# Technical Job Search > Help software engineers perform active job-search tasks: analyze job descriptions, tailor resumes, write concise cover letters, evaluate offers, and draft interview follow-ups. Use when the user asks to parse a JD, match a CV to a role, write application material, compare compensation, assess offer risk, or prepare post-interview outreach. - Skill: `paulasilvatech/technical-job-search` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add paulasilvatech/technical-job-search` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/paulasilvatech/technical-job-search/raw - Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector CAUTION) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - License: MIT - Author: paulasilvatech (https://skillmd.com/u/paulasilvatech) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/paulasilvatech/technical-job-search --- # Technical job search Turn a concrete job-search input such as a job description, resume, offer, or interview context into a structured hiring artifact that preserves the user's evidence, reduces generic prose, and produces decision-ready application material. ## When to invoke - "Analyze this job description for must-haves and red flags." - "Tailor my CV to this software engineer role." - "Write a cover letter for this job application." - "Evaluate this job offer and compensation package." - "Draft a follow-up email after my interview." ## Inputs Use `$ARGUMENTS` to determine the requested job-search action when it is provided. If `$ARGUMENTS` is empty, infer the action from the user's pasted material and ask only for missing essentials: job description for tailoring, resume for resume edits, offer details for offer evaluation, or interview context for follow-up email. ## Job description analysis Separate explicit requirements from recruiter filler. Treat repeated items and words such as "required", "must", "minimum", and "need" as stronger signals than isolated "preferred" or "bonus" phrases. | Extract | How to classify | Output rule | | --- | --- | --- | | Must-haves | Required or repeated technical skills, years of experience, domain knowledge, clearance, location, work authorization, or language requirements. | List as bullets and mark any hard blockers. | | Nice-to-haves | Preferred, bonus, familiar-with, or mentioned once without being required. | Keep separate so the candidate does not self-reject. | | Role problem | The business or engineering problem the hire is meant to solve. | Summarize in 2-3 sentences, using evidence from the JD. | | Seniority signals | Verbs such as build, design, lead, define, mentor, own, influence, or set strategy. | Map to likely level and rewrite resume bullets to match that level. | | Red flags | Undefined ownership, impossible stack breadth, vague team or product scope, urgency without clarity. | Surface as questions for the recruiter or hiring manager. | Common red flags to call out: - "Wear many hats" with no scope boundaries: risk of undefined ownership. - 10+ must-have technologies for one role: unrealistic bar or poor planning. - No team size, tech stack, roadmap, or shipped product: possible disorganization. - "Fast-paced" plus after-hours language: probe on on-call and work-life expectations. ## Resume and CV tailoring Use this section for `CV/resume` work. Do not `keyword-stuff`; match terms only where the candidate has real evidence. Rewrite for the hiring manager first and ATS second. Match real evidence from the user's background to the role; never invent experience. | Rule | Apply it like this | Avoid | | --- | --- | --- | | Match language exactly | If the JD says `distributed systems`, use `distributed systems`, not `large-scale systems`. | Keyword stuffing that repeats terms without evidence. | | Lead with impact | Start bullets with result and scale: "Reduced P99 latency by 40%". | "Worked on performance improvements". | | Quantify scope | Include users, QPS, revenue, cost saved, team size, incident volume, or latency. | Unmeasured claims such as "improved reliability". | | Cut unrelated detail | Keep a two-page tailored CV over a four-page generic CV. | Keeping every old technology because it is impressive. | | Mirror seniority | Entry: built; senior: designed; staff/principal: drove, defined, influenced. | Overstating ownership beyond the evidence. | Use this bullet formula when possible: `Verb + technical object + method/constraint + measurable result`. Example: `Reduced checkout P99 latency by 40% by moving payment retries to an idempotent queue-backed workflow`. ## Cover letters and follow-up emails Keep cover letters under 300 words in three short paragraphs, with no preamble such as "I am writing to apply for" and no prose restatement of the CV. | Artifact | Required content | Hard limit | | --- | --- | --- | | Cover letter paragraph 1 | Why this company: product, technical challenge, published work, or problem space. | Be specific; never say only "I admire your mission". | | Cover letter paragraph 2 | Why this candidate: one or two concrete background matches to the role. | Do not summarize the full career. | | Cover letter paragraph 3 | Why now: one sentence on motivation at this career point. | Keep the whole letter under one page. | | Follow-up email | Thank them, reference one specific conversation detail, reaffirm genuine interest. | Send within 24 hours; no multi-paragraph recap. | Avoid "I am passionate about", "leader in the industry", "innovative company", and generic praise that could apply to any employer. ## Offer evaluation Compare total compensation and role risk, not just base salary. Use market sources only as reference points and explain uncertainty when data is stale or sparse. | Dimension | Questions to answer | Evidence to request | | --- | --- | --- | | Compensation | Base vs market, target bonus vs historical payout, equity annualized value, refreshers. | Offer letter, vesting schedule, strike price or valuation context, bonus plan. | | Equity | Four-year vesting with one-year cliff is common; early-stage equity has dilution and liquidity risk. | Share count, fully diluted shares, latest valuation, exercise window. | | Role clarity | What does "own" mean, what is already decided, who sets priorities? | Hiring manager answers, org chart, first-90-days plan. | | Growth | What does next level require and how long do people typically take? | Leveling rubric, promotion examples, manager expectations. | | Company health | Runway, revenue, growth, customer concentration, funding stage. | Written answers where possible, public filings or credible market data. | | Engineering culture | PR review, incident postmortems, on-call load, remote/hybrid reality. | Team interview notes, written policy, sample on-call rotation. | Offer red flags: pressure to decide in under 48 hours, equity with no liquidity path after 10+ private years, greenfield claims hiding unmaintained code, or refusal to put material terms in writing. Get everything in writing before accepting. ## Gotchas - **Do not invent credentials or achievements**: tailor phrasing only from the user's real resume, notes, or interview details. - **Do not optimize only for ATS**: keyword matching matters, but the hiring manager must still see impact and evidence. - **Do not treat nice-to-haves as blockers**: many candidates self-select out because optional phrases are mixed with requirements. - **Do not give legal or financial advice**: explain compensation mechanics and risk questions, and recommend a qualified advisor for contract, tax, visa, or equity exercise decisions. ## Output template ```markdown ## Job-search result — **Status:** ready | needs input | blocked **Target role/company:** **Source material reviewed:** ### Key findings - - ### Draft artifact ### Open questions - ``` ## Quality gate - [ ] The response stays tied to an active job-search action, not broad career coaching. - [ ] Must-haves and nice-to-haves are separated when analyzing a JD. - [ ] Resume bullets preserve the user's actual experience and add no invented facts. - [ ] Cover letters stay under 300 words and avoid generic company praise. - [ ] Offer evaluation includes compensation, role clarity, company health, and written-term risks. - [ ] Follow-up emails are concise and reference a real interview detail. - [ ] The output follows `## Output template` exactly.