Resume Builder

Build resumes for hiring, not for decoration. Prioritize first-screen signal, readable pagination, and recruiter-friendly structure over template fidelity.

Workflow

1. Classify the input.
2. Lock the resume decisions before editing.
3. Rewrite the content to fit the target role.
4. Lay out the resume with print-first rules.
5. Verify first screen, pagination, and PDF output.

Step 1: Classify The Input

Choose one path before touching layout:

• structured resume: the user already has sections, bullets, and dates.
• partial resume: the user has section fragments or an outdated resume.
• raw career notes: the user has experience notes, a LinkedIn-style summary, or scattered facts.

For raw career notes, extract:

• role titles
• company names
• dates
• technologies
• measurable results
• target job direction

If key facts are missing, ask once. Do not silently invent metrics, dates, team sizes, or ownership.

Step 2: Lock The Decisions

Before editing, decide these five items explicitly:

1. target role: what job should the resume optimize for?
2. language: Chinese or English?
3. print style: default to pure white, print-safe A4.
4. first-screen order: which sections must appear before the reader scrolls?
5. pagination anchor: where should page 2 begin?

Default ordering for most resumes:

1. header
2. metrics or summary chips
3. personal summary
4. core skills
5. evolution / highlights / key projects
6. experience / education / certificates

Do not leave these decisions implicit. Most layout churn comes from skipping this step.

Step 3: Rewrite The Content

Write for recruiter scanning speed.

• Lead with the target role and the strongest relevant signal.
• Use data and scope instead of adjectives.
• Convert generic duties into context -> action -> result.
• Remove hedge language such as 也可关注, 也可以考虑, or long fallback job lists unless the user explicitly wants broad positioning.
• Keep the summary short enough to read in one pass.

When the user is pivoting roles, rewrite the story around transferable value rather than chronology. For technical-to-AI or adjacent-domain pivots, read [references/ai-transition-resume.md](references/ai-transition-resume.md).

For Chinese resumes, read [references/cn-resume.md](references/cn-resume.md).

Step 4: Apply Print-First Layout Rules

Treat PDF as the source of truth. HTML preview is secondary.

• Separate screen preview styling from print/PDF styling.
• Default the resume body background to pure white.
• Use screen-only shadow, centered paper, or page labels inside @media screen only.
• Do not let preview polish distort PDF judgment.

Header rules:

• Prefer two-line contact layout when the title and contact info would otherwise mix awkwardly.
• Keep the identity block stable: avatar optional, name prominent, title separate from contact metadata.
• Birth year/month may be preferable to computed age when the user wants a more formal presentation.

Section rules:

• Move core skills earlier when the target role is skills-driven.
• Keep time ranges on one line.
• Keep metrics values on one line.
• Split certificates and job target unless there is a strong reason to merge them.

Step 5: Control Pagination

Do not hard-code page 2 too early.

• First, let page 1 absorb natural content.
• Only force a page break when page 2 needs a clean anchor and page 1 is already balanced.
• Avoid pushing an entire section to page 2 if page 1 still has obvious unused space.
• Let lower-priority project blocks flow across pages when that creates better balance.
• Protect only genuinely fragile blocks with break-inside: avoid.

The goal is not mathematical symmetry. The goal is to avoid:

• page 1 with a large empty tail
• page 2 starting too high or too cramped
• dense text above and wasted whitespace below

Step 6: Verify Before Hand-Off

Always do one explicit visual QA pass. Read [references/review-checklist.md](references/review-checklist.md).

Minimum checks:

• Does the first screen show the target role and strongest differentiators?
• Are core skills visible early enough?
• Are there odd line breaks in dates, metrics, or left-column labels?
• Is the top margin formal enough for print?
• Is whitespace balanced across page 1 and page 2?
• Does the PDF still fit the expected page count?

If HTML and PDF disagree, trust PDF for content and pagination, then patch screen preview separately.