Application Optimiser
Research companies, optimise your CV for ATS systems, and plan your application strategy.
Capabilities
| # | Capability | When to Use | |:--|:-----------|:------------| | 1 | Company Research | Before applying or interviewing at a target company | | 2 | CV/ATS Optimisation | Tailoring your CV for a specific role | | 3 | Application Strategy | Planning your full application approach |
Quick Start
"Research [Company] before I apply"
"Help me optimise my CV for this job description"
"Plan my application to [Company] for [Role]"
1. Company & Role Research
What you need: Company name, job description (optional but helpful) Load: @references/company-research.md Template: @references/research-brief-template.md
Agentic parallel research covering:
- Company fundamentals, leadership, financial health
- Market position, competitors, strategic direction
- Culture, employee experience (Glassdoor analysis)
- Hiring context and team structure
- People intelligence (hiring manager, key stakeholders)
- Red flags and risk assessment
Uses parallel WebSearch, WebFetch, and Task tool for comprehensive intelligence.
Output: {role-slug}-research-brief.md
2. CV Optimisation for ATS
What you need: Your current CV + target job description Load: @references/ATS-Helper.md Templates:
- @references/cv-template.md for CV output
- @references/application-strategy-template.md for LinkedIn sync notes
NLP and recruitment AI specialist approach:
- Keyword and concept extraction from job description
- ATS-safe CV rewrite with quantified achievements
- Keyword coverage analysis (target: 70%+ of JD terms)
- LinkedIn API consistency checks
- Formatting and parsing safety verification
Output:
{role-slug}-cv-optimized.md{role-slug}-linkedin-updates.md(LinkedIn sync recommendations)
3. Application Strategy & Timeline
What you need: Research brief + optimised CV + timeline constraints Template: @references/application-strategy-template.md
Comprehensive planning:
- Timeline and milestone planning
- Stakeholder mapping and connection strategy
- Risk mitigation for identified gaps
- Follow-up protocols and decision framework
- Cover letter approach
Output: {role-slug}-application-strategy.md
Deep Research Validation
All research uses a rigorous multi-cycle validation workflow: Load: @references/deep-research-reflection.md
- Gap Analysis - After initial search, identify what's missing
- Counter-Evidence Search - Actively search for contradicting information
- Source Credibility Scoring - SEC filings > news > Glassdoor > blogs
- Red Flag Hunting - Proactively search for negative information
- Citation Requirements - All factual claims include source URLs and access dates
Reflective Validation
After generating content, validate before presenting: Load: @references/reflect-validate.md
For CV/ATS: Keyword coverage 70%+? Achievements quantified? ATS-safe formatting? For Research: All claims cited? Sources recent (<12mo)? All sections present?
Generate -> Evaluate -> If NEEDS_IMPROVEMENT -> Refine -> Re-evaluate (max 3 iterations)
Persona Adaptation
When the user's context matches a specific persona, load the relevant reference alongside standard capability references:
| Persona | Load Reference | Trigger | |:--------|:--------------|:--------| | Career Returner | @references/career-returner-cv-guide.md | User mentions career break, returning to work, redundancy, maternity/paternity, illness, caregiving | | Early Career | @references/early-career-cv-template.md | User is a graduate, apprentice, school leaver, or has limited professional experience | | NED | @references/ned-cv-template.md | User seeks board roles, NED positions, governor or trustee appointments | | Fractional | @references/fractional-cv-template.md | User is going fractional, portfolio, or independent consulting |
These references supplement (not replace) the standard capability references. Load both the persona reference and the standard one.
Output Standards
- UK English throughout (unless US role explicitly requires US English)
- No emojis - Professional tone
- Cited sources - All research includes URLs and access dates
- Quantified metrics - Specific numbers, percentages, timeframes
- ATS-safe - Simple formatting, conventional headings, consistent dates
- Never invent data - Mark missing info as
[MISSING]
Template Usage
When a capability specifies a template, you MUST:
- Load the template first using @ symbol
- Follow the template structure exactly
- Preserve template footers
Working with Blocked Content
When WebFetch fails (LinkedIn, Glassdoor, paywalled content):
- Ask user to screenshot the page (Read tool processes images)
- Or copy/paste text directly
- Or save as PDF and provide path
- Only request screenshots for critical content (top 3-5 items)
Related Skills
After optimising your application:
- /linkedin-coach - Update your LinkedIn to match your CV
- /interview-master - Prepare for interviews at this company
- /career-navigator - Build networking strategy and plan your search
Application Optimiser v1.3.0 | Career Helper Plugin | Prosper AI Consulting, UK