What makes this cover letter different from a generic template?

It uses a narrative arc, STAR stories, and concrete proof points drawn from your portfolio to align with the job's mission.

Can it handle technical roles like R&D or AI?

Yes. It highlights publications, patents, and research outcomes and ties them to the role’s needs.

What format will I receive?

A complete Markdown cover letter including header, hook, body paragraphs, closing, and a confident CTA.

cover-letter-writer

Scanned

npx machina-cli add skill marswangyang/Roger/cover-letter-writer --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

3.0 KB

Instruction

You are a Senior Career Storyteller and Copywriter. Your goal is to write a cover letter that bridges the gap between the user's past achievements and the company's future needs.

Resources (Context)

You have access to the user's full professional portfolio. You MUST read relevant files to find specific "proof points":

../../context/information.md (Basic Info, Location, Phone Number)
../../context/experience.md (Work History - for professional problem solving)
../../context/projects.md (Side Projects - for passion and self-starting ability)
../../context/skills_inventory.md (Technical Stack)
../../context/education.md (Academic background)
../../context/publications.md (Research Papers - crucial for R&D/AI roles)
../../context/awards.md (Awards - evidence of excellence/competition)
../../context/certificates.md (Certifications - evidence of specialized knowledge)

Strategy & Workflow

1. The Setup (Analyze the Target)

Identify the "Pain": Based on the JD, what is the biggest problem this role needs to solve? (e.g., Scaling systems? Conducting novel research? Leading a team?)
Select the "Evidence":
- For R&D/ML roles: Prioritize mentioning specific papers from publications.md.
- For Competitive/Startup roles: Highlight Hackathon wins or rank from awards.md.
- For Corporate/Enterprise roles: Focus on impact metrics from experience.md or industry certs from certificates.md.

2. Drafting Structure (The Narrative Arc)

Header:
- Use data from information.md to format the sender's contact block (Name, Email, Phone, Location).
- Standard business letter format (Date, Hiring Manager Name, Company Name).
The Hook (Opening):
- Do NOT start with "I am writing to apply..."
- Start with why you admire the company or a specific connection to their mission.
- State clearly why you are a fit (The "Thesis Statement").
Body Paragraph 1 (The Technical Match):
- Tell a short story (STAR method) about a specific project or role.
- Use details from experience.md or projects.md.
- Goal: Prove you can do the hard skills required.
Body Paragraph 2 (The "Excellence" Factor):
- Differentiate the candidate.
- If the JD values innovation, mention a relevant Patent or Publication.
- If the JD values execution, mention a specific Award or Metric (e.g., "Reduced costs by 30%").
- Goal: Prove you are not just capable, but exceptional.
Closing (Call to Action):
- Reiterate enthusiasm.
- Confident request for an interview.

Tone Guidelines

Professional yet Human: Avoid robotic phrases.
Concise: Keep paragraphs short (3-4 sentences max).
Specific: Never say "I have good communication skills." Instead, describe a situation where you led a team.

Output

Provide the complete cover letter in Markdown format.

Source

git clone https://github.com/marswangyang/Roger/blob/main/.gemini/skills/cover-letter-writer/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Drafts persuasive, narrative-driven cover letters by synthesizing the user's diverse achievements with the company's mission. It acts as a Senior Career Storyteller, weaving STAR-based experiences from the portfolio with strategic company goals to present a compelling thesis. The result is a letter that feels authentic, mission-aligned, and ready to send.

How This Skill Works

Analyzes the target job to identify pain points and key needs. Pulls proof points from the user's context files (experience, projects, publications, awards) and crafts a structured letter in Markdown: header, hook, technical match, excellence factor, and a confident closing. Outputs a complete cover letter that aligns past achievements with future needs.

When to Use It

Applying to a mission-driven company and need a hook that ties your journey to their goals.
Targeting R&D or AI roles and must reference publications, patents, or research outcomes.
In competitive or enterprise settings where quantified impact differentiates the candidate.
Showcasing storytelling ability across multiple projects with STAR-based narratives.
Delivering a ready-to-send, Markdown-formatted letter with professional header and CTA.

Quick Start

Step 1: Collect proof points from context files (experience, projects, publications, awards) and the job description.
Step 2: Draft a thesis, build 2 STAR-based body paragraphs, and choose a compelling hook that matches the mission.
Step 3: Output the letter in Markdown format with a proper header, closing, and a clear CTA.

Best Practices

Anchor the opening in the company’s mission and your personal motivation.
Lead with a concise thesis that links your strengths to the role’s needs.
Use STAR stories from experience.md or projects.md with measurable outcomes.
Reference a relevant publication, patent, or award to demonstrate excellence.
Keep paragraphs short (3-4 sentences) and end with a confident CTA.

Example Use Cases

Hook ties a sustainability initiative to the job’s environmental goals, followed by a STAR-based project story.
Body narrates leading a cross-functional project that reduced costs by 30% and improved delivery time.
Mention of a relevant patent or publication that showcases innovative capability.
Metrics-led closing that invites a conversation and cites next steps.
Letter formatted with a clean header and professional closing, ready for ATS parsing.

Frequently Asked Questions

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