diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4e974a1..4bef434 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,12 +28,14 @@ AI-powered talent profile search using natural language. CLI tool with interacti
 
 - [Bun](https://bun.sh/) v1.3+
 
-### Install from npm
+### Install and run
 
 ```bash
-npm install -g talent-agent
+npm install -g talent-agent && talent-agent
 ```
 
+This installs the CLI globally and launches the interactive TUI. If Bun is not installed, you will be prompted to install it.
+
 Or run without installing:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/scripts/postinstall.js b/scripts/postinstall.js
index 66e2682..5187000 100644
--- a/scripts/postinstall.js
+++ b/scripts/postinstall.js
@@ -10,6 +10,27 @@
  */
 
 import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { openSync, writeSync, closeSync } from "node:fs";
+
+// npm v7+ suppresses all lifecycle script stdout/stderr for successful
+// scripts.  Writing directly to /dev/tty bypasses that capture and
+// prints straight to the user's terminal.  Falls back to stderr when
+// /dev/tty is unavailable (CI, Docker, non-interactive shells).
+let ttyFd;
+try {
+  ttyFd = openSync("/dev/tty", "w");
+} catch {
+  // /dev/tty not available -- fall back to stderr
+}
+
+const log = (msg = "") => {
+  const line = msg + "\n";
+  if (ttyFd !== undefined) {
+    writeSync(ttyFd, line);
+  } else {
+    process.stderr.write(line);
+  }
+};
 
 let hasBun = false;
 try {
@@ -19,19 +40,23 @@ try {
   // bun not found -- warn below
 }
 
-console.log("");
-console.log("  talent-agent installed successfully!");
-console.log("");
+log();
+log("  talent-agent installed successfully!");
+log();
 
 if (!hasBun) {
-  console.log("  Bun runtime is required but was not found.");
-  console.log("  Install it:  curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash");
-  console.log("  Then restart your terminal (or run: source ~/.bashrc)");
-  console.log("");
+  log("  Bun runtime is required but was not found.");
+  log("  Install it:  curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash");
+  log("  Then restart your terminal (or run: source ~/.bashrc)");
+  log();
 }
 
-console.log("  Get started:");
-console.log("    talent-agent login           Authenticate");
-console.log('    talent-agent "Find devs"     Search for talent');
-console.log("    talent-agent --help          Show all options");
-console.log("");
+log("  Get started:");
+log("    talent-agent login           Authenticate");
+log('    talent-agent "Find devs"     Search for talent');
+log("    talent-agent --help          Show all options");
+log();
+
+if (ttyFd !== undefined) {
+  closeSync(ttyFd);
+}
diff --git a/test/postinstall.test.ts b/test/postinstall.test.ts
index ecdab5a..5e732ed 100644
--- a/test/postinstall.test.ts
+++ b/test/postinstall.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * Runs the script via `node` as a subprocess to verify its output,
  * matching how npm would execute it after `npm install`.
  */
-import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { execFileSync, spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { dirname, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
@@ -25,29 +25,33 @@ function pathWithoutBun(): string {
 
 /**
  * Helper to run the postinstall script and capture output.
+ *
+ * The script writes to /dev/tty (bypasses npm's stdio suppression) with
+ * a fallback to stderr.  In tests we force the fallback by setting
+ * FORCE_STDERR=1, which doesn't exist in the script -- instead we
+ * redirect /dev/tty writes by running without a controlling terminal.
+ * The simplest reliable approach: pipe the child's stdio so /dev/tty
+ * open fails, triggering the stderr fallback that we CAN capture.
  */
 function runPostinstall(env?: Record<string, string>): {
-  stdout: string;
-  stderr: string;
+  output: string;
   exitCode: number;
 } {
-  try {
-    const stdout = execFileSync("node", [SCRIPT_PATH], {
-      env: {
-        ...process.env,
-        ...env,
-      },
-      encoding: "utf-8",
-      timeout: 10000,
-    });
-    return { stdout, stderr: "", exitCode: 0 };
-  } catch (error: any) {
-    return {
-      stdout: error.stdout ?? "",
-      stderr: error.stderr ?? "",
-      exitCode: error.status ?? 1,
-    };
-  }
+  const result = spawnSync("node", [SCRIPT_PATH], {
+    env: {
+      ...process.env,
+      ...env,
+    },
+    encoding: "utf-8",
+    timeout: 10000,
+    // Piping stdio detaches the child from the controlling terminal,
+    // so openSync("/dev/tty") falls back to stderr which we capture.
+    stdio: ["pipe", "pipe", "pipe"],
+  });
+  return {
+    output: (result.stdout ?? "") + (result.stderr ?? ""),
+    exitCode: result.status ?? 1,
+  };
 }
 
 describe("scripts/postinstall.js", () => {
@@ -58,31 +62,31 @@ describe("scripts/postinstall.js", () => {
   });
 
   it("prints the success message", () => {
-    const { stdout } = runPostinstall();
+    const { output } = runPostinstall();
 
-    expect(stdout).toContain("talent-agent installed successfully!");
+    expect(output).toContain("talent-agent installed successfully!");
   });
 
   it("prints getting-started instructions", () => {
-    const { stdout } = runPostinstall();
+    const { output } = runPostinstall();
 
-    expect(stdout).toContain("talent-agent login");
-    expect(stdout).toContain("talent-agent --help");
-    expect(stdout).toContain("Get started:");
+    expect(output).toContain("talent-agent login");
+    expect(output).toContain("talent-agent --help");
+    expect(output).toContain("Get started:");
   });
 
   it("does not show the bun warning when bun is available", () => {
-    const { stdout } = runPostinstall();
+    const { output } = runPostinstall();
 
     // bun is available in this dev environment
-    expect(stdout).not.toContain("Bun runtime is required but was not found");
+    expect(output).not.toContain("Bun runtime is required but was not found");
   });
 
   it("shows the bun warning when bun is not on PATH", () => {
-    const { stdout } = runPostinstall({ PATH: pathWithoutBun() });
+    const { output } = runPostinstall({ PATH: pathWithoutBun() });
 
-    expect(stdout).toContain("Bun runtime is required but was not found");
-    expect(stdout).toContain("curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash");
-    expect(stdout).toContain("restart your terminal");
+    expect(output).toContain("Bun runtime is required but was not found");
+    expect(output).toContain("curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash");
+    expect(output).toContain("restart your terminal");
   });
 });