Pull only firsthand statements from reference check notes

About this exercise

You finished reference calls for a warehouse supervisor candidate and need statements for the hiring file. You want exactly 3 numbered lines, each a firsthand observation (something the reference saw directly), under 15 words, ending with who said it in parentheses. Skip secondhand comments and opinions about the candidate's personal life, plain text, nothing else.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Not defining firsthand. The AI treats every comment as evidence, including things a reference only heard. Try: Say: "Only things the reference saw directly."
• Including personal life. A comment about the candidate's divorce is in the notes and shouldn't go in a hiring file. Try: Add: "Skip secondhand and personal comments."
• Not saying who said it. A hiring file needs each statement tied to a reference. Try: Show it: "End each line with the name, like (Karen Wu)."
• Not saying how many. The AI decides the length itself and usually returns more statements than you can use. Try: Be exact: "exactly 3 numbered statements."
• Getting markdown back. AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in the hiring file. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

• Asks for firsthand only
• Skips secondhand and personal
• Asks who said it
• Says exactly how many
• Asks for plain text

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