CV/Resume Builder
Transform career history into compelling professional narrative.
Document Types
| Document |
Length |
Audience |
Use Case |
| Resume |
1-2 pages |
US employers, recruiters |
Job applications |
| CV |
2+ pages |
Academia, research, international |
Academic positions, grants |
| LinkedIn |
N/A |
Network, recruiters |
Passive visibility |
| Bio |
1 paragraph - 1 page |
Speaking, publications |
Introductions |
Resume Framework
Structure (Chronological)
[Header: Name, Contact, Links]
[Summary: 2-3 sentences positioning]
[Experience: Reverse chronological]
[Skills: Relevant technical/domain skills]
[Education: Degrees, certifications]
[Optional: Projects, Publications, Awards]
Structure (Functional/Skills-Based)
[Header]
[Summary]
[Skills Categories]
- Category 1: Accomplishments
- Category 2: Accomplishments
[Work History: Brief, dates/titles only]
[Education]
Structure (Hybrid)
[Header]
[Summary]
[Key Skills/Core Competencies]
[Experience: Chronological with accomplishments]
[Education]
[Additional: Projects, Certs, etc.]
Accomplishment Writing
STAR Method
Situation: [Context/challenge]
Task: [Your responsibility]
Action: [What you did specifically]
Result: [Quantified outcome]
XYZ Formula (Google Style)
Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]
Examples:
- Accomplished 40% reduction in page load time by implementing lazy loading and CDN optimization
- Grew user retention from 23% to 41% by redesigning onboarding flow based on user research
PAR Method
Problem: [What was broken/needed]
Action: [Your intervention]
Result: [Measurable outcome]
Weak → Strong Transformations
| Weak |
Strong |
| Responsible for website maintenance |
Maintained 99.9% uptime for e-commerce platform serving 50K daily users |
| Helped with customer support |
Resolved 150+ customer tickets monthly with 94% satisfaction rating |
| Worked on marketing campaigns |
Led email campaigns generating $2.3M pipeline over 6 months |
| Managed social media |
Grew Instagram following from 5K to 45K in 12 months through content strategy |
Quantification Guide
Metrics to Include
| Category |
Metrics |
| Scale |
Users, transactions, revenue, team size |
| Improvement |
% increase/decrease, before→after |
| Efficiency |
Time saved, cost reduced, speed improved |
| Quality |
Error rate, satisfaction score, accuracy |
| Frequency |
Daily/weekly/monthly volume |
When You Don't Have Numbers
- Estimate reasonably: "approximately," "over," "nearly"
- Use relative scale: "largest," "first," "only"
- Describe scope: "company-wide," "cross-functional," "enterprise"
- Note recognition: "selected for," "promoted to," "awarded"
ATS Optimization
Do's
- Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills)
- Include keywords from job description
- Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times)
- Save as .docx or .pdf (check requirements)
- Use simple formatting (no tables, columns, graphics)
- Spell out acronyms at least once
Don'ts
- Headers/footers (often not parsed)
- Text boxes or images
- Fancy fonts or colors
- Complex tables or columns
- Only acronyms without spelled-out versions
Keyword Strategy
- Extract keywords from 3-5 similar job postings
- Identify frequency (common = important)
- Include exact phrases where authentic
- Place in Skills section and naturally in Experience
- Match their terminology (e.g., "Agile" vs "agile methodology")
Tailoring Strategy
Per-Application Customization
| Element |
Customization Level |
| Summary |
High - rewrite for each role |
| Experience bullets |
Medium - reorder, emphasize relevant |
| Skills |
High - match job requirements |
| Job titles |
Low - keep honest, can clarify |
| Education |
Low - standard unless relevant |
Tailoring Checklist
CV Framework (Academic)
Structure
[Header: Name, Contact, ORCID, institutional affiliation]
[Education: All degrees with dates, advisors, dissertation]
[Academic Appointments: Positions held]
[Publications: By type - books, articles, chapters]
[Presentations: Conferences, invited talks]
[Grants & Fellowships: Funded projects]
[Teaching: Courses taught, evaluations]
[Service: Committees, reviews, mentoring]
[Awards & Honors]
[Professional Memberships]
[References: Available upon request or listed]
Publication Formatting
# Journal Articles
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article.
*Journal Name*, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI
# Book Chapters
Author, A. A. (Year). Chapter title. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), *Book title*
(pp. xx-xx). Publisher.
# Conference Proceedings
Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Paper title. Paper presented at Conference Name,
Location.
Section Templates
Summary/Profile
[Role] with [X years] experience in [domain].
Proven track record of [key accomplishment type].
Seeking [target role] where I can [value proposition].
Examples:
Full-stack developer with 6 years building scalable web applications.
Led migration to microservices architecture serving 2M users.
Seeking senior engineering role focused on platform infrastructure.
Composition instructor and multimedia artist bridging creative practice
with technical implementation. Published researcher in [field] with
experience teaching 500+ students. Seeking role combining pedagogy
with emerging technology.
