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Estimate this year's cost of two open roles
Practice: Giving the right context. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Finance wants this year's cost for your two open roles. Use salary x 1.25 for benefits and taxes, prorated by the months each person will work this fiscal year (which ends Dec 31). Write exactly 2 numbered lines, each as Role: salary x 1.25 x months ÷ 12 = $X, then one unnumbered last line: Total: $X. Plain text, under 60 words.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Not giving the load and proration. The AI reports full-year salaries, or uses last year's 1.2. Try: Add: "Salary x 1.25, prorated by months worked this year."
- Not asking to see the work. Finance will check the months. Try: Add a line to copy: "1. Analyst: $60,000 x 1.25 x 9 ÷ 12 = $56,250"
- Leaving the ending open. The AI adds hiring advice. Try: Add: "Last line: Total: $X. Nothing else."
- 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 14 words."
- Forgetting where it goes. AI loves markdown tables and bold, which show up as clutter in a finance email. Try: Add: "Plain text, no bold, headings or tables."
What a strong prompt includes
- Gives the load
- Prorates by months
- Asks to show the math
- Sets a word limit
- Asks for plain text
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