Multi-step application process: 5-page workflow from email capture to confirmation
Email-based resume: Applicants receive a unique link to resume their application
Stateful sessions: Applications can be paused and resumed at any time
File uploads: Support for CV, cover letter, and other documents (up to 3 files, 4 MB each)
German interface: All user-facing content in German
File-based storage: No database required - uses YAML for data serialization
Accessible design: Minimal CSS, no JavaScript required, keyboard-friendly
Validation: Comprehensive server-side validation for all inputs

Application Workflow

Email Capture: User enters email and receives a resume link
Personal Information: Name, address, phone, birth year, etc.
Motivation Questions: Current job situation, motivation, qualifications, salary expectations
Document Upload: Upload up to 3 documents (CV, cover letter, etc.)
Confirmation: Success message with next steps

Technology Stack

Python 3
Flask 3.0.0
PyYAML for data serialization
Flask-Mail for email sending
Minimal CSS for styling
No JavaScript required

Installation

Prerequisites

Python 3.8 or higher
pip (Python package manager)

Setup Steps

Clone or download this repository

Create a virtual environment (recommended):

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

Install dependencies:
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

Configure environment variables:

Copy .env.example to .env:
```
cp .env.example .env
```

Edit .env and configure your settings:

SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key-here
MAIL_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_USE_TLS=True
MAIL_USERNAME=your-email@example.com
MAIL_PASSWORD=your-app-password
MAIL_DEFAULT_SENDER=noreply@example.com
COMPANY_NAME=Your Company Name

Email Configuration

For Gmail, you need to:

Enable 2-factor authentication on your Google account
Generate an "App Password" at https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords
Use the app password (not your regular password) in MAIL_PASSWORD

For other email providers, adjust MAIL_SERVER and MAIL_PORT accordingly.

Running the Application

Development Mode

python app.py

The application will run at http://127.0.0.1:5000

Production Deployment

For production, use a WSGI server like Gunicorn:

Install Gunicorn:
```
pip install gunicorn
```
Run with Gunicorn:
```
gunicorn -w 4 -b 0.0.0.0:8000 app:app
```
Use a reverse proxy (e.g., Nginx) in front of Gunicorn

Usage

Linking from Job Postings

Link to the application with a job parameter:

https://your-domain.com/apply?job=JuniorMarketingAssistant

The job parameter will be displayed throughout the application and stored with the application data.

Resume Functionality

When applicants enter their email, they receive a link like:

https://your-domain.com/resume/{session-id}

This link allows them to resume their application at any time.

File Structure

.
├── app.py                    # Main Flask application
├── config.py                 # Configuration settings
├── requirements.txt          # Python dependencies
├── .env.example             # Example environment variables
├── README.md                # This file
├── templates/               # HTML templates
│   ├── base.html
│   ├── page1_email.html
│   ├── page2_personal.html
│   ├── page3_motivation.html
│   ├── page4_upload.html
│   └── page5_confirmation.html
├── static/                  # Static files
│   └── style.css
└── applications/            # Application data (created automatically)
    └── {session-id}/
        ├── data.yaml
        └── attachments/

Data Storage

Each application is stored in its own folder under ./applications/{session-id}/:

data.yaml: Application data (personal info, answers, metadata)
attachments/: Uploaded documents

Example data.yaml structure:

session_id: "abc123-def456-..."
email: "applicant@example.com"
job_name: "Junior Marketing Assistant"
current_page: 4
created_at: "2025-01-15T10:30:00"
updated_at: "2025-01-15T11:45:00"
personal_info:
  name: "Müller"
  firstname: "Anna"
  address: "Hauptstrasse 123"
  zip_code: "8001"
  city: "Zürich"
  phone: "+41 79 123 45 67"
  birth_year: "1990"
  civil_status: "ledig"
motivation_answers:
  current_job: "..."
  motivation: "..."
  qualifications: "..."
  salary: "..."
uploaded_files:
  - original_name: "CV.pdf"
    stored_name: "20250115_103000_CV.pdf"
    uploaded_at: "2025-01-15T10:30:00"
    size: 1048576

Validation Rules

Email (Page 1)

Valid email format required

Personal Information (Page 2)

Name: Required, max 255 characters
Firstname: Required, max 255 characters
Address: Required, max 255 characters
ZIP Code: Required, numeric, max 10 digits
City: Required, max 255 characters
Phone: Required, international format (e.g., +41 79 123 45 67)
Birth Year: Required, 4 digits, between 1940 and 2010
Civil Status: Optional, max 255 characters

Motivation (Page 3)

All fields optional
Each textarea limited to 3000 characters (~1 A4 page)

File Upload (Page 4)

Maximum 3 files
Maximum 4 MB per file
Allowed formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, JPG, JPEG, PNG

Security Considerations

Session IDs use cryptographically secure UUIDs
File uploads are validated for size and type
Filenames are sanitized to prevent path traversal
All validation is server-side
Email configuration uses environment variables

Customization

Changing Text Limits

Edit config.py:

MAX_STRING_LENGTH = 255
MAX_TEXT_AREA_LENGTH = 3000
MAX_FILE_SIZE = 4 * 1024 * 1024  # 4 MB
MAX_FILES = 3

Changing Allowed File Types

Edit config.py:

ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS = {'pdf', 'doc', 'docx', 'txt', 'jpg', 'jpeg', 'png'}

Translating to Another Language

Edit all templates in ./templates/ - they contain German text that can be translated.

Troubleshooting

Email not sending

Check your email credentials in .env
For Gmail, ensure you're using an app password, not your regular password
Check that MAIL_USE_TLS is set correctly for your email provider
Check application logs for error messages

File upload errors

Ensure the ./applications/ folder is writable
Check file size limits in your web server configuration
Verify allowed file extensions in config.py

Session not resuming

Check that the ./applications/{session-id}/ folder exists
Verify that data.yaml is valid YAML format
Check application logs for errors

License

This project is provided as-is for use in job application processes.

Support

For issues or questions, please contact your system administrator.