# Cover Letter Generation — Reference

> CL-specific rules. Read by `/make-cl` and `/edit-resume` (for CL edits).
> Shared rules (provenance, anti-fabrication, LaTeX notation): `CLAUDE.md`

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## CL Format Rules

- Cover letter with resume: 1 page (250-300 words)
- Cover letter with CV: 1-2 pages (350-450 words). If 2 pages, page 2 >= half filled before signature.
- Full package: Resume + CL = 3 pages | CV + CL = 6-7 pages

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## Institution Type Detection

- **Industry:** Any company (manufacturing, tech, consulting, energy, etc.)
- **National Lab:** DOE labs, national research facilities, government lab fellowships
- **Academic:** University postdoc or faculty positions

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## INDUSTRY Cover Letter (250-300 words, 3 paragraphs)

**P1 — HOOK:** Connect their product/technology to your achievement. State core identity + position. Open with a specific reference to their work, not a generic opener. Minimize jargon for HR readers.

**P2 — EVIDENCE:** 2-3 achievements translated to business value. Max 3-4 quantified claims. Mirror JD terms. Frame as deliverables.

**P3 — CLOSING:** Forward-looking value + active call to action. Address "why industry" positively if pivoting — frame what industry enables, not what academia lacks.

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## NATIONAL LAB Cover Letter (350-450 words, 4 paragraphs)

**P1 — HOOK:** Mission alignment + division/group + position. Reference specific programmatic thrust or group's publication. Technical vocabulary OK.

**P2 — CURRENT POSITION:** Current work with mission framing. Theory-experiment bridge. HPC scale. Collaborative tone.

**P3 — PRIOR WORK:** Transferable methodology arc. Custom tools → ML infrastructure. International collaboration. Quantify.

**P4 — CLOSING:** Programmatic vision + collaboration offer + seminar availability. Lab vocabulary: "thrust area," "programmatic direction."

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## ACADEMIC Cover Letter (350-450 postdoc, 450-650 faculty; 4 paragraphs)

**P1 — HOOK:** Connection to PI's specific paper + your identity + position. Name the PI.

**P2 — CURRENT RESEARCH:** Current position with field-context framing (use significance files if available). Future direction: 1-2 sentences MANDATORY.

**P3 — PRIOR FOUNDATION:** Transferable methodology + collaboration + mentorship. Faculty: departmental fit narrative.

**P4 — CLOSING:** Forward-looking + name 2-3 faculty for collaboration. Postdoc: "contribute to your research program." Faculty: "build independent research program complementing..."

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## Universal CL Rules

- Open with a specific reference to their work — avoid generic openers like "I am writing to express my interest"
- Add narrative context the CV cannot — motivation, "why this company," research vision
- Limit quantified claims to 3-5 per CL
- Credentials woven into body paragraphs, not dumped in closing
- Active call to action in closing — not passive "Thank you for your consideration"
- If pivoting domains: lead with methodology in P1, not apologetic framing

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## Jargon Calibration

- **Industry:** Assume HR reads first. Minimize subfield jargon.
- **National Lab / Academic:** Domain expert reads. Use field vocabulary.

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## Package Reading Rules

- Resume/CV must stand alone — many hiring managers never read the CL
- CL deepens, not introduces — every major CL claim traceable to a resume/CV bullet
- No contradictions between documents
- Resume + CL = 3 pages | CV + CL = 6-7 pages

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## CL Anti-Patterns

- No generic opener ("I am writing to express my interest...")
- No defensive framing ("Despite my background in...")
- No credential dump in closing paragraph
- No repeating resume bullets verbatim — CL deepens, doesn't duplicate
- Limit quantified claims to 3-5 per CL