linkedin-job-auto-apply

LinkedIn Job Application Automation Skill

This skill enables automated job applications on LinkedIn using Playwright MCP browser automation tools with intelligent target-based execution and real-time keyboard controls.

Specialized Agents

This skill is backed by three specialist agents. Invoke them for deeper help:

Agent	File	When to Use
Strategy Agent	skills/agents/strategy-agent/SKILL.md	Filter jobs by relevance, blocklist, seniority, session budget
Automation Agent	skills/agents/automation-agent/SKILL.md	Timing, retry logic, rate limiting, anti-detection
Web Structure Agent	skills/agents/web-structure-agent/SKILL.md	Broken selectors, LinkedIn DOM changes, lazy loading
QA Agent	skills/agents/qa-agent/SKILL.md	Verify submissions, validate results, session reports

Orchestrated Run Order

1. QA Agent       → preFlightCheck(page)         # must PASS — abort if it fails
2. Strategy Agent → filterJobs(jobs, prefs)       # score & filter before applying
3. [run automation with filtered job list]
   └─ per-job: QA Agent → verifyApplicationSuccess()
4. QA Agent       → generateReport()             # end-of-session PASS/WARN/FAIL

Escalation during run:

• Selectors return 0 results → Web Structure Agent (selector update)
• High failure rate or detected → Automation Agent (timing / retry review)
• Applying to irrelevant jobs → Strategy Agent (tighten filters)
• Unsure if applications went through → QA Agent (verification)

userProfile — Configure Before Running

Set personal values to avoid detectable generic placeholders:

const userProfile = {
  phone: '+1-555-000-0000',                         // your real phone
  linkedinUrl: 'https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourhandle',
  city: 'San Francisco',
  zip: '94105',
  yearsExp: 5
};

await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  targetApplications: 20,
  searchKeywords: 'software engineer',
  userProfile  // pass here
});

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Daily job hunting: Apply to Easy Apply jobs automatically
• Target-based applications: Stop exactly when you reach N applications
• Efficient batch processing: Apply from search results
• Controlled automation: Need pause/resume/quit controls during execution
• Scale applications: Apply to dozens or hundreds of jobs efficiently
• Resume from interruption: Continue from specific page after breaks

Script Files

This skill includes ready-to-use JavaScript files:

• autoApplyLinkedInJobs.js - Main automation with target-based execution and keyboard controls
• applySingleJob.js - Helper functions for single job application and listing
• README.md - Script documentation and usage guide

Simply copy/paste the functions into your Playwright MCP code block to use them.

Prerequisites

Before using this skill, ensure:

• User is logged in to their LinkedIn account
• Resume is uploaded to LinkedIn
• Profile is complete and up-to-date
• Playwright MCP tools are available
• Stable internet connection

Installation

Claude Code Marketplace (Recommended)

claude

# Add to marketplace
/plugin marketplace add jerryliu/linkedin-skill

# Install the skill
/plugin install linkedin-job-auto-apply

# Use the skill
/linkedin-job-auto-apply

Local Development

For testing local modifications:

# Add local marketplace
/plugin marketplace add /path/to/linkedin-skill

# Install from local source
/plugin install linkedin-job-auto-apply@local

Usage Modes

Mode 1: Single Job Application (Manual Testing)

Use this for testing or applying to one job at a time. Perfect for verifying the automation works before running batch jobs.

Implementation:

Helper functions are available in applySingleJob.js.

Quick Usage:

// Copy/paste the functions from applySingleJob.js, then:

// Step 1: Navigate to search page
await page.goto('https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?keywords=software%20engineer&location=United%20States&f_AL=true');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

// Step 2: List available Easy Apply jobs
const jobs = await listJobs(page);
console.log('Available Easy Apply jobs:', jobs);
// Output: [{ index: 0, title: "Software Engineer", company: "...", hasEasyApply: true }, ...]

