Agent skill

Resume Formatter

by davila7 in davila7/claude-code-templates

Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts.

MITAuto-check passedBusiness, Finance & HR

Install Resume Formatter

skills CLI
$ npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill resume-formatter -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install davila7/claude-code-templates resume-formatter --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/cli-tool/components/skills/career/resume-formatter .claude/skills/resume-formatter && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
resume-formatter
GitHub stars
33k
Used in
2 other repos
Token cost
~2.1k tokens
SKILL.md length
724 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
479
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts.

  • Works in 2 steps: ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) -… → Human Readers - Recruiters who scan…
  • The user mentions resume format
  • SKILL.md covers When to Use This Skill, Core Capabilities, Formatting Fundamentals and Document Setup, plus 5 more sections
  • Calls python

What it does

Resume Formatter is an agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates. Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts. Use when the user mentions resume format, layout, template, design, or fixing formatting issues.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Business, Finance & HR, covering Linting and formatting. The repository describes itself as: CLI tool for configuring and monitoring Claude Code. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • The user mentions resume format
  • Fixing formatting issues

Example prompts

  • “/resume-formatter”

Requirements

  • Python 3
  • Node.js
  • Docker

Workflow steps

2 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) - Robots that parse text
  2. Human Readers - Recruiters who scan quickly

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit c0ca7da. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • python

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Resume Formatter loads about 2.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 45 tokens; SKILL.md has 724 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~45
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.1k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from davila7/claude-code-templates at commit c0ca7da, republished under its MIT licence (© davila7). 724 words, ~2,123 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/resume-formatter/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
resume-formatter
description
Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts. Use when the user mentions resume format, layout, template, design, or fixing formatting issues.

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

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
Show full SKILL.md (296 more words)Show less
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

© davila7, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in cli-tool/components/skills/career/resume-formatter of davila7/claude-code-templates.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit c0ca7da

Used in 2 other repositories

We found 3 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 2 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in davila7/claude-code-templates, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Resume Formatter next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Resume Formatter compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Resume Formatter this skilldavila7/claude-code-templates33k2 repos~2.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Alcoa Guards0912758806p/agentic-sop-to-work209—~363Automated safety check: PassMIT
Markdownfacioquo/stock-indicators-dotnet1.2k—~812Automated safety check: PassApache-2.0
AI Indexmizchi/skills360—~3.6kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Gatingoaustegard/claude-skills150—~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Rsigmatimescale/rsigma165—~1.2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Questions about Resume Formatter

What does Resume Formatter do?

Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts. Resume Formatter is an agent skill from davila7/claude-code-templates. Ensure ATS-friendly formatting and create clean, scannable layouts.

When should I use Resume Formatter?

Resume Formatter fits situations like: the user mentions resume format; fixing formatting issues.

How do I install Resume Formatter in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill resume-formatter -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (cli-tool/components/skills/career/resume-formatter in davila7/claude-code-templates) into .claude/skills/resume-formatter in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Resume Formatter in Codex?

Run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill resume-formatter -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (cli-tool/components/skills/career/resume-formatter in davila7/claude-code-templates) into .agents/skills/resume-formatter in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Resume Formatter in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates --skill resume-formatter -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/resume-formatter, .gemini/skills/resume-formatter, .github/skills/resume-formatter and .opencode/skills/resume-formatter in your project.

What does Resume Formatter need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Resume Formatter needs the command-line tools its instructions call (python). Our summary lists: Python 3; Node.js; Docker.

Does Resume Formatter access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Resume Formatter safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Resume Formatter use?

Resume Formatter is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Resume Formatter use?

About 2.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 8.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Resume Formatter?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Resume Formatter: Alcoa Guard (s0912758806p/agentic-sop-to-work, 209 stars), Markdown (facioquo/stock-indicators-dotnet, 1.2k stars), AI Index (mizchi/skills, 360 stars) and Gating (oaustegard/claude-skills, 150 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Resume Formatter?

davila7 (a GitHub user) maintains it in davila7/claude-code-templates, which has 32,512 GitHub stars. The repository holds 479 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 10, 2026.

Source: davila7/claude-code-templates on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.