Question 1

Can I really use CareerBoost AI for free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The free plan includes the full multi-step resume builder, all six templates, unlimited manual editing, PDF export, and a monthly allowance of AI requests and ATS checks. You do not need a card to start. The Pro plan raises the AI allowance and unlocks the two premium templates; billing is not connected in this build, so the upgrade button explains exactly what is and is not available rather than taking a payment.

Question 2

Is the ATS score the same score a real applicant tracking system gives me?

Accepted Answer

No, and any tool that claims otherwise is guessing. Real ATS products such as Workday, Greenhouse and Taleo use private parsing models that we cannot see. Our score is a transparent heuristic built from the rules that public ATS parsers and recruiter guidance agree on: contact details, standard section headings, keyword coverage against the job description, achievement writing, layout simplicity, date consistency and length. Every point is itemised in your report so you can see exactly where the score comes from.

Question 3

How exactly is the compatibility score calculated?

Accepted Answer

Six weighted categories add up to 100 points: contact and identity (12), section structure (20), keyword alignment against the job description (30), impact writing such as action verbs and quantified results (18), formatting and parseability (12), and length plus readability (8). Keyword alignment is weighted highest because recruiter-side search is usually keyword-driven. If you do not supply a job description, that category is estimated from recognised skill density and the report says so explicitly.

Question 4

Will the AI invent experience I do not have?

Accepted Answer

It is instructed not to, and the prompts enforce it. Every AI call includes an explicit rule set: use only the facts supplied, never add employers, dates, degrees, credentials, tools or numeric results, and write shorter output when the input is thin. Cover letters and bullets stay editable so you can correct anything that drifts. You should always read AI output before you send it.

Question 5

What happens if the AI key is not configured?

Accepted Answer

The app keeps working and tells you the truth. The resume builder, templates, live preview, PDF export and the full deterministic ATS analysis run without any AI at all. AI panels display a clear "AI is offline" state with the reason. The cover letter tool produces a clearly labelled reference draft assembled from your own inputs, not a simulated AI response.

Question 6

Who can see my resume?

Accepted Answer

Only you. Documents are stored against your user ID, and row-level security in the database means another signed-in user cannot read them even if they guess an ID. Uploaded files for the ATS checker are parsed in memory and never written to disk or sent to a third party; only the extracted text is sent back to your own browser. You can delete a document or your whole account from the dashboard at any time.

Question 7

Can I delete my account and data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Dashboard → Account settings → Delete account. It removes your profile, documents and usage history immediately and permanently. There is no archive and no recovery window, which is why we ask you to type DELETE to confirm.

Question 8

What is the difference between the US resume and UK CV format?

Accepted Answer

The US format uses Letter page size, leads with a summary and experience, carries no photo, date of birth or marital status, and keeps to one or two pages. The UK format uses A4, opens with a personal statement, labels the section "Education & Qualifications", typically adds a line noting references are available on request, and is conventionally two pages with no photo. Both formats are one click apart in the builder.

Question 9

Which file types can I upload to the ATS checker?

Accepted Answer

PDF (text-based, not scanned images), DOCX and plain TXT up to 4 MB. Legacy .doc files are rejected with an explanation because the modern parser cannot read the old binary format reliably. If a PDF was produced by scanning, almost no text will come out and we will tell you that rather than scoring an empty document.

Question 10

What do I get when I export?

Accepted Answer

A real, text-based PDF generated on our server at the correct page size for your region (Letter for the US, A4 for the UK). Text stays selectable and copyable, which is what makes it readable by ATS parsers. We deliberately do not export images or flattened canvases.

Question 11

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

With Supabase (Postgres, EU or US region of your choosing) when the deployment is configured for it, protected by row-level security. If Supabase is not configured, the app runs a local demo backend that stores data in a file on the server so you can try the whole product without signing up for anything. Which backend is active is shown on your dashboard.

Question 12

Can I actually pay for Pro?

Accepted Answer

Not in this build. There is no payment processor connected, so we show the Pro plan, its limits and its template access, but the upgrade action explains that billing is not live instead of pretending a checkout works. The README documents where a Stripe or Paddle integration would be wired in.

Straight answers, including the uncomfortable ones

Product

ATS & scoring

AI

Privacy

Pricing

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