270 lines
7.8 KiB
Markdown
270 lines
7.8 KiB
Markdown
# Build Resume Workflow
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Quick reference guide for building customized resumes and cover letters for job applications.
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---
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## Directory Structure
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All job applications follow this standardized structure:
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```
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applications/
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└── company-name/
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└── position-slug/
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├── paul-halvorsen-resume.md
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├── paul-halvorsen-resume.pdf
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├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.md
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├── paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.pdf
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└── job-breakdown.md (analysis & strategy)
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```
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**Examples:**
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- `applications/zapier/backend-engineer/`
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- `applications/stripe/backend-engineer/`
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- `applications/files/senior-backend-engineer/`
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---
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## Quick Start (2 minutes)
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### Invoke the Skill
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```
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/build-resume [paste job description or provide details]
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```
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The `/build-resume` skill will:
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1. Check if you've already applied (prevents duplicates)
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2. Create the directory structure
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3. Analyze the job requirements
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4. Generate customized resume and cover letter
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5. Create `job-breakdown.md` with strategy notes
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6. Build PDFs automatically
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---
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## Manual Build Process
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If creating files manually instead of using `/build-resume`:
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### Step 1: Create Directory
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```bash
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mkdir -p applications/company/position
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```
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### Step 2: Create Resume Markdown
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File: `applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume.md`
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Copy the YAML template from `YAML-TEMPLATE.md` and add customized content.
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### Step 3: Create Cover Letter Markdown
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File: `applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter.md`
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Use the same YAML template header.
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### Step 4: Build PDFs
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**Modern template (recommended for tech companies):**
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```bash
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make resume-modern FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
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make resume-modern FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
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```
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**Classic template (for traditional industries):**
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```bash
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make resume FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
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make resume FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
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```
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**Awesome-CV template (for startups/bold designs):**
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```bash
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make resume-awesome FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-resume
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make resume-awesome FILE_NAME=applications/company/position/paul-halvorsen-cover-letter
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```
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---
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## Customization Checklist (5 minutes)
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Before submitting your resume:
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### ✅ Resume Content
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- [ ] Summary tailored to role requirements
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- [ ] Work experience reordered (most relevant first)
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- [ ] Skills section includes role-specific technologies
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- [ ] Metrics and achievements highlighted
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- [ ] Length: 1 page (or 1-2 if detailed background needed)
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- [ ] **CRITICAL: No fabricated numbers** — all facts from `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`
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### ✅ YAML Metadata
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- [ ] Contact info formatted correctly (quoted strings)
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- [ ] Keywords match job requirements
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- [ ] Email, phone, GitHub, LinkedIn all present
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- [ ] Blog link included (optional but recommended)
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### ✅ Cover Letter
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- [ ] Addresses company mission/vision
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- [ ] Acknowledges any experience gaps honestly
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- [ ] Emphasizes transferable skills
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- [ ] Tone is professional and authentic
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- [ ] Length: 4-5 paragraphs (fits on one page)
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- [ ] Specific to the company (not generic)
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### ✅ PDF Quality
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- [ ] Built with appropriate template for industry
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- [ ] Layout clean and readable
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- [ ] No broken formatting or overlapping text
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- [ ] Opens without errors in PDF viewer
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---
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## No-Fabrication Rule (CRITICAL ⚠️)
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**BLOCKING REQUIREMENT:** All numbers and metrics must come from `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`.
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### ✅ Allowed
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- Reordering existing information
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- Reframing for clarity
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- Removing less relevant details
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- Using exact metrics from detailed resume
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### ❌ Not Allowed
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- Inventing metrics ("40+ engineers")
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- Making up achievements not documented
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- Exaggerating scales or customer counts
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- Creating statistics not in detailed resume
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### Pre-Write Checklist
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For every bullet point with a number:
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- [ ] Is this in `paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`?
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- [ ] If NO: remove it or rephrase without the number
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- [ ] If YES: use the exact number/metric
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---
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## Post-Build Checklist (After Creating Resume)
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### ✅ File Organization
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- [ ] Files created in correct directory structure
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- [ ] PDFs generated successfully
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- [ ] Resume and cover letter both present
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- [ ] Job breakdown created if using `/build-resume`
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### ✅ Application Tracking
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- [ ] Application logged in memory (if using `/build-resume`)
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- [ ] Company/position combination recorded to prevent duplicates
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- [ ] Application link saved for follow-up
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### ✅ Before Submitting
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- [ ] Verify job posting still active
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- [ ] Check application deadline
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- [ ] Find company career page
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- [ ] Prepare LinkedIn connection message for hiring manager
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---
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## Template Selection Guide
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| Template | Best For | Industry Examples |
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|----------|----------|------------------|
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| **jb2resume-modern** | Tech companies, startups | Stripe, GitLab, Zapier |
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| **jb2resume** | Traditional industries | Banks, gov, established corps |
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| **awesome-cv** | Growth-stage startups | Series A-C companies, design-forward |
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---
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## Useful Commands
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### View Help
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```bash
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make help
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```
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### Clean Build Artifacts
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```bash
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make clean # Remove LaTeX logs
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make cleanpaper # Remove specific PDF
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make cleanall # Remove everything
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```
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### Build from Detailed Resume
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All customized resumes draw facts from:
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```
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/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md
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```
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This is your source of truth for metrics, roles, and achievements.
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---
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## Finding Job Postings
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See: `JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md` (in parent resume directory)
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Quick reference:
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- **Daily:** WeWorkRemotely, RemoteOK, Built In
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- **Weekly:** LinkedIn, Indeed, Cord.co, specialized boards
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- **Monthly:** Secondary boards, target company careers pages
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---
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## Application Follow-Up
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After building and submitting:
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1. **LinkedIn connection:** Connect with hiring manager, mention your application
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2. **Calendar reminder:** Set 1-week follow-up for non-responses
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3. **Track responses:** Update job search dashboard with status
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4. **Interview prep:** Review job-breakdown.md talking points
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5. **Salary expectations:** Reference notes in job-breakdown.md
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---
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## Common Customizations
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### Reordering Work Experience
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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.
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### Emphasizing Specific Skills
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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.
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### Addressing Gaps
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Use cover letter to honestly address missing technologies:
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- "I haven't worked with [tech], but I'm fluent in [similar tech] and have quickly mastered new frameworks."
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- Example: Django gap → "Python expert, REST APIs are my core strength, DRF is learnable"
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### Metrics Worth Highlighting
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From your background:
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- 10 K8s clusters (Abnormal AI)
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- 90% CPU reduction (Binary Defense)
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- 80% network optimization (Binary Defense)
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- Thousands of Fortune 500 endpoints (Binary Defense)
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- Thousands of records at scale (NSA)
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- 15+ years API development (career)
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---
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## File Locations Reference
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- **Skill directory:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/.claude/skills/build-resume/`
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- **Resume source:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`
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- **Job boards:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/JOB-BOARDS-TO-SEARCH.md`
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- **LinkedIn guide:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/LINKEDIN-OPTIMIZATION.md`
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- **Job search dashboard:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/job_search.html`
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- **Application tracker:** `/home/paul/.claude/projects/-home-paul-Public-resume/memory/applications_tracker.md`
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---
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## Quick Links
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- **Your GitHub:** https://github.com/malwhile
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- **Your Blog:** https://flow.halvo.me
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- **Detailed Resume:** `/home/paul/Public/resume/paul-halvorsen-resume-detailed.md`
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---
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## Last Updated
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March 18, 2026
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