// Step 3: Apply to first job (index 0)
const result = await applySingleJob(page, 0);
console.log(result);
// Output: { status: 'success', job: {...}, finalUrl: '...' }

// Step 4: Apply to another job (index 2)
const result2 = await applySingleJob(page, 2);

Returns:

{
  status: 'success' | 'failed' | 'skipped' | 'error',
  job: {
    title: "Software Engineer",
    company: "Tech Company",
    location: "San Francisco, CA",
    hasEasyApply: true
  },
  finalUrl: "https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/..."
}

💡 Tip: Always test with Mode 1 (single job) before running batch automation to verify the flow works correctly.

Mode 2: Target-Based Automation with Keyboard Controls

Use this for applying to jobs with real-time keyboard controls and target-based stopping.

Features:

• Press P to PAUSE automation
• Press R to RESUME automation
• Press Q to QUIT automation
• Stops automatically when target number of applications is reached
• On-page status indicator showing progress
• Efficient Easy Apply automation

Configuration:

const options = {
  startPage: 1,               // Starting page number
  targetApplications: 20,     // Target number of successful applications
  maxPages: 20,              // Maximum number of pages to search
  searchKeywords: 'software engineer',  // Job search keywords
  location: 'United States',  // Job location
  easyApplyOnly: true        // Only apply to Easy Apply jobs
};

Implementation:

The complete automation function is available in autoApplyLinkedInJobs.js.

Quick Usage:

// Copy/paste the function from autoApplyLinkedInJobs.js, then run:

// Basic: Apply to 20 Easy Apply jobs
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, { targetApplications: 20 });

// Advanced: Custom configuration
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  startPage: 1,              // Start from page 1
  targetApplications: 50,    // Target 50 applications
  maxPages: 30,              // Search up to 30 pages
  searchKeywords: 'backend developer',
  location: 'San Francisco Bay Area',
  easyApplyOnly: true
});

// While running, use keyboard controls:
// - Press P to pause
// - Press R to resume
// - Press Q to quit gracefully

Returns:

{
  successful: 15,     // Number of successful applications
  failed: 2,          // Number of failed applications
  skipped: 10,        // Number of skipped (already applied)
  pages: [            // Per-page details
    { pageNumber: 1, successful: 8, failed: 1, skipped: 5 },
    { pageNumber: 2, successful: 7, failed: 1, skipped: 5 }
  ]
}

💡 Tip: For full implementation details, see autoApplyLinkedInJobs.js. The script includes comprehensive error handling, keyboard controls, and status indicator setup.

Configuration Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
startPage	number	1	Starting page number for job search
targetApplications	number	20	Target number of successful applications (stops when reached)
maxPages	number	20	Maximum number of pages to search
searchKeywords	string	'software engineer'	Job search keywords
location	string	'United States'	Job location
easyApplyOnly	boolean	true	Only apply to Easy Apply jobs
delayMin	number	2000	Minimum delay between applications (ms)
delayMax	number	4000	Maximum delay between applications (ms)

Key Features

✨ Easy Apply Support

• Focuses on LinkedIn's Easy Apply feature
• Automatically handles simple application flows
• Skips complex applications requiring additional steps

✨ Target-Based Execution

• Stops automatically when target number of successful applications is reached
• Precise control - won't waste time processing unnecessary jobs
• Example: Target 20 applications = exactly 20 successful submissions

⌨️ Real-Time Keyboard Controls

• P = Pause automation (take a break, check results)
• R = Resume automation (continue from where you paused)
• Q = Quit automation (graceful exit with results summary)

📊 On-Page Status Indicator

• Always visible progress box on page
• Shows: Current progress (e.g., "Applications: 5/20")
• Color-coded: Green (running), Orange (paused), Blue (completed)

🎯 Smart Filtering

• Skip already applied jobs: Detects jobs already applied to
• Easy Apply detection: Only processes Easy Apply jobs (configurable)
• Human-like delays: 2-4 seconds between applications (avoids detection)
• Robust error handling: Continues on failures

