resume-writing

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from review. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: resume-writing
description: 'ATS optimization, achievement frameworks (STAR, CAR), formatting, tailoring, and portfolio presentation'
metadata:
  author: cosmicstack-labs
  version: 1.0.0
  category: career
  tags: [resume, career, job-search, ats, cv]
---

# Resume Writing

Craft resumes that pass ATS filters and impress human reviewers.

## ATS Optimization

### Must-Do
- Use standard section headings: Experience, Education, Skills
- No tables, columns, or graphics in the main content
- Save as .docx (preferred) or plain PDF (not scanned)
- Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica
- Include keywords from the job description verbatim

### Avoid
- Headers/footers (ATS may miss content there)
- Icons, logos, or images
- Text boxes or floating elements
- Fancy formatting (templates with sidebars often fail ATS)

## Achievement Frameworks

### STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
```
Situation: Legacy system had 15s page load times
Task: Reduce to <2s for ecommerce conversion
Action: Implemented CDN caching, lazy loading, DB indexing
Result: Page load reduced to 1.2s, conversion up 23%
```

### CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) — shorter variant
```
Challenge: 40% customer churn in first 90 days
Action: Built onboarding sequence with 5 touchpoints and milestone tracking
Result: Churn reduced to 12%, NPS improved from 32 to 64
```

## Formatting Rules
- One page for <10 years experience, two pages max for senior
- Bullet points: 4-6 per role, 1-2 lines each
- Quantify everything: %, $, time saved, scale
- Present tense for current role, past tense for previous