Which CV Templates Work Well with pdfLaTeX?

If you want a CV template that compiles with pdfLaTeX, ModernCV is a sensible first choice. It gives you a structured layout for contact details, education, and work experience without requiring a different TeX engine.

The right template also depends on your priorities. A designed template can make a document look polished, while a plain layout may be easier to customize and more reliable for text extraction by application systems. The example here gives you a working ModernCV starting point and explains what to check before sending the PDF.

A minimal ModernCV example

Save this as cv.tex and compile it with pdflatex cv.tex. It uses the ModernCV class, the classic style, and a blue accent color.

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,sans]{moderncv}

\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[scale=0.85]{geometry}

\moderncvstyle{classic}
\moderncvcolor{blue}

\name{Jordan}{Taylor}
\title{Curriculum Vitae}
\address{12 Example Street}{Example City}{Country}
\email{jordan.taylor@example.com}
\phone[mobile]{+1~555~0100}

\begin{document}
\makecvtitle

\section{Education}
\cventry{2020--2024}{B.Sc. in Biology}{Example University}{Example City}{}{Thesis: Plant responses to drought.}

\section{Experience}
\cventry{2023--2024}{Research Assistant}{Example Laboratory}{Example City}{}{Collected and analyzed experimental data.}

\end{document}

The \moderncvstyle and \moderncvcolor commands select the layout and accent color. The \name, \address, \email, and \phone commands supply the details printed by \makecvtitle. Each \cventry takes six arguments: dates, role or qualification, organization, location, an optional extra field, and a description. Leave an argument empty with {} when you do not need it.

The geometry scale is a starting point, not a rule. Adjust it if your content is crowded, and review the resulting page breaks rather than shrinking the type until everything fits.

Why choose ModernCV?

ModernCV is built specifically for CVs, so its commands handle repeated entries and section structure more consistently than manually spacing everything in a general-purpose document. Its styles offer different visual treatments; try them with your actual content before settling on one.

For a very simple, conventional CV, the standard article class is another good option. It avoids a specialized class and can be easier to adapt, but you will need to set up headings and entry layout yourself. Other popular templates may rely on particular fonts or engine-specific features, so check their documentation and compile instructions before choosing one for pdfLaTeX.

Encoding and font considerations

For pdfLaTeX, fontenc with the T1 encoding is a standard choice for better output of many accented Latin characters and hyphenation. inputenc with UTF-8 lets you type common accented characters directly into the source. These settings do not make pdfLaTeX handle every Unicode character: symbols or scripts outside its usual font coverage may need different fonts or a Unicode-aware engine such as LuaLaTeX or XeLaTeX.

If your CV contains names or words with accents, inspect the compiled PDF to make sure they appear correctly. Also check that text can be selected and copied in a sensible reading order. A PDF that looks right on screen can still have awkward text extraction if its layout uses columns, icons, or decorative elements heavily.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a template before checking its engine requirements. A template may look suitable but use commands or fonts that require LuaLaTeX or XeLaTeX. Follow its documented build instructions.
• Assuming every UTF-8 character will work. The input encoding handles text input; it does not supply missing glyphs. Test unusual symbols and scripts early.
• Overloading the design. Multiple columns, icons, and decorative elements can make important information harder to scan and may affect text extraction. Keep section labels and dates clear.
• Leaving example content or empty fields in place. Replace all sample details, remove unused contact commands, and check the final PDF for accidental blank space or overflow.
• Ignoring the audience. Academic CVs can be long and include publications or teaching; many industry résumés are shorter. Follow the expectations of the role and country rather than forcing every document into the same length or style.

ModernCV is a practical default if you want a ready-made CV class that works with pdfLaTeX. If the design feels too elaborate, the article class gives you a plainer base; whichever you choose, compile the final version with the intended engine and proofread the PDF itself.