Resume Writer
Overview
This skill turns a messy work history into a focused, quantified, ATS-passable resume tailored to a specific target role. It optimizes for two readers at once: the applicant tracking system (keyword match, parseable structure) and the human recruiter who skims for ~7 seconds before deciding.
Keywords: resume, CV, curriculum vitae, ATS, job application, bullet points, professional summary, work experience, achievements, cover, career change, recruiter.
When to use vs. not
Use this to write, rewrite, restructure, or tailor a resume. This skill does not fabricate experience, invent metrics, or guarantee an interview — every claim must trace back to something the user actually did. When the user has no numbers, help them estimate honestly ("supported ~40 customers/week"), never invent precise figures.
Inputs to gather first
Ask only for what's missing; infer the rest:
- Target role + a job description (the single most important input — it drives keywords and emphasis).
- Work history: companies, titles, dates, and what they actually did/achieved.
- Education, certifications, key skills/tools.
- Seniority & career stage (student/new-grad, IC, manager, executive, career-changer).
- Region/format norms (US 1-page no-photo vs. EU CV vs. academic CV — see
references/format-by-region.md).
Workflow
- Pick the format. Reverse-chronological by default. Use functional/hybrid only for career changers or large gaps — and warn that ATS and recruiters distrust purely functional resumes. See
references/format-by-region.md.
- Mine the job description. Extract the role's must-have keywords, tools, and outcomes. These become the vocabulary the resume must mirror (ATS matches on exact terms).
- Write the headline + summary. A 1-line title and a 2–3 line summary stating who they are, their strongest proof, and what they're targeting. No "results-oriented team player" filler.
- Rewrite every bullet with the impact formula.
Action verb + what you did + quantified result/context. Lead with the outcome when it's strong. See references/bullet-formulas.md and the verb bank.
- Quantify relentlessly. Money, %, time, scale, frequency, or rank. If no hard number exists, use scope ("across 3 teams", "for a 12k-user platform").
- Order by relevance, not just recency. Within each role, put the bullets that match the target job first. Trim bullets older/irrelevant roles to 1–2 lines.
- Build the skills section from real, demonstrated skills that also appear in the JD. Group them (Languages / Tools / Domains). Don't list skills you can't defend in an interview.
- Tighten for ATS. Standard section headings, no tables/columns/text-boxes/images for the parsed version, real bullet characters, common fonts,
.docx or text-based PDF. See references/ats-rules.md.
- Cut to length. 1 page for <10 yrs experience, 2 pages otherwise (academic/EU CVs differ). Remove the objective, references-on-request, and anything pre-dating ~15 years unless pivotal.
- Proofread + tailor check. Consistent tense (past for past roles, present for current), parallel structure, zero typos. End with a gap analysis: which JD requirements the resume still doesn't address, and how the user might.
Decision framework
| If the candidate… |
Then… |
| Has a linear career in one field |
Reverse-chronological, lead with experience |
| Is a new grad / student |
Education + projects + internships up top, skills prominent |
| Is changing careers |
Hybrid: summary + transferable-skills block, reframe old bullets toward the new target |
| Has employment gaps |
Use years not months, add a brief context line, lead with strongest content |
| Is senior/executive |
Lead with scope, P&L, team size, strategic outcomes; 2 pages OK |
Worked example
See examples/before-after.md for a vague bullet turned into a quantified, ATS-aligned one, plus a full summary rewrite.
Best Practices
- Tailor per application. One generic resume loses to ten targeted ones. Mirror the JD's language.
- Lead with outcomes, not duties. "Cut onboarding time 40%" beats "responsible for onboarding."
- One idea per bullet, 1–2 lines max. Recruiters skim.
- Strong verbs, no first person. "Led," "shipped," "reduced" — never "I was responsible for."
- Keep a master resume with everything, then cut down per role.
Common Pitfalls
- Inventing or inflating metrics — a single caught lie sinks the candidacy. Estimate honestly instead.
- Duty-listing instead of achievement-showing.
- Fancy templates with columns/graphics that ATS parsers scramble.
- Buzzword soup ("synergistic," "go-getter") with no evidence.
- Same resume for every job — no keyword match, no tailoring.
- Typos and inconsistent tense/formatting — instant credibility loss.
