ai-job-application/USER_GUIDE.md

AI Job Application Suite — Quick Start & Usage Guide

Welcome to the AI Job Application Suite! This app is designed to automate, tailor, and track your job applications using AI (Gemini 3.6 Flash & local LM Studio fallback).

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🛠️ Managing the Application (Start, Stop, Restart)

Helper bash scripts have been created in the repository root for convenience:

Action	Command	Description
Start Server	./start.sh	Starts the app background server on port 3000 and logs output to .app.log.
Stop Server	./stop.sh	Gracefully stops the running app server.
Restart Server	./restart.sh	Restarts the app server (useful after environment changes).
Manual Dev Mode	npm run dev	Runs the server synchronously in your active terminal.

Once started, access the application in your browser at: 👉 http://localhost:3000

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🚀 Key Features & How to Use Them

1. 📊 Application Tracker (Applications)

• Track Status: View applications organized by stage (Applied, Screening, Interviewing, Offer, Rejected).
• Update Status: Click on status badges to transition applications. Updating to Interviewing or Offer automatically logs notifications.
• Log Applications: Click "+ Log New Application" to manually add applications or log auto-applied jobs.

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2. 📝 AI Tailor Walkthrough (Tailor Resume)

• Paste a Job Posting URL or Job Description.
• The AI will evaluate your candidate profile against the job posting and generate:
  • Match Score & Key Gap Analysis
  • Tailored Resume Bullet Points customized for the role
  • Cover Letter Draft optimized for ATS keywords
• Requires Gemini API key or a local LM Studio model active at http://localhost:1234/v1.

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3. 🤖 Autonomous Auto-Apply Engine (Auto-Apply)

• Configure automated criteria (e.g. minimum match score threshold, preferred roles, max applications per day).
• Click "Run Auto-Apply Batch". The AI will scan your job feeds, match requirements against your profile, and submit/log compliant applications.

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4. 📰 Job Feeds (Job Feeds)

• Browse aggregation feeds (LinkedIn, Greenhouse, Lever, Indeed).
• Click "Tailor & Apply" on any job card to jump directly to the AI Resume Tailor tool pre-loaded with the job listing.

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5. 📅 Calendar & Interview Scheduler (Calendar)

• View and schedule upcoming screening calls and technical interviews.
• Integrated with Google Calendar synchronization API.

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6. ⚙️ Profile Settings (Profile Settings)

• Update your master resume text, technical skills, target job titles, desired salary range, and contact information.
• Configure Auto-Apply rules and threshold preferences.

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🧠 AI Model Configuration

• Primary Model: Google Gemini 3.6 Flash (Set your GEMINI_API_KEY in .env).
• Fallback Local Model: If Gemini API limit/quota is reached or missing, the server automatically routes requests to your local LM Studio instance (http://localhost:1234/v1).
• Recommended local model: qwen2.5-vl-7b-instruct-abliterated or qwen2.5-coder-7b-instruct.