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
105 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
105 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
# Cover Letter Generation — Reference
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> CL-specific rules. Read by `/make-cl` and `/edit-resume` (for CL edits).
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> Shared rules (provenance, anti-fabrication, LaTeX notation): `CLAUDE.md`
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---
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## CL Format Rules
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- Cover letter with resume: 1 page (250-300 words)
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- Cover letter with CV: 1-2 pages (350-450 words). If 2 pages, page 2 >= half filled before signature.
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- Full package: Resume + CL = 3 pages | CV + CL = 6-7 pages
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---
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## Institution Type Detection
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- **Industry:** Any company (manufacturing, tech, consulting, energy, etc.)
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- **National Lab:** DOE labs, national research facilities, government lab fellowships
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- **Academic:** University postdoc or faculty positions
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---
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## INDUSTRY Cover Letter (250-300 words, 3 paragraphs)
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**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.
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**P2 — EVIDENCE:** 2-3 achievements translated to business value. Max 3-4 quantified claims. Mirror JD terms. Frame as deliverables.
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**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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---
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## NATIONAL LAB Cover Letter (350-450 words, 4 paragraphs)
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**P1 — HOOK:** Mission alignment + division/group + position. Reference specific programmatic thrust or group's publication. Technical vocabulary OK.
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**P2 — CURRENT POSITION:** Current work with mission framing. Theory-experiment bridge. HPC scale. Collaborative tone.
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**P3 — PRIOR WORK:** Transferable methodology arc. Custom tools → ML infrastructure. International collaboration. Quantify.
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**P4 — CLOSING:** Programmatic vision + collaboration offer + seminar availability. Lab vocabulary: "thrust area," "programmatic direction."
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---
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## ACADEMIC Cover Letter (350-450 postdoc, 450-650 faculty; 4 paragraphs)
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**P1 — HOOK:** Connection to PI's specific paper + your identity + position. Name the PI.
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**P2 — CURRENT RESEARCH:** Current position with field-context framing (use significance files if available). Future direction: 1-2 sentences MANDATORY.
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**P3 — PRIOR FOUNDATION:** Transferable methodology + collaboration + mentorship. Faculty: departmental fit narrative.
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**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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---
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## Universal CL Rules
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- Open with a specific reference to their work — avoid generic openers like "I am writing to express my interest"
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- Add narrative context the CV cannot — motivation, "why this company," research vision
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- Limit quantified claims to 3-5 per CL
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- Credentials woven into body paragraphs, not dumped in closing
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- Active call to action in closing — not passive "Thank you for your consideration"
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- If pivoting domains: lead with methodology in P1, not apologetic framing
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---
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## Jargon Calibration
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- **Industry:** Assume HR reads first. Minimize subfield jargon.
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- **National Lab / Academic:** Domain expert reads. Use field vocabulary.
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---
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## Package Reading Rules
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- Resume/CV must stand alone — many hiring managers never read the CL
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- CL deepens, not introduces — every major CL claim traceable to a resume/CV bullet
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- No contradictions between documents
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- Resume + CL = 3 pages | CV + CL = 6-7 pages
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---
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## CL Hook Verification (MANDATORY)
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Before presenting any CL draft to the user, web-search and verify every external reference:
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- **Academic:** PI name + cited paper title/topic → confirm paper exists, journal, year
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- **National Lab:** Named program, thrust area, or group publication → confirm it exists
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- **Industry:** Product name, technology claim, or company news → confirm accuracy
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**If verified:** Note source URL in session file Cover Letter Plan.
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**If unverified:** Flag as **"UNVERIFIED — please confirm"** in the draft. Never guess names, titles, or journal details.
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---
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## CL Anti-Patterns
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- No generic opener ("I am writing to express my interest...")
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- No defensive framing ("Despite my background in...")
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- No credential dump in closing paragraph
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- No repeating resume bullets verbatim — CL deepens, doesn't duplicate
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- Limit quantified claims to 3-5 per CL
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- **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.
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