resume/.claude/skills/build-resume

build-resume Skill

Local project skill for generating tailored resumes and cover letters for job applications.

Files in This Directory

• skill.md — Skill definition, documentation, and guidelines
• BUILD-RESUME-WORKFLOW.md — Step-by-step workflow and checklists
• YAML-TEMPLATE.md — Copy-paste YAML metadata template with examples
• README.md — This file

Quick Start

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

How to Use

Automatic (Recommended)

/build-resume [job description]

The skill will:

1. Check for duplicate applications (prevents re-applying to same role)
2. Create directory structure: company/position/
3. Generate customized resume and cover letter
4. Create job analysis with fit assessment and strategy
5. Build PDFs automatically

Manual

1. Create company/position/ directory
2. Copy YAML template from YAML-TEMPLATE.md
3. Customize resume and cover letter markdown files
4. Build PDFs with make commands

See BUILD-RESUME-WORKFLOW.md for detailed steps and checklists.

Key Files and Locations

/home/paul/Public/resume/
├── paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md    ← Source of truth for all facts
├── JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md              ← Where to find job postings
├── LINKEDIN-OPTIMIZATION.md             ← Profile optimization guide
├── job_search.html                      ← Job dashboard (35+ positions)
├── .gitignore                           ← Includes applications/
├── .claude/
│   └── skills/
│       └── build-resume/                ← This skill
│           ├── skill.md
│           ├── BUILD-RESUME-WORKFLOW.md
│           ├── YAML-TEMPLATE.md
│           └── README.md (you are here)
└── applications/                        ← All job applications (not committed)
    └── [company]/
        └── [position]/
            ├── paul-halvorsen-resume.md
            ├── paul-halvorsen-resume.pdf
            ├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.md
            ├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.pdf
            └── job-breakdown.md

Important Rules

⚠️ No Fabrication

All numbers and metrics must come from paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md

Examples of violations:

• ❌ "$9 trillion in assets" (not in detailed resume)
• ❌ "40+ engineers" (not in detailed resume)
• ✓ "10 auto-scaling K8s clusters" (IS in detailed resume)
• ✓ "90% CPU reduction" (IS in detailed resume)

YAML Formatting

• All contact info must be quoted: "Email: paul.halvorsen@pm.me"
• Keywords are comma-separated
• Use exact contact info (no variations)

Cover Letter

• Be honest about gaps ("I haven't worked with X, but...")
• Address company mission
• Focus on transferable skills
• Professional and authentic tone

Template Selection

Template	Best For
jb2resume-modern	Tech companies, startups
jb2resume	Traditional industries
awesome-cv	Growth-stage startups

Workflow

1. Find job posting (see JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md)
2. Use /build-resume [description]
3. Review job-breakdown.md for fit and strategy
4. Customize resume/cover letter if needed
5. Verify position on company careers page
6. Apply directly on company website
7. Connect with hiring manager on LinkedIn

Making Changes

To update skill documentation:

1. Edit files in this directory: /home/paul/Public/resume/.claude/skills/build-resume/
2. Changes are local to this project
3. Git will track changes to .claude/skills/

Need Help?

• Workflow steps? See BUILD-RESUME-WORKFLOW.md
• YAML format? See YAML-TEMPLATE.md
• Full skill docs? See skill.md
• Detailed background? See /home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md

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Last Updated: March 18, 2026