01 Cover Letter Gen

Cover Letter Generator

Overview

This skill takes a job posting (pasted or fetched via URL) and the user's CV/resume, then generates a fully customized cover letter that matches the role's requirements to the user's actual experience. It preserves the user's authentic voice and never fabricates credentials.

When This Skill Triggers

• User says "adjust my cover letter for this role"
• User pastes a job posting and says "I want to apply"
• User mentions "cover letter," "application letter," or "letter of interest"
• User shares a job URL and asks for help with application materials
• User asks to "tailor" or "customize" a letter for a position

Required Inputs

1. Job posting (pasted text or URL to fetch)
2. User's CV/resume (uploaded file or stored in references/resume.md)

Optional Inputs

• Specific experiences to emphasize
• Custom opening or closing preferences
• Target tone (e.g., more academic vs. more industry)
• Additional context about the company or team

Process

Step 1: Analyze the Job Posting

Extract and categorize:

• Role title and organization
• Required qualifications (hard requirements vs. preferred)
• Key responsibilities (ranked by emphasis in posting)
• Technical skills or tools mentioned
• Cultural signals (mission language, values, team descriptors)
• Application-specific instructions (word limits, specific questions)

Step 2: Map User Qualifications

Cross-reference the job requirements against the user's CV:

• Identify direct matches (exact skill or experience)
• Identify transferable matches (adjacent experience that maps)
• Flag gaps (requirements the user doesn't meet)
• Rank experiences by relevance to THIS specific role

Step 3: Select Letter Strategy

Based on the role type, choose the appropriate framing:

Academic positions: Lead with research, teaching philosophy, and scholarly contributions. Reference specific departmental strengths and how the user's work complements them.

Industry/UX roles: Lead with applied experience, measurable outcomes, and methodological versatility. Emphasize cross-functional collaboration and business impact.

Hybrid roles (research + practice): Balance both, leading with whichever the posting emphasizes more heavily.

Step 4: Draft the Letter

Structure:

1. Opening paragraph: State the position, express genuine interest, and deliver a compelling hook that connects the user's unique background to the role
2. Body paragraph 1: Strongest qualification match, with specific evidence and outcomes (quantified where possible)
3. Body paragraph 2: Secondary qualifications, demonstrating range and versatility
4. Body paragraph 3 (if needed): Teaching, service, or additional value-adds relevant to the role
5. Closing: Restate enthusiasm, reference what excites the user about the specific organization, and include a forward-looking statement

Step 5: Voice and Style Check

Apply these rules:

• Warm but professional tone
• Declarative sentences; avoid hedging unless strategic
• No cliches ("I am passionate about..." / "I believe I would be a great fit...")
• Show, don't tell: evidence over adjectives
• Keep paragraphs to 4-6 sentences max
• Total length: one page (350-500 words unless specified otherwise)

Hard Rules

• NEVER fabricate experiences, publications, or skills the user does not have
• NEVER guess company details. If uncertain, ask or note a placeholder
• Always use the user's preferred sign-off (default: "Warmest Regards,")
• Always ask before making significant structural changes to the user's established template
• If the user's qualifications don't match a requirement, either omit it or frame adjacent experience honestly. Do not stretch the truth.

Before You Begin

Ask these questions before drafting any letter. Do not begin Step 1 until you have answers to questions 1 and 2.

1. Job posting: Has the user provided the job posting? If not, ask for it before proceeding. A letter cannot be tailored without the posting.
2. CV/resume: Has the user provided their CV, or is one available in references/resume.md? If not, ask. Do not draft from memory or assumptions.
3. Emphasis: Are there specific projects, experiences, or skills you want foregrounded?
4. Connections: Do you have any connection to this organization — referrals, mutual contacts, or prior interaction?

Output Checklist

Before presenting any letter, verify:

1. Role title matches the posting exactly — no paraphrasing.
2. Organization name is spelled correctly.
3. No fabricated experiences, publications, or skills — if a requirement isn't in the CV, it is omitted or framed as adjacent experience honestly.
4. Quantified outcomes are accurate to the CV — no invented numbers.
5. Length is 350-500 words — count if unsure. Trim before presenting if over.
6. Sign-off is "Warmest Regards," unless the user has specified otherwise.
7. No em dashes anywhere — replace with commas, semicolons, or rewritten sentences.
8. Notes and commentary are separate from the letter body — do not embed caveats inside the letter itself.

Output Format

Present the letter as a clean markdown document. If the user wants a .docx, use the docx skill to format it professionally.

Reference Files

• references/resume.md - User's current CV (must be provided by user)
• references/letter-template.md - User's base cover letter template (must be provided by user)
• references/voice-samples.md - 2-3 sample cover letters the user has approved, used for voice matching

Test Cases

1. Academic posting: Assistant/Associate Professor at a research university
2. Industry posting: UX Researcher/Communications Specialist at a media/tech company
3. Hybrid posting: Research Scientist at a nonprofit or think tank