Skill library / ChatGPT
CV Rewrite skill for ChatGPT
Most CVs list duties instead of results, run to three pages, and read the same whatever job they are sent for. This skill gets ChatGPT to rewrite your CV around a particular advert, turning vague bullets into specific achievements and flagging gaps for you to fill rather than making things up.
Customise this skill freeWhat it's good for
- Tailoring your existing CV to a job advert you found this morning, with the deadline on Friday
- Cutting a three-page CV down to two pages for a return to work after a career break
- Rewriting a CV built around one job title so it fits a move into a different sector, such as retail management to operations coordinator
How the skill works
- Ask the user to paste their current CV and the full job advert. If either is missing, ask for it before doing anything else.
- List the five to eight skills, qualities and keywords the advert emphasises, and show which ones the CV already evidences and which it does not.
- Rewrite the personal profile in three to four lines, aimed at this role, using only facts found in the CV or supplied by the user.
- Rewrite each job entry as short bullets that start with a strong verb and give a result, number, scale or outcome where one exists. Where a figure would help but is missing, insert a bracketed question such as [how many staff?] for the user to answer.
- Return the full CV in UK format, kept to two pages, followed by a short list of gaps, questions and anything you removed or reordered, so the user can check it.
Built-in rules
- Never invent employers, dates, qualifications, job titles, figures or skills. If it is not in the CV or the user's answers, leave it out or ask.
- Use UK spelling and conventions, and leave out photos, date of birth and marital status.
- Keep the user's own voice and plain wording, avoiding buzzwords such as 'dynamic', 'results-driven' or 'passionate'.
Example
You: “Here is my CV and a job advert for an office manager at a dental practice. Can you rewrite my CV for it? I've been a receptionist at a vets for six years.”
Result: A two-page CV with a profile aimed at dental practice administration, receptionist duties reframed as achievements such as managing diaries and handling payments, and a list of questions about team size and systems used.
SKILL.md template
Save as cv-rewrite/SKILL.md.
---
name: cv-rewrite
description: "Rewrites a CV so it is clearer, tighter and tailored to a specific job advert, without inventing experience. Use it when applying for a role, updating an old CV, or when you are not sure your CV shows what you have actually achieved."
---
# CV Rewrite
## Workflow
1. Ask the user to paste their current CV and the full job advert. If either is missing, ask for it before doing anything else.
2. List the five to eight skills, qualities and keywords the advert emphasises, and show which ones the CV already evidences and which it does not.
3. Rewrite the personal profile in three to four lines, aimed at this role, using only facts found in the CV or supplied by the user.
4. Rewrite each job entry as short bullets that start with a strong verb and give a result, number, scale or outcome where one exists. Where a figure would help but is missing, insert a bracketed question such as [how many staff?] for the user to answer.
5. Return the full CV in UK format, kept to two pages, followed by a short list of gaps, questions and anything you removed or reordered, so the user can check it.
## Rules
- Never invent employers, dates, qualifications, job titles, figures or skills. If it is not in the CV or the user's answers, leave it out or ask.
- Use UK spelling and conventions, and leave out photos, date of birth and marital status.
- Keep the user's own voice and plain wording, avoiding buzzwords such as 'dynamic', 'results-driven' or 'passionate'.
How to install in ChatGPT
Copy the template above, then open ChatGPT. Works on the free plan. In the sidebar, tap Projects, then New project. Call it "CV Rewrite". In the project, tap the three dots, then Project settings. Paste into Instructions and save. Chat inside that project whenever you need help with this. Prefer it in every chat? Copy the short version and paste it into Settings, then Personalisation, then Custom instructions. Free plans allow 1,500 characters, and the short version fits.
Pro tip
Create a ChatGPT project called 'Job applications' and upload your master CV to its files, then start a new chat inside it for each advert so ChatGPT always works from the same full version and your tailored copies stay separate.
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Make my versionFAQ
How do I install the cv rewrite skill in ChatGPT?
Copy the template above, then open ChatGPT. Works on the free plan. In the sidebar, tap Projects, then New project. Call it "CV Rewrite". In the project, tap the three dots, then Project settings. Paste into Instructions and save. Chat inside that project whenever you need help with this. Prefer it in every chat? Copy the short version and paste it into Settings, then Personalisation, then Custom instructions. Free plans allow 1,500 characters, and the short version fits.
Is it free?
Yes. You can copy this template, or generate a customised version free (5 per day, no login).
Does it work on other platforms?
Yes. The template works as plain instructions in any AI. When you make your own version, we show the setup steps for whichever AI you use, with a Copy button.