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Decide between a hire and a contractor with the cost math shown

  • For Small business owners
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Intermediate

About this exercise

You run a 6-person marketing agency and must decide how to cover 20 hours a week of design work for 12 months. Write a plain-text memo under 150 words with: a first line Recommend: hire or contractor; two lines showing the 12-month cost of each option as a calculation; one line with the biggest risk of your pick; one line with what would change your mind. Use only the notes, include no tax or legal conclusions.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Skipping the math. The AI compares options without totals. Try: Say: "Show each 12-month cost as a calculation."
  • Legal conclusions. The AI says contractors are legally fine or not. Try: Say: "Don't conclude anything about tax or law; flag for the lawyer."
  • Hedging. The AI says 'it depends' with no pick. Try: Say: "First line: Recommend: and one option."
  • Markdown. The AI makes a table. Try: Say: "Plain text."
  • 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 30 words."
  • 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 part instead, for example: "each line under 12 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Recommendation first
  • Math
  • Risk and change-mind
  • No legal
  • Plain text

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