Resume Builder Skill for Claude AI
A comprehensive Claude AI skill for creating professional, ATS-optimized resumes following **Harvard Career Services** standards and **r/EngineeringResumes** best practices.
Built with real-world hiring knowledge from recruiters at Google, Amazon, Meta, and other top tech companies.
---
## What This Skill Does
This skill transforms Claude into an expert resume consultant that:
- **Creates resumes from scratch** with proper formatting, structure, and content
- **Optimizes existing resumes** for ATS compatibility and recruiter readability
- **Writes impact-driven bullet points** using the Google XYZ formula and STAR method
- **Produces both .docx and .pdf** formats with verified text extractability
- **Supports English and Spanish** with natural language adaptation (not literal translations)
- **Adds real clickable hyperlinks** for email, GitHub, and LinkedIn
- **Follows the 5-second scan test** — recruiters see what they need immediately
---
## Quick Start
### Option 1: Install the Skill in Claude.ai
1. Download [`resume-builder.skill`](./resume-builder.skill) from this repository
2. Go to **Claude.ai → Settings → Skills**
3. Upload the `.skill` file
4. Ask Claude: _"Help me create my resume"_
> **What is a `.skill` file?** It's a packaged set of instructions for Claude AI — like a plugin. Once installed, Claude uses it automatically when you ask about resumes. [Read the full installation guide →](./docs/INSTALLATION.md)
### Option 2: Use with Claude Code
```bash
git clone https://github.com/dabydat/resume-builder-skill.git
cp -r resume-builder-skill/skill/ ~/.claude/skills/user/resume-builder/
```
### Option 3: Read the Guides Manually
The reference files in [`skill/references/`](./skill/references/) are standalone guides you can use without Claude:
| File | What You'll Learn |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`format-and-structure.md`](./skill/references/format-and-structure.md) | Page layout, fonts, spacing, PDF conversion process |
| [`bullet-writing-guide.md`](./skill/references/bullet-writing-guide.md) | XYZ formula, STAR method, 50+ action verbs (EN/ES) |
| [`ats-and-keywords.md`](./skill/references/ats-and-keywords.md) | ATS truths vs myths, keyword strategy, tailoring process |
| [`common-mistakes.md`](./skill/references/common-mistakes.md) | Harvard's top 5 errors, formatting/content anti-patterns |
---
## Knowledge Sources
This skill was built by researching and synthesizing best practices from:
| Source | What It Covers |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Harvard Career Services](https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/resources/create-a-strong-resume/) | Resume structure, action verbs, formatting standards |
| [r/EngineeringResumes](https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringResumes/) | Tech-specific resume advice, community-tested patterns |
| [The Tech Resume Inside Out](https://thetechresume.com/samples/the-hiring-pipeline) | The hiring pipeline, ATS myths debunked, recruiter perspective |
| [Tech Interview Handbook](https://www.techinterviewhandbook.org/resume/) | FAANG resume optimization, ATS-friendly formatting |
| Columbia University STAR Method | Bullet point writing framework |
| Google XYZ Formula | Achievement-based resume bullets |
> **Full source traceability:** Every URL scraped, every key point extracted, and where each insight is applied is documented in [`docs/SOURCES.md`](./docs/SOURCES.md).
---
## Repository Structure
```
resume-builder-skill/
├── README.md ← You are here
├── LICENSE ← MIT License
├── .gitignore
├── resume-builder.skill ← Installable skill file for Claude.ai
├── docs/
│ ├── INSTALLATION.md ← Detailed installation & usage guide
│ └── SOURCES.md ← Full source traceability (every URL, what was extracted)
├── skill/ ← The skill source files
│ ├── SKILL.md ← Main skill instructions
│ └── references/
│ ├── format-and-structure.md ← Layout specs, PDF conversion
│ ├── bullet-writing-guide.md ← XYZ/STAR formulas, action verbs
│ ├── ats-and-keywords.md ← ATS truths, keyword strategy
│ └── common-mistakes.md ← Anti-patterns to avoid
└── examples/
├── Example_Resume_EN.docx ← Sample resume (Word, editable)
└── Example_Resume_EN.pdf ← Sample resume (PDF, print-ready)
```
---
## Key Principles
### 1. Domain Context Is the Secret Weapon
The single most impactful improvement for any resume. Instead of:
> ❌ "Developed web applications using React and NestJS"
Write:
> ✅ "Developed fintech web applications for credit risk assessment and transaction processing using React and NestJS, handling 500K+ loan applications annually with PCI-DSS compliance"
### 2. XYZ Formula for Every Bullet
Google's recommended format: **"Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]"**
```
Action Verb + What You Did + Technical Context + Business Impact
```
### 3. ATS Is Not Your Enemy
The biggest myth in job searching is that "robots reject 75% of resumes." In reality, ATS is just a database. Humans do the screening. Optimize for human readability first.
### 4. Always Deliver PDF
`.docx` renders differently across operating systems and Word versions. PDF preserves your exact formatting. The skill always produces both formats with verification that the PDF is text-based (ATS-parseable).
---
## Example Output
The [`examples/`](./examples/) folder contains a sample resume generated with this skill, featuring:
- A fictional senior software engineer profile ("Alex Morgan Rivera")
- Proper Harvard-format structure with skills at the top
- XYZ-formula bullet points with real domain context (healthcare, fintech, logistics)
- Clickable hyperlinks for email, GitHub, and LinkedIn
- Technology lines per role
- 2-page layout demonstrating proper spacing and readability
---
## Formatting Specs (Quick Reference)
| Property | Value |
| ---------------- | ----------------- |
| Font | Calibri |
| Body text | 10.5pt |
| Name | 16pt Bold |
| Section headings | 11.5pt Bold |
| Tech lines | 9.5pt Italic Gray |
| Margins | 0.75 inches |
| Line spacing | 13pt |
| Layout | Single column |
| Delivery format | .docx + .pdf |
---
## Trigger Phrases
Once installed, the skill activates when Claude detects any of these contexts:
- "Create my resume" / "Build my CV"
- "Optimize my resume" / "Improve my CV"
- "Make it ATS-friendly"
- "Review my resume" / "Resume review"
- "Tailor my resume to this job description"
- "Help me get hired"
- "Hoja de vida" / "Curriculum vitae"
- Any mention of job applications + resume/CV
---
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions for:
- Additional action verbs (especially in other languages)
- Industry-specific domain descriptors
- Regional resume conventions (Asia, Europe, Middle East)
- Additional ATS research or recruiter feedback
- More example resumes for different industries/experience levels
Please open an issue or submit a pull request.
---
## License
MIT License — see [LICENSE](./LICENSE) for details.
---
## Credits
It was built based on the collective wisdom of Harvard Career Services, the r/EngineeringResumes community, The Tech Resume Inside Out by Gergely Orosz, and insights from recruiters at top tech companies.
---
> _"A resume is not an autobiography. It's a marketing document. Include only what makes a recruiter MORE likely to call you."_
---
## 💛 Support This Project
If this skill helped you land interviews or improve your resume, consider supporting the project:
Your support helps maintain and improve this skill with new research, more languages, and better examples.