Safety Features

• Skip already applied jobs: Saves time and avoids duplicate applications
• Easy Apply filtering: Focus on simple, one-click applications
• Human-like random delays: 2-4 seconds between applications (avoids detection)
• Graceful error handling: One failure doesn't stop the entire process
• Tab cleanup: Always closes application tabs, even on errors
• Target-based stopping: Prevents runaway execution
• Real-time monitoring: Detailed console output and on-page status
• Keyboard interrupt: Press Q anytime to gracefully quit

Technical Implementation Details

Critical Selectors (LinkedIn-Specific)

// Easy Apply button
'button[aria-label*="Easy Apply"]'
'button:has-text("Easy Apply")'

// Job cards
'.job-card-container'
'.jobs-search-results__list-item'

// Already applied indicator
'text=Applied'
'.job-card-container__footer-item'

// Submit button in Easy Apply modal
'button[aria-label="Submit application"]'
'button:has-text("Submit")'

// Next button in multi-step Easy Apply
'button[aria-label="Continue to next step"]'
'button:has-text("Next")'

Application Flow Pattern

1. Stay on search results page - Process jobs from list
2. Check for Easy Apply badge - Filter for Easy Apply jobs only
3. Check for already-applied - Look for "Applied" indicator (fast skip)
4. Click Easy Apply button - Opens modal (not new tab)
5. Handle application modal - May be single-step or multi-step
6. Submit application - Click Submit button
7. Verify success - Check for confirmation message
8. Close modal - Return to search results

Timing Strategy (Optimized)

// After navigation
await page.waitForTimeout(3000);  // Let page and jobs load

// After clicking Easy Apply
await page.waitForTimeout(2000);  // Let modal open

// After each form step
await page.waitForTimeout(1500);  // Let next step load

// After submit
await page.waitForTimeout(2500);  // Let confirmation show

// Between jobs (human-like)
const delay = 2000 + Math.random() * 2000;  // 2-4 seconds random

Success Verification

// ✅ RELIABLE - Check for confirmation message
const successIndicator = await page.locator('text=Application sent').isVisible();
if (successIndicator) {
  // Confirmed success
}

// ✅ RELIABLE - Check modal is closed
const modalClosed = await page.locator('[role="dialog"]').count() === 0;

Limitations

• Easy Apply only: Cannot handle complex applications requiring cover letters, assessments, or multi-page forms
• Cannot handle CAPTCHA: Must be solved manually if encountered
• Cannot handle custom questions: May skip jobs with additional required questions
• Requires browser open: Browser must stay open during execution
• User must be logged in: Must be logged in before starting
• Rate limits: LinkedIn may impose rate limits on automated actions

Troubleshooting

Problem: "Easy Apply button not found"

Solution: Verify user is logged in and ensure you're filtering for Easy Apply jobs only

Problem: Applications failing

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection
2. Verify account status (LinkedIn may flag automated behavior)
3. Increase delays between jobs
4. Test with manual single job application first
5. Check for CAPTCHA or security challenges

Problem: Script stops unexpectedly

Solutions:

1. Check console for errors
2. Verify page structure hasn't changed
3. Try reducing maxPages value
4. Resume from last successful page
5. Check for LinkedIn security measures

Problem: "Already applied" not detected

Solution: LinkedIn may have changed the indicator text or structure - verify the selector

Best Practices

Before Running

• Test with 1-2 jobs manually first
• Verify resume and profile are complete
• Check search criteria match your skills
• Ensure stable internet connection
• Review LinkedIn's acceptable use policies

During Execution

• Monitor first few applications
• Be ready to stop if errors occur
• Don't interfere with browser while running
• Watch for CAPTCHA or security challenges

After Completion

• Verify successful applications in LinkedIn account
• Check email for confirmation/interview invites
• Review any failed applications
• Take breaks between automation sessions

Legal & Ethical Usage

Important: This tool is for educational and personal productivity purposes only.

