resume-formatter

---
name: resume-formatter
description: Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean scannable layouts
---

# Resume Formatter

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user:
- Needs help with resume layout and formatting
- Has a messy or hard-to-read resume
- Wants to ensure ATS compatibility through formatting
- Needs a clean, professional design
- Mentions: "format resume", "resume layout", "resume design", "clean resume", "professional format"

## Core Capabilities

- Structure resumes for optimal readability
- Ensure ATS compatibility through formatting
- Create visual hierarchy
- Optimize white space and margins
- Select appropriate fonts and sizes
- Balance aesthetic appeal with functionality

## Formatting Fundamentals

### The Dual Audience Challenge

Your resume must work for:
1. **ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)** - Robots that parse text
2. **Human Readers** - Recruiters who scan quickly

**The Solution:** Clean, simple formatting that satisfies both.

## Document Setup

### Page Length
- **Entry Level (0-5 years):** 1 page
- **Mid-Level (5-15 years):** 1-2 pages
- **Senior/Executive (15+ years):** 2 pages (max 3 for executives)

### Margins
- **Recommended:** 0.5" - 1" all sides
- **Minimum:** 0.5" (don't go smaller)
- **Maximum:** 1" (don't waste space)

### Font Selection

**Safe, ATS-Friendly Fonts:**
- **Sans-serif:** Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana
- **Serif:** Times New Roman, Georgia, Garamond

**Font Sizes:**
- **Name:** 16-20pt
- **Section Headers:** 12-14pt
- **Body Text:** 10-12pt
- **Minimum readable:** 10pt

### Spacing
- **Line spacing:** 1.0 to 1.15
- **Space after paragraphs:** 6-12pt
- **Section spacing:** 12-16pt between sections

## ATS-Safe Formatting Rules

### DO:
- ✅ Use standard fonts
- ✅ Use simple bullet points (•, -, *)
- ✅ Use bold and italic sparingly
- ✅ Use standard section headers
- ✅ Save as .docx or text-based .pdf
- ✅ Put contact info in body (not header)
- ✅ Use single column layout
- ✅ Use consistent formatting throughout

### DON'T:
- ❌ Use tables (except simple ones for contact info)
- ❌ Use text boxes
- ❌ Use columns (multi-column layouts)
- ❌ Use headers/footers for important info
- ❌ Use images or graphics
- ❌ Use unusual fonts
- ❌ Use skill bars or progress indicators
- ❌ Use special characters or emojis
- ❌ Use color for essential information

## Section Organization

### Standard Section Order

```
1. Contact Information
2. Professional Summary (optional)
3. Skills/Technical Skills
4. Professional Experience
5. Education
6. Certifications (if relevant)
7. Additional (volunteer, languages, etc.)
```

### Section Header Formatting

**ATS-Recognized Headers:**
- PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE or WORK EXPERIENCE
- EDUCATION
- SKILLS or TECHNICAL SKILLS
- PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY or SUMMARY
- CERTIFICATIONS
- PROJECTS

**Format Options:**
```
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

or

Professional Experience
_______________________

or

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
```

## Contact Information Layout

### Recommended Format
```
JOHN SMITH
john.smith@email.com | (555) 123-4567 | linkedin.com/in/johnsmith
San Francisco, CA
```

### Alternative Format
```
JOHN SMITH
San Francisco, CA
john.smith@email.com | (555) 123-4567
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnsmith | GitHub: github.com/johnsmith
```

### What to Include
- ✅ Full name
- ✅ Professional email
- ✅ Phone number
- ✅ City, State (no full address needed)
- ✅ LinkedIn URL
- ✅ Portfolio/GitHub (if relevant)

### What to Exclude
- ❌ Full street address
- ❌ Photo
- ❌ Date of birth
- ❌ Marital status
- ❌ Multiple phone numbers
- ❌ Personal social media

## Experience Section Formatting

### Standard Format
```
COMPANY NAME | City, ST
Job Title | Month Year - Month Year

• Achievement bullet with metrics and results
• Achievement bullet with metrics and results
• Achievement bullet with metrics and results
```

### Alternative Format
```
Job Title
COMPANY NAME, City, ST                    Month Year - Month Year

• Achievement bullet with metrics and results
• Achievement bullet with metrics and results
```