1---2name: resume-writer3description: Writes and rewrites high-impact resumes and CVs that pass ATS screening and win recruiter attention — translating raw work history into quantified, outcome-driven bullet points, choosing the right format, and tailoring to a target role. Use this skill when a user asks to "write my resume", "fix my CV", "make my resume ATS-friendly", "tailor my resume to this job", "turn my experience into bullet points", or wants help with a professional summary, skills section, or resume formatting.4license: MIT5---67# Resume Writer89## Overview10This skill turns a messy work history into a focused, quantified, ATS-passable resume tailored to a specific target role. It optimizes for two readers at once: the **applicant tracking system** (keyword match, parseable structure) and the **human recruiter** who skims for ~7 seconds before deciding.1112**Keywords**: resume, CV, curriculum vitae, ATS, job application, bullet points, professional summary, work experience, achievements, cover, career change, recruiter.1314## When to use vs. not15Use this to write, rewrite, restructure, or tailor a resume. This skill does not fabricate experience, invent metrics, or guarantee an interview — every claim must trace back to something the user actually did. When the user has no numbers, help them *estimate honestly* ("supported ~40 customers/week"), never invent precise figures.1617## Inputs to gather first18Ask only for what's missing; infer the rest:191. **Target role + a job description** (the single most important input — it drives keywords and emphasis).202. **Work history**: companies, titles, dates, and what they actually did/achieved.213. **Education, certifications, key skills/tools.**224. **Seniority & career stage** (student/new-grad, IC, manager, executive, career-changer).235. **Region/format norms** (US 1-page no-photo vs. EU CV vs. academic CV — see `references/format-by-region.md`).2425## Workflow261. **Pick the format.** Reverse-chronological by default. Use functional/hybrid only for career changers or large gaps — and warn that ATS and recruiters distrust purely functional resumes. See `references/format-by-region.md`.272. **Mine the job description.** Extract the role's must-have keywords, tools, and outcomes. These become the vocabulary the resume must mirror (ATS matches on exact terms).283. **Write the headline + summary.** A 1-line title and a 2–3 line summary stating who they are, their strongest proof, and what they're targeting. No "results-oriented team player" filler.294. **Rewrite every bullet with the impact formula.** `Action verb + what you did + quantified result/context`. Lead with the outcome when it's strong. See `references/bullet-formulas.md` and the verb bank.305. **Quantify relentlessly.** Money, %, time, scale, frequency, or rank. If no hard number exists, use scope ("across 3 teams", "for a 12k-user platform").316. **Order by relevance, not just recency.** Within each role, put the bullets that match the target job first. Trim bullets older/irrelevant roles to 1–2 lines.327. **Build the skills section** from real, demonstrated skills that also appear in the JD. Group them (Languages / Tools / Domains). Don't list skills you can't defend in an interview.338. **Tighten for ATS.** Standard section headings, no tables/columns/text-boxes/images for the parsed version, real bullet characters, common fonts, `.docx` or text-based PDF. See `references/ats-rules.md`.349. **Cut to length.** 1 page for <10 yrs experience, 2 pages otherwise (academic/EU CVs differ). Remove the objective, references-on-request, and anything pre-dating ~15 years unless pivotal.3510. **Proofread + tailor check.** Consistent tense (past for past roles, present for current), parallel structure, zero typos. End with a gap analysis: which JD requirements the resume still doesn't address, and how the user might.3637## Decision framework38| If the candidate… | Then… |39| --- | --- |40| Has a linear career in one field | Reverse-chronological, lead with experience |41| Is a new grad / student | Education + projects + internships up top, skills prominent |42| Is changing careers | Hybrid: summary + transferable-skills block, reframe old bullets toward the new target |43| Has employment gaps | Use years not months, add a brief context line, lead with strongest content |44| Is senior/executive | Lead with scope, P&L, team size, strategic outcomes; 2 pages OK |4546## Worked example47See `examples/before-after.md` for a vague bullet turned into a quantified, ATS-aligned one, plus a full summary rewrite.4849## Best Practices50- **Tailor per application.** One generic resume loses to ten targeted ones. Mirror the JD's language.51- **Lead with outcomes, not duties.** "Cut onboarding time 40%" beats "responsible for onboarding."52- **One idea per bullet, 1–2 lines max.** Recruiters skim.53- **Strong verbs, no first person.** "Led," "shipped," "reduced" — never "I was responsible for."54- **Keep a master resume** with everything, then cut down per role.5556## Common Pitfalls57- **Inventing or inflating metrics** — a single caught lie sinks the candidacy. Estimate honestly instead.58- **Duty-listing instead of achievement-showing.**59- **Fancy templates with columns/graphics** that ATS parsers scramble.60- **Buzzword soup** ("synergistic," "go-getter") with no evidence.61- **Same resume for every job** — no keyword match, no tailoring.62- **Typos and inconsistent tense/formatting** — instant credibility loss.
JayRHa