--- name: Make Cover Letter slug: make-cover-letter category: Writing description: Make Cover Letter generates a tailored cover letter from an existing session file and finished resume or CV. Use it to draft a role-specific letter that stays traceable to the source materials. github: "https://github.com/ARPeeketi/claude-resume-kit/tree/main/.claude/skills/make-cl" language: TeX stars: 235 forks: 52 install: "npx degit https://github.com/ARPeeketi/claude-resume-kit/tree/main/.claude/skills/make-cl ~/.claude/skills/make-cl" installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/make-cl source_path: .claude/skills/make-cl/SKILL.md collection_size: 6 category_size: 1109 collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/ARPeeketi/claude-resume-kit" added: 2026-09-03T06:04:07.401Z last_synced: 2026-09-03T06:04:07.401Z canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/make-cover-letter" --- # Make Cover Letter Make Cover Letter generates a tailored cover letter from an existing session file and finished resume or CV. Use it to draft a role-specific letter that stays traceable to the source materials. **Install:** ```bash npx degit https://github.com/ARPeeketi/claude-resume-kit/tree/main/.claude/skills/make-cl ~/.claude/skills/make-cl ``` ## README # /make-cl **User input:** `$ARGUMENTS` Parse `$ARGUMENTS`: - Session file path (e.g., `output/Acme/session_acme_engineer.md`) → read that session file - Session name (e.g., `acme_engineer`) → find session file via shared_ops.md derivation - Empty → check `CLAUDE.md` Active Sessions for latest --- ## Safety Rules (ALWAYS ENFORCED) **Accuracy > Relevance > Impact > ATS > Brevity** Read `config.md` Provenance Flags before generating any content. Verify every claim against that table. - Use the email from `config.md` Personal Info in all outputs - CL deepens what resume presents — never introduces new claims not traceable to resume bullets - Source field context from `resume_builder/support/significance_*.md` files --- ## User Input During Execution If the user provides feedback, corrections, or suggestions at any point: 1. Acknowledge the input immediately 2. If it affects already-written content: fix it, re-verify word count and anti-patterns 3. If it changes the framing: note the change in session file Framing Strategy 4. Never restart — resume from current position --- ## Startup Read `resume_builder/reference/shared_ops.md` for session startup and file derivation. Then: 1. Read `CLAUDE.md` — check Active Sessions and KB Corrections 2. Read `config.md` — load Provenance Flags, email, role types 3. Find and read the session file 4. **Recovery check:** - If CL Status is DONE → "CL already generated. Run `/critique` next." Show next command. Stop. - If CL Status is IN_PROGRESS → check if CL .tex exists, offer to resume or regenerate - If Resume Status is not DONE → "Resume not yet generated. Run `/make-resume` first." Stop. - If CL Status is PENDING → proceed to Phase 1 --- ## Phase 1: Load Context Read in this order: 1. **Session file** — specifically: Company Context, Cover Letter Plan, Framing Strategy, ATS Keywords 2. **Finished resume/CV .tex** — path from session file Output Files. Read to understand what CL must complement. 3. `resume_builder/reference/cl_reference.md` — CL format rules, paragraph templates, anti-patterns 4. `resume_builder/support/ai_fingerprint_rules.md` — Banned words, structural rules (CLs are most vulnerable) 5. The matching bundle from session file role type → `resume_builder/bundles/bundle_[role_type].md` — Section 5 (Cover Letter) 5. All significance files from `resume_builder/support/significance_*.md` Update session file Status: `Cover Letter: IN_PROGRESS` Progress: "Loading CL context — [company], [role type] bundle, [institution type]..." --- ## Phase 2: Generate Cover Letter Read `resume_builder/templates/coverletter_template.tex`. **Detect institution type** from session file Cover Letter Plan: - Industry → 3 paragraphs, 250-300 words - National Lab → 4 paragraphs, 350-450 words - Academic → 4 paragraphs, 350-450 words (postdoc) or 450-650 words (faculty) **Generate CL following cl_reference.md paragraph structure:** - Use significance files for field-context depth (NOT resume bullet text) - Use session file CL hooks and "why them" angle - Ensure every major claim is traceable to a resume/CV bullet - Open with a specific reference to their work — no generic openers - Weave credentials into body paragraphs, not closing Save to `output//e2e__cover_letter.tex` Progress: "Writing [institution type] cover letter — [N] paragraphs, targeting [N] words..." ### CL Hook Verification Gate (MANDATORY before presenting to user) Web-search every hook used in the CL: - Academic: PI name + cited paper/research area - National Lab: named program, thrust area, or group publication - Industry: product, technology, or company news referenced Present evidence as: > **Claim:** [what the CL says] → **Evidence:** [what the search found] → **Source:** [URL] Flag any unverified item: **"UNVERIFIED — please confirm"** Do NOT present the CL draft to the user until all hooks are verified or flagged. --- ## Phase 3: Compile & Verify ```bash pdflatex -interaction=nonstopmode -output-directory=output/ output//e2e__cover_letter.tex ``` Use Read tool to view compiled PDF. Verify: | Gate | Check | If FAIL | |------|-------|---------| | Word count | Industry 250-300, Lab/Academic 350-450 | Trim/expand | | Page count | Resume package: 1 page. CV package: 1-2 pages | Adjust content | | Page fill | 1pg: well-filled. 2pg: page 2 >= half filled before signature | Adjust | | Anti-patterns | No generic opener, no defensive framing, no credential dump | Rewrite | | Package cohesion | CL claims traceable to resume bullets, no contradictions | Fix | | Compile | Clean pdflatex | Fix LaTeX errors | Update session file: - Add CL to Output Files - Status: `Cover Letter: DONE` - Add Next Critique command Progress: "Compiled — 1 page, 278 words. Package cohesion verified." ### >>>>>> MANDATORY STOP — DO NOT PROCEED <<<<<< Present: CL summary (word count, page count, key hooks used). **You MUST wait for the user's explicit text response before continuing.** If user requests changes: apply them, re-compile, re-verify. Update session file. If user approves: update Status, present next command. **Do NOT trigger file organization** — that happens after `/critique` approval. "Cover letter done. Next steps: 1. /clear 2. [exact /critique command with session file path]"