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Brief an assistant to update your job tracker from new emails

  • For Job seekers
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

You want an AI assistant to update your job application tracker from this week's emails. Write its brief: use only the statuses Applied, Interview, Offer, Rejected and Ghosted (Ghosted means still Applied with 30 or more days since last contact), never add a company you haven't applied to (ask you instead), and never delete rows. Output exactly 7 numbered plain-text lines: one update_row per changed company in table order, an ASK_HUMAN line, then DONE.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not showing the log format. Left alone, the AI writes a friendly report with headings instead of a checkable action log. Try: Show it literally: "Format every line like 1. ACTION: tool(args), then ASK_HUMAN: and DONE: lines. Plain text."
  • No fixed statuses. The AI writes its own labels like "Interview requested" or "Offer pending", which break your filters. Try: Say: "Use only Applied, Interview, Offer, Rejected, Ghosted."
  • Not defining Ghosted. The AI has no rule for silence, so stale applications stay Applied forever. Try: Add: "Ghosted = still Applied with 30+ days since last contact."
  • Letting it add or delete. The AI adds the recruiter's company as if you'd applied, or tidies by deleting rejections. Try: Add: "Never add or delete rows. Ask me about companies not in the tracker."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Fixes the statuses
  • Defines Ghosted
  • Forbids adding or deleting
  • Makes it ask before anything risky
  • Shows the action-log format

Practice this now ↑

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