# Build Resume Workflow

Quick reference guide for building customized resumes and cover letters for job applications.

---

## Directory Structure

All job applications follow this standardized structure:

```
applications/
└── company-name/
    └── position-slug/
        ├── paul-halvorsen-resume.md
        ├── paul-halvorsen-resume.pdf
        ├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.md
        ├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.pdf
        └── job-breakdown.md (analysis & strategy)
```

**Examples:**
- `applications/zapier/backend-engineer/`
- `applications/stripe/backend-engineer/`
- `applications/files/senior-backend-engineer/`

---

## Quick Start (2 minutes)

### Invoke the Skill

```
/build-resume [paste job description or provide details]
```

The `/build-resume` skill will:
1. Check if you've already applied (prevents duplicates)
2. Create the directory structure
3. Analyze the job requirements
4. Generate customized resume and cover letter
5. Create `job-breakdown.md` with strategy notes
6. Build PDFs automatically

---

## Manual Build Process

If creating files manually instead of using `/build-resume`:

### Step 1: Create Directory
```bash
mkdir -p applications/company/position
```

### Step 2: Create Resume Markdown
File: `applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume.md`

Copy the YAML template from `YAML-TEMPLATE.md` and add customized content.

### Step 3: Create Cover Letter Markdown
File: `applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.md`

Use the same YAML template header.

### Step 4: Build PDFs

**Modern template (recommended for tech companies):**
```bash
make resume-modern FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
make resume-modern FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
```

**Classic template (for traditional industries):**
```bash
make resume FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
make resume FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
```

**Awesome-CV template (for startups/bold designs):**
```bash
make resume-awesome FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
make resume-awesome FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
```

---

## Customization Checklist (5 minutes)

Before submitting your resume:

### ✅ Resume Content
- [ ] Summary tailored to role requirements
- [ ] Work experience reordered (most relevant first)
- [ ] Skills section includes role-specific technologies
- [ ] Metrics and achievements highlighted
- [ ] Length: 1 page (or 1-2 if detailed background needed)
- [ ] **CRITICAL: No fabricated numbers** — all facts from `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`

### ✅ YAML Metadata
- [ ] Contact info formatted correctly (quoted strings)
- [ ] Keywords match job requirements
- [ ] Email, phone, GitHub, LinkedIn all present
- [ ] Blog link included (optional but recommended)

### ✅ Cover Letter
- [ ] Addresses company mission/vision
- [ ] Acknowledges any experience gaps honestly
- [ ] Emphasizes transferable skills
- [ ] Tone is professional and authentic
- [ ] Length: 4-5 paragraphs (fits on one page)
- [ ] Specific to the company (not generic)

### ✅ PDF Quality
- [ ] Built with appropriate template for industry
- [ ] Layout clean and readable
- [ ] No broken formatting or overlapping text
- [ ] Opens without errors in PDF viewer

---

## No-Fabrication Rule (CRITICAL ⚠️)

**BLOCKING REQUIREMENT:** All numbers and metrics must come from `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`.

### ✅ Allowed
- Reordering existing information
- Reframing for clarity
- Removing less relevant details
- Using exact metrics from detailed resume

### ❌ Not Allowed
- Inventing metrics ("40+ engineers")
- Making up achievements not documented
- Exaggerating scales or customer counts
- Creating statistics not in detailed resume

### Pre-Write Checklist
For every bullet point with a number:
- [ ] Is this in `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`?
- [ ] If NO: remove it or rephrase without the number
- [ ] If YES: use the exact number/metric

---

## Post-Build Checklist (After Creating Resume)

### ✅ File Organization
- [ ] Files created in correct directory structure
- [ ] PDFs generated successfully
- [ ] Resume and cover letter both present
- [ ] Job breakdown created if using `/build-resume`

### ✅ Application Tracking
- [ ] Application logged in memory (if using `/build-resume`)
- [ ] Company/position combination recorded to prevent duplicates
- [ ] Application link saved for follow-up

### ✅ Before Submitting
- [ ] Verify job posting still active
- [ ] Check application deadline
- [ ] Find company career page
- [ ] Prepare LinkedIn connection message for hiring manager

---

## Template Selection Guide

| Template | Best For | Industry Examples |
|----------|----------|------------------|
| **jb2resume-modern** | Tech companies, startups | Stripe, GitLab, Zapier |
| **jb2resume** | Traditional industries | Banks, gov, established corps |
| **awesome-cv** | Growth-stage startups | Series A-C companies, design-forward |

---

## Useful Commands

### View Help
```bash
make help
```

### Clean Build Artifacts
```bash
make clean                    # Remove LaTeX logs
make cleanpaper              # Remove specific PDF
make cleanall                # Remove everything
```

### Build from Detailed Resume
All customized resumes draw facts from:
```
/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md
```

This is your source of truth for metrics, roles, and achievements.

---

## Finding Job Postings

See: `JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md` (in parent resume directory)

Quick reference:
- **Daily:** WeWorkRemotely, RemoteOK, Built In
- **Weekly:** LinkedIn, Indeed, Cord.co, specialized boards
- **Monthly:** Secondary boards, target company careers pages

---

## Application Follow-Up

After building and submitting:

1. **LinkedIn connection:** Connect with hiring manager, mention your application
2. **Calendar reminder:** Set 1-week follow-up for non-responses
3. **Track responses:** Update job search dashboard with status
4. **Interview prep:** Review job-breakdown.md talking points
5. **Salary expectations:** Reference notes in job-breakdown.md

---

## Common Customizations

### Reordering Work Experience
Move most relevant role to top. Example: For Zapier backend engineer role, list Abnormal AI before Binary Defense because K8s/API experience is more directly relevant.

### Emphasizing Specific Skills
If role requires Kubernetes: mention "10 auto-scaling K8s clusters" in summary and relevant bullet. If role emphasizes API design: lead with REST API experience.

### Addressing Gaps
Use cover letter to honestly address missing technologies:
- "I haven't worked with [tech], but I'm fluent in [similar tech] and have quickly mastered new frameworks."
- Example: Django gap → "Python expert, REST APIs are my core strength, DRF is learnable"

### Metrics Worth Highlighting
From your background:
- 10 K8s clusters (Abnormal AI)
- 90% CPU reduction (Binary Defense)
- 80% network optimization (Binary Defense)
- Thousands of Fortune 500 endpoints (Binary Defense)
- Thousands of records at scale (NSA)
- 15+ years API development (career)

---

## File Locations Reference

- **Skill directory:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/.claude/skills/build-resume/`
- **Resume source:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`
- **Job boards:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md`
- **LinkedIn guide:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/LINKEDIN-OPTIMIZATION.md`
- **Job search dashboard:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/job_search.html`
- **Application tracker:** `/home/paul/.claude/projects/-home-paul-Public-resume/memory/applications_tracker.md`

---

## Quick Links

- **Your GitHub:** https://github.com/malwhile
- **Your Blog:** https://flow.halvo.me
- **Detailed Resume:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`

---

## Last Updated

March 18, 2026