Experience Entry
**[Title]** | [Company] | [Location] | [Start Date] – [End Date]
- [Accomplishment with metric] by [action taken]
- [Accomplishment with metric] by [action taken]
- [Accomplishment with scope/scale indicator]
Skills Section
**Technical**: [Skill], [Skill], [Skill]
**Tools**: [Tool], [Tool], [Tool]
**Methods**: [Method], [Method], [Method]
**Languages**: [Language] (fluent), [Language] (conversational)
Review Checklist
Content
Format
ATS
Polish
Related Skills
Complementary Skills (Use Together)
Alternative Skills (Similar Purpose)
- None - this is the primary resume/CV skill
Prerequisite Skills (Learn First)
- None required - this is a standalone professional skill
References
references/action-verbs.md - Strong verbs by category
references/industry-keywords.md - Keywords by field
references/formats.md - Visual format examples
Templates
Ready-to-use resume templates in assets/templates/:
chronological-resume.md - Standard format for steady career progression
hybrid-resume.md - Skills summary + chronological experience (recommended for most)
functional-resume.md - Skills-based format for career changers
academic-cv.md - Full academic CV structure with publications, grants, teaching
1---2name: cv-resume-builder3description: Optimize resumes and CVs for impact, ATS compatibility, and audience targeting. Supports multiple formats (chronological, functional, hybrid), accomplishment framing (STAR/XYZ), and tailoring for specific roles. Triggers on resume review, CV update, job application prep, or career document requests.4license: MIT5---67# CV/Resume Builder89Transform career history into compelling professional narrative.1011## Document Types1213| Document | Length | Audience | Use Case |14|----------|--------|----------|----------|15| Resume | 1-2 pages | US employers, recruiters | Job applications |16| CV | 2+ pages | Academia, research, international | Academic positions, grants |17| LinkedIn | N/A | Network, recruiters | Passive visibility |18| Bio | 1 paragraph - 1 page | Speaking, publications | Introductions |1920---2122## Resume Framework2324### Structure (Chronological)2526```27[Header: Name, Contact, Links]28[Summary: 2-3 sentences positioning]29[Experience: Reverse chronological]30[Skills: Relevant technical/domain skills]31[Education: Degrees, certifications]32[Optional: Projects, Publications, Awards]33```3435### Structure (Functional/Skills-Based)3637```38[Header]39[Summary]40[Skills Categories]41 - Category 1: Accomplishments42 - Category 2: Accomplishments43[Work History: Brief, dates/titles only]44[Education]45```4647### Structure (Hybrid)4849```50[Header]51[Summary]52[Key Skills/Core Competencies]53[Experience: Chronological with accomplishments]54[Education]55[Additional: Projects, Certs, etc.]56```5758---5960## Accomplishment Writing6162### STAR Method6364```65Situation: [Context/challenge]66Task: [Your responsibility]67Action: [What you did specifically]68Result: [Quantified outcome]69```7071### XYZ Formula (Google Style)7273```74Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]75```7677**Examples**:78- Accomplished 40% reduction in page load time by implementing lazy loading and CDN optimization79- Grew user retention from 23% to 41% by redesigning onboarding flow based on user research8081### PAR Method8283```84Problem: [What was broken/needed]85Action: [Your intervention]86Result: [Measurable outcome]87```8889### Weak → Strong Transformations9091| Weak | Strong |92|------|--------|93| Responsible for website maintenance | Maintained 99.9% uptime for e-commerce platform serving 50K daily users |94| Helped with customer support | Resolved 150+ customer tickets monthly with 94% satisfaction rating |95| Worked on marketing campaigns | Led email campaigns generating $2.3M pipeline over 6 months |96| Managed social media | Grew Instagram following from 5K to 45K in 12 months through content strategy |9798---99100## Quantification Guide101102### Metrics to Include103104| Category | Metrics |105|----------|---------|106| Scale | Users, transactions, revenue, team size |107| Improvement | % increase/decrease, before→after |108| Efficiency | Time saved, cost reduced, speed improved |109| Quality | Error rate, satisfaction score, accuracy |110| Frequency | Daily/weekly/monthly volume |111112### When You Don't Have Numbers113114- Estimate reasonably: "approximately," "over," "nearly"115- Use relative scale: "largest," "first," "only"116- Describe scope: "company-wide," "cross-functional," "enterprise"117- Note recognition: "selected for," "promoted to," "awarded"118119---120121## ATS Optimization122123### Do's124125- Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills)126- Include keywords from job description127- Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times)128- Save as .docx or .pdf (check requirements)129- Use simple formatting (no tables, columns, graphics)130- Spell out acronyms at least once131132### Don'ts133134- Headers/footers (often not parsed)135- Text boxes or images136- Fancy fonts or colors137- Complex tables or columns138- Only acronyms without spelled-out versions139140### Keyword Strategy1411421. Extract keywords from 3-5 similar job postings1432. Identify frequency (common = important)1443. Include