• Only apply to jobs you're genuinely interested in and qualified for
• Do not spam applications
• Respect rate limits and server load
• Use responsibly and in accordance with LinkedIn Terms of Service
• Recommended maximum: 20-50 jobs per session
• Take breaks between sessions (several hours minimum)
• Be aware that excessive automation may result in account restrictions

Example Workflows

Workflow 1: Quick Daily Job Hunt (Recommended)

Apply to 20 Easy Apply jobs starting from page 1, with keyboard controls available.

// Most common use case - apply to 20 jobs
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  targetApplications: 20,
  searchKeywords: 'software engineer',
  location: 'United States'
});

// While running:
// - Press P to pause (take a break)
// - Press R to resume
// - Press Q to quit gracefully

Workflow 2: Targeted Job Search

Target specific job types and locations.

// Backend developer positions in Bay Area
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  targetApplications: 30,
  maxPages: 20,
  searchKeywords: 'backend developer python',
  location: 'San Francisco Bay Area',
  easyApplyOnly: true
});

Workflow 3: Resume from Specific Page

If you've already processed pages 1-5, start from page 6.

// Continue from page 6
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  startPage: 6,
  targetApplications: 20,
  maxPages: 15
});

Workflow 4: Conservative Approach

Use longer delays to be more cautious.

// Slower, more conservative automation
await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, {
  targetApplications: 15,
  delayMin: 4000,  // 4 seconds minimum
  delayMax: 7000   // 7 seconds maximum
});

Workflow 5: Testing with Single Job

Test the automation with Mode 1 (single job) first before batch processing.

// Navigate to search page
await page.goto('https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?keywords=software%20engineer&f_AL=true');
await page.waitForTimeout(3000);

// List available jobs
const jobs = await listJobs(page);
console.log(`Found ${jobs.length} Easy Apply jobs`);

// Apply to first job (index 0) using Mode 1
const result = await applySingleJob(page, 0);
console.log('Test result:', result);

// If successful, run batch automation
if (result.status === 'success') {
  await autoApplyLinkedInJobs(page, { targetApplications: 20 });
}

Technical Notes

Browser Automation

• Uses Playwright MCP tools for browser control
• Handles modal management (opening/closing Easy Apply modals)
• Implements wait times for page loads and DOM updates

Job Detection

• Identifies Easy Apply jobs using LinkedIn-specific selectors
• Filters out already applied jobs
• Excludes non-Easy Apply positions (if configured)

Application Flow

1. Navigate to LinkedIn job search results
2. Extract Easy Apply job listings
3. For each job:
   • Check if already applied
   • Click Easy Apply button
   • Wait for modal to open
   • Handle single-step or multi-step application
   • Submit application
   • Verify success message
   • Close modal
4. Move to next page and repeat

Error Recovery

• Try-catch blocks around each job application
• Continues to next job if one fails
• Cleans up modals even on errors
• Provides detailed error messages

What Makes This Skill Different?

This skill is specifically designed for LinkedIn's unique application system:

Key Improvements

1. Easy Apply Focus ⭐

   • Optimized for LinkedIn's Easy Apply feature
   • Handles single-click applications efficiently
   • Skips complex multi-step applications

2. Modal Management ⭐

   • LinkedIn uses modals, not new tabs
   • Proper modal handling and cleanup
   • Works with both simple and multi-step modals

3. Smart Job Filtering ⭐

   • Detects Easy Apply badge before clicking
   • Identifies already-applied jobs
   • Filters by location, keywords, etc.

4. LinkedIn-Specific Selectors ⭐

   • Uses LinkedIn's ARIA labels and semantic HTML
   • Adapts to LinkedIn's dynamic content loading
   • Handles LinkedIn's infinite scroll

5. Keyboard Controls ⭐

   • Pause/Resume/Quit anytime with P/R/Q keys
   • Full control during automation
   • Safe interruption mechanism

6. Target-Based Execution ⭐

   • Stop exactly when you reach your target
   • No wasted time
   • Precise control

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Remember: Use this skill responsibly for genuine job applications to suitable positions. Quality matters more than quantity. Be aware of LinkedIn's terms of service and use automation sparingly to avoid account restrictions.