Reply honestly to a candidate asking for a status update

About this exercise

Reply to Chidi in plain text, under 80 words. First line exactly: Subject: Re: Checking in. Be honest that there is no decision yet, give the date you expect to update him by, and say who to contact. Do not hint at his chances, mention other candidates or say the team is leaning one way. Last line exactly: Best, Lena Fischer. HR reviews before sending.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Hinting. The AI says 'the feedback was positive'. Try: Say: "Do not hint at his chances or share feedback."
• Vague timing. The AI says 'soon'. Try: Say: "Give the date you expect to update him by."
• Exact lines. The AI writes its own subject and sign-off. Try: Say: "First and last lines exactly as given."
• 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 15 words."
• Markdown. The AI bolds words or adds headings. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

• Exact lines
• Honest, no decision
• Date and contact
• No hints
• Word cap

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