cold-email

Outreach Email

Preconditions

• Read ../../memory.md first.
• If cv_profile_analyzed is not complete, first suggest that the user run cv-analyze, unless the user has already directly provided sufficiently complete background materials.

Language Rules

• Support three output modes: zh, en, and bilingual.
• If the user explicitly specifies the email language, prioritize the current request.
• Otherwise read preferred_language from memory.md.
• If it is still unclear, prioritize the language commonly used by the target professor or target program.
• If the user requests bilingual output, default to one main email body plus one concise counterpart version, rather than mixing Chinese and English in the same email.

Identify the Email Type

If the user does not specify it, default to first-contact. Supported types:

• first-contact
• follow-up
• interview-thanks
• offer-negotiation
• reference-remind
• rejection-follow

Fill In the Key Context First

If any of the following is missing, ask directly:

• professor name and school
• whether the user wants Chinese or English
• the 1 to 2 experiences they most want to emphasize
• whether there has already been prior communication

Writing Workflow

1. Extract the most relevant background from memory.md.
2. Verify the target professor through web search:
   • homepage
   • research direction
   • recent papers or projects
3. Identify the 1 to 2 most natural connection points between the user's experience and the professor's research.
4. Output the email draft, and provide subject-line alternatives when necessary.

Writing Rules

• The first outreach email should be short and direct.
• It must include specific research connections, not just generic praise.
• Do not expose unnecessary weaknesses, such as grade anxiety or previous application failures.
• For English emails, aim to keep them within about 250 to 300 words.
• For Chinese emails, aim to keep them within one screen of readable length.