### Date Formatting
- **Consistent format:** Use same format throughout
- **Recommended:** Month Year (Jan 2020 - Present)
- **Also acceptable:** MM/YYYY (01/2020 - Present)
- **Avoid:** Full dates (January 15, 2020)

### Bullet Point Guidelines
- **Length:** 1-2 lines each
- **Format:** Start with action verb, end with result
- **Quantity:** 3-6 bullets per role (more for recent, fewer for old)
- **Symbol:** Use standard bullets (•, -, *)

## Skills Section Formatting

### Option 1: Simple List
```
SKILLS
Python, JavaScript, SQL, React, Node.js, AWS, Docker, Git, Agile, JIRA
```

### Option 2: Categorized
```
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, SQL
Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django, Flask
Tools: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, Git, Jenkins
```

### Option 3: Columns (Careful with ATS)
```
SKILLS
Languages        Frameworks       Tools
Python           React            AWS
JavaScript       Node.js          Docker
SQL              Django           Git
```

**Note:** Multi-column layouts may cause ATS issues. Test before using.

## Education Section Formatting

### Standard Format
```
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
University of California, Berkeley | 2018
GPA: 3.8/4.0 (include if 3.5+)
```

### With Honors/Details
```
EDUCATION
MBA, Finance & Strategy | Stanford Graduate School of Business | 2020
• Graduated with Distinction
• Relevant Coursework: Corporate Finance, M&A Strategy
```

## Visual Hierarchy Principles

### Hierarchy Order
1. **Name** - Largest, most prominent
2. **Section Headers** - Clear divisions
3. **Job Titles/Company Names** - Easy to scan
4. **Bullet Points** - The details

### Creating Hierarchy
- Use font SIZE to create levels
- Use **BOLD** for emphasis (names, titles, headers)
- Use CAPS for section headers
- Use consistent spacing to separate sections

## White Space Management

### Good White Space:
- Between sections (clear separation)
- After headings (visual breathing room)
- Between bullets (don't cram)
- Around margins (frame the content)

### Bad White Space:
- Huge gaps between sections
- Inconsistent spacing
- Half-empty pages
- Excessive margins eating space

## Common Formatting Mistakes

### Mistake 1: Wall of Text
**Problem:** Dense paragraphs with no bullets
**Solution:** Use bullet points, keep paragraphs short

### Mistake 2: Inconsistent Formatting
**Problem:** Different fonts, sizes, or styles throughout
**Solution:** Pick one format and stick to it

### Mistake 3: Trying to Be Creative
**Problem:** Fancy designs that break ATS
**Solution:** Save creativity for portfolio, not resume

### Mistake 4: Too Much Information
**Problem:** Cramming everything onto one page
**Solution:** Edit ruthlessly, prioritize relevance

### Mistake 5: Not Enough Information
**Problem:** Half-page resume with massive margins
**Solution:** Add detail, reduce margins (to 0.5")

## File Format Guidelines

### For Online Applications
- **.docx** - Best for ATS parsing
- **.pdf** - Good if created from Word (not scanned)

### For Email/Direct Send
- **.pdf** - Preserves formatting

### File Naming
```
FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf
JohnSmith_Resume_ProductManager.pdf
```

**Avoid:**
- resume_final_v2_updated_FINAL.docx
- resume (1).pdf
- Untitled document.docx

## Output Format

When formatting a resume:

```markdown
# RESUME FORMATTING REVIEW

## Current Issues
- [ ] [Issue 1]
- [ ] [Issue 2]
- [ ] [Issue 3]

## Recommended Changes

### Document Setup
- Margins: [Current] → [Recommended]
- Font: [Current] → [Recommended]
- Font sizes: [Current] → [Recommended]

### Section Order
**Current:** [Current order]
**Recommended:** [New order and why]

### Visual Improvements
- [Specific change 1]
- [Specific change 2]

### ATS Compatibility Fixes
- [Fix 1]
- [Fix 2]

## Before/After Preview

### Before:
[Description or example of current formatting]

### After:
[Description or example of improved formatting]
```

## Quick Formatting Checklist

Before submitting any resume:
- ✅ One page (or two if warranted)
- ✅ Standard font (10-12pt body)
- ✅ Consistent formatting throughout
- ✅ Clear section headers
- ✅ Appropriate white space
- ✅ No tables, text boxes, or columns
- ✅ Contact info in body (not header)
- ✅ Saved as .docx or .pdf
- ✅ Proper file name
- ✅ Proofread for consistency