Akhil Reddy Peeketi
54f7b91aa6
- cl_reference.md: mandatory web-search verification for all CL hooks - make-cl/SKILL.md: hook verification gate before presenting CL draft - critique/SKILL.md: step 8b paper hook verification (Tier 1 if wrong) - shared_ops.md: copy JD into output folder during Phase 0 - shared_ops.md: rename final PDFs to clean names at finalization
4.5 KiB
Cover Letter Generation — Reference
CL-specific rules. Read by
/make-cland/edit-resume(for CL edits). Shared rules (provenance, anti-fabrication, LaTeX notation):CLAUDE.md
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
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
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.
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."
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..."
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
Jargon Calibration
- Industry: Assume HR reads first. Minimize subfield jargon.
- National Lab / Academic: Domain expert reads. Use field vocabulary.
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
CL Hook Verification (MANDATORY)
Before presenting any CL draft to the user, web-search and verify every external reference:
- Academic: PI name + cited paper title/topic → confirm paper exists, journal, year
- National Lab: Named program, thrust area, or group publication → confirm it exists
- Industry: Product name, technology claim, or company news → confirm accuracy
If verified: Note source URL in session file Cover Letter Plan. If unverified: Flag as "UNVERIFIED — please confirm" in the draft. Never guess names, titles, or journal details.
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
- Em-dashes in CLs: Max 2 per document. CLs are prose-heavy and em-dashes compound quickly. Use commas for parenthetical asides, colons for elaborations, periods for new sentences. Paired em-dashes (X --- detail --- Y) should use commas or parentheses instead.