Compare three salary sources before you name a number

About this exercise

You're applying for a Marketing Coordinator job in Denver and saved 3 salary sources. You want exactly 3 numbered lines, one per source, each with its range, year and location, then one final line starting "Best fit:" that names the most relevant source and why in under 20 words. Use only the numbers in your notes, and don't give negotiation advice. Plain text.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Asking what to ask for. The AI jumps to a negotiation pep talk and a number, mixing in its own salary guesses. Try: Say: "Compare only my 3 sources. No negotiation advice."
• Ignoring dates and location. The AI treats every source as equal, so a 2021 national guide counts as much as current Denver data. Try: Add: "Give each source's year and location, and pick the best fit on those."
• Letting hearsay in. Your friend's "like 70k" is in your notes, and the AI may treat it as a fourth source. Try: Say: "Use only the 3 named sources."
• Not saying how many. The AI decides the length itself and usually returns more lines, one per source than you can use. Try: Be exact: "exactly 3 numbered lines, one per source."
• Getting markdown back. AI defaults to bold labels and headings, which show up as stray symbols in your interview prep doc. Try: Ask for "plain text, no bold, no headings."

What a strong prompt includes

• Asks for year and location
• Fixes the line shape
• Rules out advice
• Says exactly how many
• Says to use only your sources

Practice this now ↑

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