Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Speaking agent skill to find paid conference slots
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The Speaking skill is an agent skill for Claude that finds and tracks paid speaking opportunities and conference calls for papers (CFPs) that match topics you define. It checks the conference and speaker pages you name, ranks what it finds by fit and how soon the deadline closes, and drafts talk and panel proposals for organizers. This guide covers what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it, and what it needs and touches on your machine.
Paid Speaking Opportunities Finderdanielmiessler/LifeOS · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 2Install Bun. Install Bun, the JavaScript runtime the checker script needs to run.
- 3Create Config.md. Create Config.md under your config root and fill in your topics, fee range, excluded events and sources. Follow Setup.md in the skill folder.
- 4Run a first find. Ask the agent to find speaking opportunities so it creates the opportunities list and adds new finds.
- 5Review by urgency. Ask where you should speak to see items bucketed as Immediate, High Priority or Worth Watching.
- 6Draft a proposal. Name a target event and ask for talk or panel proposals, then check the text before you send it to the organizer.
- 7Run the checker. Run the checker script to catch entries missing a deadline, contact or pay tier, or past-due items not archived.
What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?
An agent skill is a folder of instructions and optional scripts that an AI agent loads when your request matches the skill's trigger words. The Speaking skill is aimed at one job: keeping a running list of paid speaking gigs and CFPs that fit your topics, so you do not have to check dozens of CFP pages by hand.
Once installed, the agent can check conference and speaker pages you name, add new finds to an opportunities list, rank them by fit and urgency, and draft talk or panel proposals to send to organizers. A bundled checker script flags list entries that are missing a deadline, contact or pay tier, or that are past due and not archived.
- FindOpportunities: scrapes CFPs and monitors speaker pages, then updates the list.
- ShowOpportunities: analyzes fit, buckets items by urgency and returns recommendations with deadlines.
- ProposeTalks: drafts three talk abstracts and three panel topics for an organizer.
What the skill does not cover
The skill is explicitly limited to paid speaking and CFPs. It is not for media appearances, podcasts or general PR. Its sources are web pages that change, so deadlines and fees it reports must be checked manually before you rely on them.
How do you install the Speaking skill?
Download the ZIP of the skill from this page and unzip it into one of two places. For a personal setup, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
Alternatively, if you use the Claude apps, upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project only: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload
What do you need before it works?
The skill needs three things. The checker script runs on Bun, a JavaScript runtime, so Bun must be installed. The skill expects a LifeOS-style Claude config directory containing a Config.md file that you create during setup. And the agent needs web access to fetch conference and speaker pages.
- Bun (JavaScript runtime) to run the checker script
- A LifeOS-style Claude config directory with your own Config.md
- Web access to fetch conference and speaker pages
How do you set up Config.md?
Config.md holds your topics, fee range, excluded events, speaker record, signature talking points, the sources to monitor and the conferences by pay tier. The config root is $CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR when that variable is set, otherwise ~/.claude. The file lives at <configRoot>/LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Speaking/Config.md.
The skill will not guess. If Config.md is missing it stops and points you to Setup.md, and it never invents topics, fees or sources. Fill in your topics and sources yourself before the first run.
The opportunities list lives beside it at <configRoot>/LIFEOS/USER/CUSTOMIZATIONS/SKILLS/Speaking/Opportunities.md and is created on the first run if it is absent.
- ## Topics: the fit test for every intent
- ## Excluded events: never tracked or recommended
- ## Speaker pages to monitor and ## Conferences: your sources
- ## Fee range: used to judge pay tier
$CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIRHow do you trigger the skill with natural requests?
Ask in plain language. The skill responds to phrases such as 'find speaking opportunities' or 'update speaking list' to run FindOpportunities, 'show me opportunities' or 'where should I speak' to run ShowOpportunities, and 'propose talks' or 'panel topics' to run ProposeTalks.
- "Find speaking opportunities" runs FindOpportunities; new finds are added and expired ones archived.
- "Show me opportunities" runs ShowOpportunities; items are bucketed by urgency and fit.
- "Propose some talks for Example Engineering Summit" runs ProposeTalks for that event.
How do urgency windows work?
Every intent uses the same windows. Immediate (urgent) means the CFP closes within 14 days or is rolling. High Priority means it closes in 15 to 30 days. Worth Watching means it closes later or the CFP is not open yet. Items are ranked by days-to-close, soonest first.
- Immediate: closes within 14 days, or rolling
- High Priority: closes in 15-30 days
- Worth Watching: closes later, or CFP not yet open
How do you check the opportunities list?
The bundled checker reads the opportunities list and reports entries missing a close date, a URL or contact, or a pay tier, and past deadlines left outside the Archive. It supports --json, --today YYYY-MM-DD and an optional list path. Exit code 0 means clean, 1 means findings, and 2 means the file was unreadable.
bun skills/Speaking/Tools/CheckOpportunities.tsWhat people use it for
- Tracking CFP deadlines across several conferences so none close unnoticed.
- Getting ranked recommendations for where a consultant or founder should speak to build business.
- Drafting three talk abstracts and three panel topics for a named conference.
- Keeping a speaker's pipeline current for an agent or event contact managing their bookings.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Speaking skill free?
The source does not state a price or licence terms beyond the listed MIT licence for the repository. Check the LICENCE file in the repository for the terms that apply to you.
What do I need to install the Speaking skill?
You need Bun to run the checker script, a LifeOS-style Claude config directory with a Config.md file you create, and web access so the agent can fetch conference and speaker pages. Install it by unzipping into ~/.claude/skills/ or .claude/skills/, or by uploading it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the skill verify deadlines and fees?
No. The skill relies on changing web sources, and its files say deadlines and fees must be checked manually, so stale information is possible. Confirm each CFP close date and fee with the organizer before you act.
Can it find podcast or media interview opportunities?
No. The skill explicitly excludes podcasts, media appearances and general PR. It only tracks paid speaking slots and conference CFPs.
Will the skill guess my topics or sources?
No. It must not guess topics, fees or sources. If Config.md is missing it stops and points you to Setup.md, so you need to write your own topics and sources.
What is the difference between this and checking CFP pages by hand?
The skill keeps a running list, checks the sources you name, ranks items by fit and days to close, and drafts proposals. It does not replace your own judgement about whether a slot is worth taking.
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Our verdict
Use the Speaking skill if you already speak and want paid conference slots surfaced without tracking many CFP pages by hand, or if you manage a speaker's bookings. Skip it if you need podcasts or media work, or if you are not prepared to write your own Config.md topics and sources and verify deadlines and fees yourself.
Download the skill