exact phrases where authentic1454. Place in Skills section and naturally in Experience1465. Match their terminology (e.g., "Agile" vs "agile methodology")147148---149150## Tailoring Strategy151152### Per-Application Customization153154| Element | Customization Level |155|---------|---------------------|156| Summary | High - rewrite for each role |157| Experience bullets | Medium - reorder, emphasize relevant |158| Skills | High - match job requirements |159| Job titles | Low - keep honest, can clarify |160| Education | Low - standard unless relevant |161162### Tailoring Checklist163164- [ ] Summary addresses their specific needs165- [ ] Most relevant experience is prominent166- [ ] Keywords from job posting are included167- [ ] Skills section matches requirements168- [ ] Removed irrelevant experience/skills169- [ ] Company/industry language used170171---172173## CV Framework (Academic)174175### Structure176177```178[Header: Name, Contact, ORCID, institutional affiliation]179[Education: All degrees with dates, advisors, dissertation]180[Academic Appointments: Positions held]181[Publications: By type - books, articles, chapters]182[Presentations: Conferences, invited talks]183[Grants & Fellowships: Funded projects]184[Teaching: Courses taught, evaluations]185[Service: Committees, reviews, mentoring]186[Awards & Honors]187[Professional Memberships]188[References: Available upon request or listed]189```190191### Publication Formatting192193```194# Journal Articles195Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. 196*Journal Name*, Volume(Issue), pages. DOI197198# Book Chapters199Author, A. A. (Year). Chapter title. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), *Book title* 200(pp. xx-xx). Publisher.201202# Conference Proceedings203Author, A. A. (Year, Month). Paper title. Paper presented at Conference Name, 204Location.205```206207---208209## Section Templates210211### Summary/Profile212213```214[Role] with [X years] experience in [domain]. 215Proven track record of [key accomplishment type]. 216Seeking [target role] where I can [value proposition].217```218219**Examples**:220```221Full-stack developer with 6 years building scalable web applications. 222Led migration to microservices architecture serving 2M users. 223Seeking senior engineering role focused on platform infrastructure.224```225226```227Composition instructor and multimedia artist bridging creative practice 228with technical implementation. Published researcher in [field] with 229experience teaching 500+ students. Seeking role combining pedagogy 230with emerging technology.231```232233### Experience Entry234235```236**[Title]** | [Company] | [Location] | [Start Date] – [End Date]237238- [Accomplishment with metric] by [action taken]239- [Accomplishment with metric] by [action taken]240- [Accomplishment with scope/scale indicator]241```242243### Skills Section244245```246**Technical**: [Skill], [Skill], [Skill]247**Tools**: [Tool], [Tool], [Tool]248**Methods**: [Method], [Method], [Method]249**Languages**: [Language] (fluent), [Language] (conversational)250```251252---253254## Review Checklist255256### Content257- [ ] Contact info current and professional258- [ ] Summary tailored to target role259- [ ] All bullets are accomplishments, not duties260- [ ] Metrics included where possible261- [ ] No first-person pronouns (I, me, my)262- [ ] Consistent tense (past for past roles, present for current)263264### Format265- [ ] Fits page limit (1 page for <10 years, 2 pages for senior)266- [ ] Consistent formatting throughout267- [ ] Adequate white space268- [ ] Font readable (10-12pt body)269- [ ] Margins reasonable (0.5-1 inch)270271### ATS272- [ ] Keywords from job posting included273- [ ] Standard section headers used274- [ ] No images, tables, or text boxes275- [ ] File format correct (.docx or .pdf)276277### Polish278- [ ] Proofread (no typos, grammar errors)279- [ ] Dates are accurate and consistent280- [ ] No outdated information281- [ ] Someone else has reviewed282283---284285---286287## Related Skills288289### Complementary Skills (Use Together)290- **[portfolio-presentation](../portfolio-presentation/)** - Build a portfolio to showcase alongside your resume291- **[interview-preparation](../interview-preparation/)** - Prepare for interviews after your resume lands opportunities292- **[networking-outreach](../networking-outreach/)** - Professional networking to complement job applications293294### Alternative Skills (Similar Purpose)295- None - this is the primary resume/CV skill296297### Prerequisite Skills (Learn First)298- None required - this is a standalone professional skill299300---301302## References303304- `references/action-verbs.md` - Strong verbs by category305- `references/industry-keywords.md` - Keywords by field306- `references/formats.md` - Visual format examples307308## Templates309310Ready-to-use resume templates in `assets/templates/`:311312- `chronological-resume.md` - Standard format for steady career progression313- `hybrid-resume.md` - Skills summary + chronological experience (recommended for most)314- `functional-resume.md` - Skills-based format for career changers315- `academic-cv.md` - Full academic CV structure with publications, grants, teaching