word/Google Docs first (adds formatting back)
• Verify it looks correct in the portal's preview before submitting

For email submissions:

• Attach the downloaded .txt file, or
• Paste the sanitized text into the email body (use plain text mode)

For uploading as a file:

• Some systems accept .txt uploads directly
• Name it clearly: "FirstName_LastName_Resume.txt"

What if the portal STILL scrambles my text?

If your sanitized resume still looks broken in the portal:

1. Try the different header styles (Minimal often works best)
2. Check if you exceeded 32,000 characters (some portals have limits)
3. Test by pasting into Windows Notepad first to verify it's truly plain text
4. Some very old systems may require removing ALL special characters - even asterisks (*) - replace with hyphens (-)

Unfortunately, some portals are just poorly built. If all else fails:

• Contact the employer's HR to report the technical issue
• Ask if they accept email submissions instead
• Try uploading a simple PDF as a backup (but mention the portal issue)

Common mistakes to avoid

❌ DON'T:

• Edit the output in Microsoft Word (it adds hidden formatting back)
• Add bold, italics, or colors after sanitizing
• Use fancy fonts - stick to plain text editors only
• Forget to review the final output before submitting

✅ DO:

• Test your output in Notepad/TextEdit before submitting
• Keep a master version (JSON/Markdown) so you can regenerate anytime
• Check the character count - some portals have 32K limits
• Save a copy of the .txt file for future applications