Job Search Automation for Instructional Design & E-Learning

Autonomous job search and application system designed specifically for instructional design and e-learning development positions. Upload your materials, configure your preferences, and let AI agents find and apply to jobs for you.

🎯 Key Features

• Autonomous Job Discovery: Automatically scrapes job boards daily for relevant positions
• AI-Powered Matching: Scores jobs based on how well they match your profile
• Smart Application System: Auto-fills applications with your materials
• Resume Customization: AI tailors your resume for each job
• Cover Letter Generation: Creates personalized cover letters
• Application Tracking: Tracks all applications, responses, and interviews
• Daily Notifications: Email digests of new opportunities
• Analytics Dashboard: Track your job search metrics

🚀 Quick Start

1. Upload Your Materials

Place your files in the user_materials/ folder:

user_materials/
├── resumes/
│   └── your_resume.pdf          # Your primary resume
├── cover_letters/
│   └── template.txt             # Cover letter template (optional)
├── portfolio/
│   └── portfolio_link.txt       # Link to your portfolio
└── credentials/
    └── certifications.pdf       # Any certifications

2. Configure Your Search

Edit config/config.yaml to set:

• Your target roles (instructional designer, e-learning developer, etc.)
• Your skills and experience
• Location preferences
• Salary requirements
• Which job boards to search
• Automation settings (auto-apply on/off)

3. Set Up Environment

# Install Python 3.9+
python --version

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Configure environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Edit .env with your credentials
nano .env  # or use your preferred editor

4. Run the System

# Test run (finds jobs but doesn't apply)
python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py --test

# Full automated run
python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py

# Set up daily automation (cron job)
crontab -e
# Add: 0 9 * * * cd /path/to/project && /path/to/venv/bin/python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py

📋 Configuration

Basic Setup (config/config.yaml)

user_profile:
  target_roles:
    - "Instructional Designer"
    - "E-Learning Developer"

  key_skills:
    - "Articulate Storyline"
    - "ADDIE Model"
    - "LMS"

search_criteria:
  remote_only: true
  salary_minimum: 60000

automation:
  auto_apply:
    enabled: true           # Set to true for autonomous applications
    max_applications_per_day: 20
    min_match_score: 0.7   # Only apply to jobs that match 70%+

Environment Variables (.env)

# AI for resume/cover letter customization
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key_here

# Email notifications
EMAIL_FROM=your@email.com
EMAIL_PASSWORD=your_app_password
EMAIL_TO=your@email.com

🎨 Features in Detail

1. Job Discovery

The system searches these job boards:

• LinkedIn (Easy Apply jobs)
• Indeed
• Instructional Design Central
• EdTech.com
• Teamed for Learning

2. Smart Filtering

Jobs are automatically filtered based on:

• Keyword matching (your skills and target roles)
• Location requirements
• Salary range
• Employment type
• Experience level
• Remote/on-site preference

3. AI Matching

Each job gets a match score (0-1) based on:

• How many of your skills are mentioned
• Whether the title matches your target roles
• Job requirements alignment

4. Automated Application

When auto_apply: enabled: true:

1. System finds matching jobs (above min_match_score)
2. Customizes your resume using AI
3. Generates a personalized cover letter
4. Fills out the application
5. Submits (if easy_apply_only: true)
6. Tracks in database

5. Application Tracking

All applications are tracked with:

• Application date
• Status (submitted, viewed, rejected, interview, offer)
• Resume and cover letter used
• Response tracking
• Follow-up reminders

6. Analytics

Track your job search progress:

• Total jobs discovered
• Applications submitted
• Response rate
• Interview conversion rate
• Time to offer

📁 Project Structure

job-search-automation/
├── user_materials/         # 👈 PUT YOUR FILES HERE
│   ├── resumes/
│   ├── cover_letters/
│   ├── portfolio/
│   └── credentials/
├── config/
│   └── config.yaml        # Main configuration
├── src/
│   ├── scrapers/          # Job board scrapers
│   ├── filters/           # Job filtering logic
│   ├── database/          # Database operations
│   ├── notifications/     # Email/Slack notifications
│   └── utils/             # Helper functions
├── scripts/               # Runnable scripts
├── data/                  # Database and exports
├── logs/                  # Log files
└── README.md             # This file

