By name: prospecting description: Job/contract prospecting — discovery, qualification, and outreach preparation. Use when finding, scanning, or qualifying contract/freelance opportunities across channels (job boards, HN, LinkedIn, aggregators). Covers search strategy, channel selection, boolean queries, freshness enforcement, and structured output of qualified leads.
Prospecting
Find, qualify, and prepare actionable job/contract opportunities across multiple channels.
Core principles
- Breadth first. Scan many channels quickly before drilling into any single target.
- Freshness is non-negotiable. All prospects must be ≤30 days old. Verify dates. Today is {today}.
- Real leads only. Don't pad results with low-relevance filler. If a channel is dry, say so and move on.
- Context-aware. Read the user's profile and resume before searching. Tailor queries to their actual skills and preferences.
Search strategy
Use boolean operators on platforms that support them. See references/boolean-search.md for per-platform syntax.
Channel playbooks
Channels ranked by signal — use the reference docs for channel-specific workflows:
- Web search (Tavily) — cast wide first. See references/channels.md.
- HN Who's Hiring — monthly threads via Algolia API. See references/channels.md.
- ai.engineer — conference site (Next.js SPA, needs browser). Speakers/sponsors = companies investing in AI agents.
- LinkedIn Jobs — high signal for UK contract roles. Use last, use carefully. See the
linkedin-prospectingskill. - X — relationship/network channel. Discovery of individuals/clusters.
- Platform listings (Upwork, arc.dev, lemon.io, WellFound) — lower signal but broad reach.
Tool selection
| Tool | When to use | When NOT to use |
|---|---|---|
| web_search | First choice for discovery. Fast, structured. | — |
| browse | Sites needing JS rendering, SPAs. | Static APIs, structured search APIs. |
| auth_browse | Logged-in sessions only (LinkedIn, X, Gmail). | General browsing. Minimise actions — ban risk. |
| shell | REST APIs (HN Algolia, etc), file ops, data processing. | Web pages. Never curl for SPAs. |
Output format
For each prospect found, record:
- Source: where you found it
- Company/Role: what the opportunity is
- Location: geography/remote policy
- Date: when posted (must be ≤30 days)
- URL: direct link
- Fit notes: why it matches the user's profile
- Next action: what to do with this lead
Save results to a file when done. Summarize key findings.
What counts as a "prospect"
- Submitting a job application
- Sending a targeted message/email to a decision-maker
- Publishing content aimed at generating opportunity uptake
- Creating/updating profiles on relevant platforms
Direct conversation with a decision-maker > targeted application > content play > passive profile.
Lessons learned
See references/lessons-learned.md — updated after each test run.