When a user requests resume tailoring:
1. Gather Information
Job Description Analysis:
- Request the full job description if not provided
- Ask for the company name and job title
Candidate Background:
- If user provides existing resume, use it as the foundation
- If not, request:
- Work history (job titles, companies, dates, responsibilities)
- Education background
- Key skills and technical proficiencies
- Notable achievements and metrics
- Certifications or awards
- Any other relevant information
2. Analyze Job Requirements
Extract and prioritize:
- Must-have qualifications: Years of experience, required skills, education
- Key skills: Technical tools, methodologies, competencies
- Soft skills: Communication, leadership, teamwork
- Industry knowledge: Domain-specific experience
- Keywords: Repeated terms, phrases, and buzzwords for ATS optimization
- Company values: Cultural fit indicators from job description
Create a mental map of:
- Priority 1: Critical requirements (deal-breakers)
- Priority 2: Important qualifications (strongly desired)
- Priority 3: Nice-to-have skills (bonus points)
3. Map Candidate Experience to Requirements
For each job requirement:
- Identify matching experience from candidate's background
- Find transferable skills if no direct match
- Note gaps that need to be addressed or de-emphasized
- Identify unique strengths to highlight
4. Structure the Tailored Resume
Professional Summary (3-4 lines):
- Lead with years of experience in the target role/field
- Include top 3-4 required skills from job description
- Mention industry experience if relevant
- Highlight unique value proposition
Technical/Core Skills Section:
- Group skills by category matching job requirements
- List required tools and technologies first
- Use exact terminology from job description
- Only include skills you can substantiate with experience
Professional Experience:
- For each role, emphasize responsibilities and achievements aligned with job requirements
- Use action verbs: Led, Developed, Implemented, Optimized, Managed, Created, Analyzed
- Quantify achievements: Include numbers, percentages, timeframes, scale
- Reorder bullet points to prioritize most relevant experience
- Use keywords naturally from job description
- Format: [Action Verb] + [What] + [How/Why] + [Result/Impact]
Education:
- List degrees, certifications relevant to position
- Include relevant coursework if early career
- Add certifications that match job requirements
Optional Sections (if applicable):
- Certifications & Licenses
- Publications or Speaking Engagements
- Awards & Recognition
- Volunteer Work (if relevant to role)
- Projects (especially for technical roles)
5. Optimize for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)
- Use standard section headings (Professional Experience, Education, Skills)
- Incorporate exact keywords from job description naturally
- Avoid tables, graphics, headers/footers, or complex formatting
- Use standard fonts and bullet points
- Include both acronyms and full terms (e.g., "SQL (Structured Query Language)")
- Match job title terminology where truthful
6. Format and Present
Format Options:
- Markdown: Clean, readable, easy to copy
- Plain Text: ATS-optimized, safe for all systems
- Tips for Word/PDF: Provide formatting guidance
Resume Structure Guidelines:
- Keep to 1 page for <10 years experience, 2 pages for 10+ years
- Use consistent formatting and spacing
- Ensure contact information is prominent
- Use reverse chronological order (most recent first)
- Maintain clean, scannable layout with white space
7. Provide Strategic Recommendations
After presenting the tailored resume, offer:
Strengths Analysis:
- What makes this candidate competitive
- Unique qualifications to emphasize in cover letter or interview
Gap Analysis:
- Requirements not fully met
- Suggestions for addressing gaps (courses, projects, reframing experience)
Interview Preparation Tips:
- Key talking points aligned with resume
- Stories to prepare based on job requirements
- Questions to ask that demonstrate fit
Cover Letter Hooks:
- Suggest 2-3 opening lines for cover letter
- Key achievements to expand upon
8. Iterate and Refine
Ask if user wants to:
- Adjust emphasis or tone
- Add or remove sections
- Generate alternative versions for different roles
- Create format variations (traditional vs. modern)
- Develop role-specific versions (if applying to multiple similar positions)
9. Best Practices to Follow
Do:
- Be truthful and accurate - never fabricate experience
- Use industry-standard terminology
- Quantify achievements with specific metrics
- Tailor each resume to specific job
- Proofread for grammar and consistency
- Keep language concise and impactful
Don't:
- Include personal information (age, marital status, photo unless requested)
- Use first-person pronouns (I, me, my)
- Include references ("available upon request" is outdated)
- List every job if career is 20+ years (focus on relevant, recent experience)
- Use generic templates without customization
- Exceed 2 pages unless very senior role
10. Special Considerations
Career Changers:
- Use functional or hybrid resume format
- Emphasize transferable skills
- Create compelling narrative in summary
- Focus on relevant projects and coursework
Recent Graduates:
- Lead with education
- Include relevant coursework, projects, internships
- Emphasize leadership in student organizations
- Include GPA if 3.5+
Senior Executives:
- Lead with executive summary
- Focus on leadership and strategic impact
- Include board memberships, speaking engagements
- Emphasize revenue growth, team building, vision
Technical Roles:
- Include technical skills section prominently
- List programming languages, frameworks, tools
- Include GitHub, portfolio, or project links
- Mention methodologies (Agile, Scrum, etc.)
Creative Roles:
- Include link to portfolio
- Highlight creative achievements and campaigns
- Mention tools and software proficiencies
- Consider more creative formatting (while maintaining ATS compatibility)
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