{"id":"agent-job-reference-request-drafts","audience":"job-seekers","category":"agents","track":"agents","technique":"context","title":"Brief an assistant to draft reference requests the right way","free":false,"task":"You want an AI assistant to draft reference requests to former managers. Write its brief: write only to people who said yes to being a reference, use their current email, mention the role (Junior Data Analyst at Brightmoor Health) and that the recruiter will call by Nov 13, keep each under 70 words, and never send. Output exactly 3 numbered plain-text lines: one draft per reference in note order, then DONE.","materialLabel":"Your reference notes and actions (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"References - notes (Jordan Ellis)\n\n1. Maria Santos - my manager at Keystone Logistics (2022-2024). Said \"happy to be a reference anytime!\" at my goodbye lunch.\n   Old email: msantos@keystonelogistics.com (she left Keystone in June)\n   Current email: maria.santos@pinewoodfreight.com\n\n2. Greg Howell - supervisor at Allegheny Food Bank internship (2021). When I asked in March he said he's \"not comfortable giving references for interns.\"\n   Email: ghowell@alleghenyfood.org\n\n3. Tasha Bright - team lead at Keystone Logistics (2024-present). Said yes last week, prefers a heads-up text, but email is fine.\n   Email: tbright@keystonelogistics.com\n\nJob: Junior Data Analyst, Brightmoor Health. Recruiter Dana Kim will call references by Nov 13.\n\nAvailable actions:\ndraft_email(to, subject, body)\nsend_email(to, subject, body)\nDONE(summary)","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":220}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Only willing references","patterns":["said yes","agreed","willing","only"]},{"label":"Uses current emails","patterns":["current email","new email","old email"]},{"label":"Gives role and timing","patterns":["brightmoor","nov(ember)? 13","role"]},{"label":"Sets a length","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words"]},{"label":"Says draft, never send","patterns":["draft","never send","don'?t send"]}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Not showing the log format","why":"Left alone, the AI writes a friendly report with headings instead of a checkable action log.","fix":"Show it literally: \"Format every line like 1. ACTION: tool(args), then ASK_HUMAN: and DONE: lines. Plain text.\"","checks":["numberedItems","plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting and runs long, especially when it explains each step.","fix":"Cap each line instead: \"each line under 20 words, no explanations.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Writing to everyone","why":"The AI asks Greg too, and may use Maria's dead work email.","fix":"Add: \"Only people who said yes. Use their current email.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Leaving out the key details","why":"The AI writes a vague request, so references don't know what's coming.","fix":"Add: \"Name the role and company, and say the recruiter calls by Nov 13.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"No length or send rule","why":"The AI writes long notes and may send them.","fix":"Add: \"Each under 60 words. Draft only.\"","checks":["r2"]}],"hint":"Your notes say who agreed and where they are now. Tell the assistant to follow both, and what every reference needs to know.","rubricLabels":["Drafts go only to Maria Santos at maria.santos@pinewoodfreight.com (not her old Keystone email) and Tasha Bright, with none to Greg Howell","Each draft names the Junior Data Analyst role at Brightmoor Health and says the recruiter will call by Nov 13","Each body is under 70 words, and there is no send_email line"]}