Where to Store Your Canonical CV Markdown File: A Complete Guide to the career-ops Data Contract

Store your canonical CV as a file named cv.md in the repository root directory (same level as README.md).

The career-ops repository enforces a strict Data Contract that separates user-specific content from system infrastructure. Placing your résumé at the repository root ensures every pipeline tool—PDF generators, ATS scanners, and reporting scripts—can locate your authoritative career data without additional configuration.

Understanding the Data Contract's User Layer

The User Layer explicitly designates cv.md as the single source of truth for all résumé-related content. This contract is documented in DATA_CONTRACT.md and prevents fragmentation by requiring one canonical location for your professional history.

When you follow this convention:

• PDF generation scripts read directly from cv.md at build time
• ATS compatibility checks parse the same source file
• Report generators reference consistent career data

The system enforces this location by default, making root-level placement the zero-configuration option.

Default Repository Structure

Your cv.md belongs at the top level of the repository hierarchy:

career-ops/
├─ cv.md               ← Your canonical CV (Markdown)
├─ config/
│   └─ profile.yml
├─ data/
│   └─ applications.md
└─ ... (other system files)

Notice that cv.md sits alongside README.md, not nested inside config/ or data/. These subdirectories contain supplementary files—profile.yml for personal metadata, applications.md for job tracking—but your primary résumé content remains elevated to root status.

Verifying Your CV Location

Confirm correct placement with a simple directory listing:

# Verify the CV exists at the expected path

$ ls -1 cv.md
cv.md

If the file returns successfully, all dependent scripts will resolve it correctly.

Programmatic Access

Scripts throughout the pipeline reference cv.md directly by relative path. Here's how a typical tool ingests your résumé:

// Example: a script that reads the CV
import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
const cv = readFileSync('cv.md', 'utf8');
console.log(cv);

This pattern appears in PDF generators, HTML exporters, and validation utilities. Hardcoding the relative path 'cv.md' assumes root placement—deviating from this structure requires modifying every downstream consumer.

Custom Data Root Configurations

The system supports relocating your entire data directory through two mechanisms:

• CAREER_OPS_ROOT environment variable
• .career-ops-data marker file

When either is present, cv.md resolves relative to that custom root rather than the repository root. Documentation in docs/CUSTOMIZATION.md explains this discovery behavior.

However, the default and recommended placement remains the repository root unless you have specific organizational requirements. Custom roots add configuration overhead and complicate collaboration.

Key Files in the Data Contract

File	Role
cv.md	Canonical Markdown résumé (User Layer)
DATA_CONTRACT.md	Defines the contract and required user files, including cv.md
docs/CUSTOMIZATION.md	Guidance on where user data files should reside
README.md	General project overview; mentions the CV location

Summary

• Name your file cv.md — the Data Contract mandates this exact filename
• Place it in the repository root — same level as README.md for automatic discovery
• Reference it relatively — scripts expect './cv.md' without path prefixes
• Reserve config/ and data/ for secondary files — these house supplements, not your primary résumé

Following this convention maximizes compatibility with the career-ops toolchain and ensures your CV remains the authoritative source across all pipeline stages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I store my CV in a subdirectory?

Scripts will fail to locate cv.md because they expect it at the repository root by default. You would need to modify every consuming script or set a custom data root via CAREER_OPS_ROOT or .career-ops-data, both documented in docs/CUSTOMIZATION.md.

Can I use a different filename like resume.md or cv.markdown?

No. The Data Contract explicitly requires cv.md as the filename. The extension .md and lowercase name are hard requirements across the pipeline.

How do I migrate my CV if I already have it in the wrong location?

Move your file to the repository root and rename it to cv.md. Verify with ls -1 cv.md. No configuration changes are needed if you use the default location.

Does the system support multiple CV versions?

The Data Contract specifies one canonical cv.md per repository. For version-specific variants, maintain separate branches or repositories, or use the data/ directory for supplementary role-targeted content while keeping cv.md as your master source.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}