AI Career Coach

A full-stack AI-powered career coaching platform built with Next.js, featuring resume building, cover letter generation, interview preparation, and industry insights.

Features

• AI-Powered Career Guidance: Personalized career advice using advanced AI technology
• Smart Resume Creation: Generate ATS-optimized resumes with AI assistance and scoring
• Cover Letter Generation: Create compelling cover letters tailored to job descriptions
• Interview Preparation: Practice with role-specific questions, get instant feedback, and track performance
• Industry Insights: Real-time industry trends, salary data, and market analysis
• User Dashboard: Comprehensive dashboard to track progress and manage career documents
• Onboarding Process: Professional onboarding to personalize user experience
• Authentication: Secure authentication using Clerk

Tech Stack

• Frontend: Next.js 15, React 19, Tailwind CSS, Shadcn UI
• Backend: Next.js API Routes, Server Actions
• Database: PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM (hosted on Neon)
• Authentication: Clerk
• AI: Google Gemini API
• Background Jobs: Inngest
• Styling: Tailwind CSS with custom components
• Icons: Lucide React
• Charts: Recharts
• Forms: React Hook Form with Zod validation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• npm or yarn
• PostgreSQL database (Neon recommended)
• Clerk account for authentication
• Google Gemini API key

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd ai-career-coach

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up the database:

   • Create a Neon PostgreSQL database
   • Run Prisma migrations:

     npx prisma migrate deploy

4. Generate Prisma client:

   npx prisma generate

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory with the following variables:

DATABASE_URL=postgresql://username:password@host:port/database

NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY=your_clerk_publishable_key
CLERK_SECRET_KEY=your_clerk_secret_key

NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_IN_URL=/sign-in
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_UP_URL=/sign-up
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_IN_URL=/onboarding
NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_UP_URL=/onboarding

GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key

Environment Variable Explanations

• DATABASE_URL: Connection string for your PostgreSQL database (Neon format)
• NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_PUBLISHABLE_KEY: Public key from your Clerk application
• CLERK_SECRET_KEY: Secret key from your Clerk application
• NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_IN_URL: URL for sign-in page
• NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_SIGN_UP_URL: URL for sign-up page
• NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_IN_URL: Redirect URL after sign-in
• NEXT_PUBLIC_CLERK_AFTER_SIGN_UP_URL: Redirect URL after sign-up
• GEMINI_API_KEY: API key for Google Gemini AI

Database Setup

The application uses Prisma with PostgreSQL. The schema includes the following models:

• User: User profiles with skills, experience, and industry
• Resume: User resumes with ATS scoring and feedback
• CoverLetter: Generated cover letters for job applications
• Assessment: Interview quiz results and performance tracking
• IndustryInsight: Industry trends, salary data, and market analysis

To set up the database:

1. Ensure your DATABASE_URL is set in .env
2. Run migrations:

   npx prisma migrate deploy

3. Generate the Prisma client:

   npx prisma generate

Running the Application

1. Start the development server:

   npm run dev

2. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser

3. For production build:

   npm run build
   npm start

Usage

1. Sign Up/Sign In: Create an account or sign in using Clerk authentication
2. Onboarding: Complete your professional profile with industry and skills
3. Dashboard: View your career progress and access all features
4. Resume Builder: Create and optimize your resume with AI assistance
5. Cover Letter Generator: Generate tailored cover letters for job applications
6. Interview Preparation: Take practice quizzes and track your performance
7. Industry Insights: Explore market trends and salary information

API Routes

The application includes several API routes for background processing:

• /api/inngest: Inngest webhook for background jobs (industry insights generation)

Background Jobs

• Industry Insights Generation: Runs weekly to update industry trends and salary data using AI

Project Structure

ai-career-coach/
├── app/                    # Next.js app directory
│   ├── (auth)/            # Authentication pages
│   ├── (main)/            # Main application pages
│   │   ├── dashboard/     # User dashboard
│   │   ├── resume/        # Resume builder
│   │   ├── interview/     # Interview preparation
│   │   └── ai-cover-letter/ # Cover letter generator
│   └── api/               # API routes
├── components/            # Reusable UI components
├── lib/                   # Utility functions and configurations
├── prisma/                # Database schema and migrations
├── actions/               # Server actions
├── data/                  # Static data files
└── public/                # Static assets

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Run tests and linting:

   npm run lint

5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is intended solely for academic and research purposes.

Acknowledgments

• UI components from Shadcn UI
• Icons from Lucide React
• AI powered by Google Gemini

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Build with ❤️ by Jagrat Agrawal