🛠️ Usage Examples

Find Jobs Without Applying

# Just discover and filter jobs
python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py --no-apply

# View filtered jobs
python scripts/view_jobs.py --min-score 0.7

Apply to Jobs Manually

# Find and rank jobs
python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py --no-apply

# Review top matches
python scripts/view_jobs.py --top 10

# Apply to specific job
python scripts/apply_to_job.py --job-id abc123

Full Automation

# Apply to all jobs above threshold
python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py --auto-apply

# Or set in config.yaml:
automation:
  auto_apply:
    enabled: true

Check Status

# View all applications
python scripts/view_applications.py

# View statistics
python scripts/view_stats.py

# Export to CSV
python scripts/export_data.py --table applications --output my_apps.csv

⚙️ Advanced Configuration

Custom Job Board

Add custom scrapers in src/scrapers/:

from .base_scraper import BaseScraper

class CustomBoardScraper(BaseScraper):
    def scrape(self, keywords):
        # Your scraping logic
        pass

n8n Workflow Integration

Import workflows from n8n_workflows/ for:

• Automated daily job discovery
• Application status tracking
• Follow-up reminders

AI Customization

Configure AI behavior in config/config.yaml:

ai:
  provider: "anthropic"
  model: "claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022"

  prompts:
    resume_customization: |
      Your custom prompt here...

📊 Dashboard

View your progress:

# Terminal dashboard
python scripts/dashboard.py

# Export to Google Sheets
python scripts/export_to_sheets.py

⚠️ Important Warnings

Legal & Terms of Service

• LinkedIn and Indeed have policies against automation
• Risk of account restriction or ban
• Use at your own risk
• Consider using browser extensions (lower risk) instead of scrapers

Best Practices

1. Start with auto_apply: false to test the system
2. Review first 20 applications manually for quality control
3. Use min_match_score: 0.7+ to only apply to relevant jobs
4. Limit applications with max_applications_per_day
5. Monitor your email for responses
6. Update your materials regularly
7. Network in parallel - don't rely solely on automation

Rate Limiting

Built-in protections:

• 3-5 second delays between requests
• Max 50 requests per hour per site
• Random user agents
• Respects robots.txt

🔒 Privacy & Security

• All data stored locally (SQLite database)
• Credentials in .env file (not committed to git)
• Self-hosted option (no data sent to third parties)
• Sensitive files in .gitignore

📚 Documentation

See docs/ folder for detailed guides:

• setup_guide.md - Detailed setup instructions
• scraper_guide.md - How to add custom scrapers
• troubleshooting.md - Common issues and solutions

🤝 Contributing

This is a personal automation tool, but feel free to:

• Fork and customize for your needs
• Submit issues for bugs
• Share improvements

📧 Support

For issues:

1. Check logs/ for error messages
2. Review docs/troubleshooting.md
3. Open an issue with logs

📈 Roadmap

• Web dashboard UI
• More job board integrations
• Interview scheduling automation
• Salary negotiation insights
• Chrome extension for manual applications
• Mobile notifications

🎓 Instructional Design Specific Features

Specialized Job Boards

Pre-configured scrapers for:

• Instructional Design Central
• The eLearning Designer's Academy
• EdTech.com
• Teamed for Learning

Skills Matching

Optimized for ID/e-learning skills:

• Articulate Storyline/Rise
• Adobe Captivate
• Camtasia
• ADDIE/SAM/Agile
• SCORM/xAPI
• LMS platforms
• Video production
• Graphic design tools

Portfolio Integration

Automatically include portfolio links in applications from user_materials/portfolio/

📄 License

MIT License - Use at your own risk

⚡ Quick Tips

1. First Time Setup: Run with --test flag first
2. Quality Over Quantity: Use higher match scores (0.7-0.8)
3. Monitor Daily: Check email for responses
4. Update Materials: Keep resume current in user_materials/
5. Track Everything: Use the database to analyze what works

🎯 Success Metrics

Typical results (varies by experience/market):

• Jobs discovered: 50-100 per day
• Applications sent: 10-20 per day (with auto-apply)
• Response rate: 5-10%
• Interview rate: 2-5%
• Time saved: 10-15 hours per week

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Ready to automate your job search?

1. Upload your resume to user_materials/resumes/
2. Configure config/config.yaml with your preferences
3. Set up .env with your credentials
4. Run python scripts/run_daily_scrape.py --test
5. Review results and enable auto-apply when ready

Need help? Check the docs or open an issue!