Managing My Resume with Git: A Version Control Approach

In today's dynamic job market, maintaining an up-to-date and organized resume is crucial. However, it can be a challenging task without the right tools. In this post, I'll share with you how I manage my resume with Git, Github Actions, Makefile, and branching strategies.

Why Use Git for Your Resume?

1. Version Control: Git allows you to maintain different versions of your resume over time. This means you can keep a history of changes and easily switch between different versions, such as a general resume, one tailored for a specific job application, and more.

2. Collaboration: If you're working with others on a project or sharing your resume for feedback, Git makes collaboration a breeze. You can collaborate with others and merge changes seamlessly.

3. Backup and Safety: Git not only tracks changes but also serves as a backup system. Your resume is stored securely, and you can retrieve previous versions if needed.

4. Streamlined Workflow: Git simplifies the process of creating, editing, and formatting your resume. You can use plain text files (Markdown, for instance) and generate different formats (PDF, DOCX) when needed.

Setting Up Git for Resume Management

1. Create a Git Repository: Start by creating a Git repository for your resume. This can be done with a simple git init command.

2. Resume File: Save your resume in a text format (Markdown is a popular choice). This makes it easy to track changes and keep it under version control.

3. Versioning: Each time you make an update, commit the changes with a descriptive message. For example: "Updated skills section" or "Added new project experience."

4. Branches: Consider using branches to manage different versions of your resume. Create branches for specific job applications, skills variations, or different styles.

Makefile for Resume Management

A Makefile can simplify the process of converting your Markdown resume to different formats (PDF, DOCX) using Pandoc. Here's my sample Makefile:

# Convert Markdown (resume.md) to DOCX and PDF

RESUME = resume.md
OUTPUT_DIR = output

all: docx pdf

docx:
    @mkdir -p $(OUTPUT_DIR)
    pandoc $(RESUME) -o $(OUTPUT_DIR)/resume.docx

pdf:
    @mkdir -p $(OUTPUT_DIR)
    pandoc $(RESUME) -o $(OUTPUT_DIR)/resume.pdf

clean:
    rm -rf $(OUTPUT_DIR)

.PHONY: all docx pdf clean

Benefits of Using Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that is easy to read and write. It's an excellent choice for managing your resume with Git. Here's why:

• Simplicity: Markdown is a plain text format that's easy to edit and understand.
• Portability: Markdown files can be converted to various formats (PDF, DOCX, HTML) using tools like Pandoc.
• Consistency: Markdown ensures your resume looks consistent across different devices and platforms.

Generating Different Formats

With Git and Markdown, you can generate different formats of your resume as needed. Tools like Pandoc or online services like GitHub Actions can help you automatically build PDF, DOCX, and other formats from your Markdown source.

Branching Strategies

To effectively manage different versions of your resume, consider using branching strategies. Here are a few ideas:

• Main Branch: Use the master branch for your general resume.
• Feature Branches: Create feature branches for specific job applications or tailored versions of your resume.
• Styling Branches: Experiment with different styling and formatting in dedicated branches.

Collaboration and Sharing

If you're working with others on your resume or seeking feedback, Git simplifies the process. You can use platforms like GitHub or GitLab to host your resume repository and collaborate with colleagues or peers. Others can suggest changes, and you can easily review and incorporate their feedback.

Conclusion

Managing your resume with Git not only simplifies the process but also makes it more efficient and organized. You can maintain a history of changes, collaborate with others, and generate different formats with ease. Plus, it's a great way to ensure your resume is always up-to-date and ready for the next career opportunity.

This is the GitHub Repository of my Resume
If you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to improve my resume, please give me a comment below. Whether it's about the content, formatting, or anything else :)

Comments

[Vincent A. Cicirello]

Just a couple comments.... Great idea using git for your resume. Maintaining a resume with git also works well with LaTeX (I do that with my CV).

My other comments concern your resume in your GitHub repository....

First, I recommend removing your birthdate. Nobody needs that. If someone hires you they will probably need it then as part of employment documentation, but until then they don't need it. You definitely don't want it in a public repository. It is risking identity theft. I strongly recommend removing it entirely from your git history. You should also remove gender from your resume. It is irrelevant to the hiring process. Here in the U.S. asking a candidate for a position about age or gender (and some other things) are actually off-limits during interviews. Neither are relevant to your qualifications.

Second, you might actually consider keeping this in a private repository. For example, do you really want the world to have access to your contact info, such as phone, etc? If you want potential employers to have access to a public version, then maybe have 2 versions, 1 private with complete contact info that you send when you apply for jobs, and 1 public with more limited contact info.

[dunkbing]

Thank you so much for your feedback 😄 I've made some updates to my resume based on your recommendations.

[Mel♾️☁️]

Great comment. Thanks so much for pointing that out. It did come to mind but you mentioned stuffs I did not even consider specially about having one in a public repo and one as private repo.

[Tausif]

Not every country runs by the US laws...so def. not off limits outside of that island

[Thomas Tacke]

I have done something similar with jsonresume.org/ .
If you just want to have a pdf markdown gets the job done. But I also wanted to have my resume as a website ;-).

[Douglas Muth]

Git not only tracks changes but also serves as a backup system.

So... yes and no. :-)

While this might be apparent to some readers, it bears mentioning that the local Git repo is just another copy/copies of your document. If something happens to your computer or the SSD, you'll then lose all copies.

But seeing that GitHub has private repos, that would be a great place to have a repo, because the extra copy of your repo stored offsite would then serve as a backup.

[Aqua Asael Pelegon Semjasa]

Very good subject.