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Compare cost per hire by recruiting source
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
You're deciding where to put next year's recruiting budget. One referral hire quit in week 2 and per policy doesn't count as a hire (his bonus was never paid). Write exactly 3 numbered lines, one per source, each as Source: $cost ÷ hires = $X per hire, then one unnumbered last line: Lowest: [source]. Plain text, under 60 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not mentioning the early quit. The AI counts Leo, so referrals look cheaper than they are. Try: Add: "Leo left in week 2; referrals had 3 hires."
- Not asking to see the work. Finance will want the math behind the request. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Job board: $3,600 ÷ 2 = $1,800 per hire"
- Getting opinions. The AI weighs the 'more polished' comment. Try: Add: "Use only the numbers. Then one line: Lowest: [source]."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each line: "each line under 12 words."
- Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a budget request. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Mentions the early quit
- Defines cost per hire
- Asks to show the math
- Sets a word limit
- Asks for plain text
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