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Thank someone for an informational interview and report back

  • For College students
  • You practice Giving the right context
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

You had a 20-minute informational call with a product designer. Get a thank-you email under 90 words, plain text, that names two pieces of her advice and says what you've already done about one of them: you signed up for the campus UX club yesterday, which she doesn't know. Don't ask for a job or referral, and sign off exactly "Thanks again, Imani Brooks".

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Not reporting back. The AI only knows your notes, so it can't say you already joined a club. Try: Add: "Say I signed up for the campus UX club yesterday."
  • Getting a vague thank-you. AI thank-yous say 'your insights were so valuable' without naming any. Try: Add: "Name two pieces of her advice."
  • Slipping in an internship ask. Because she mentioned interns, the AI may ask about them. Try: Add: "Don't ask about internships or referrals. End with: Thanks again, Imani Brooks"
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each part: "4 sentences, each under 16 words."
  • Forgetting where it's going. AI adds bold and headings that show up as stray symbols in an email. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Reports what you did
  • Names her advice
  • Rules out a job ask
  • Gives the sign-off
  • Sets a length limit

Practice this now ↑

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