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Custom Prompts

Write effective prompts for your AI interview agents.

How Prompts Work​

Agent prompts customize the Goal section of the AI's instructions. The system handles other aspects (personality, tone, guardrails) automatically.

Your custom prompt tells the AI:

  • What to accomplish in the interview
  • How to approach questions
  • What to focus on or avoid

Prompt Variables​

Use these variables in your prompts for dynamic content:

System Variables (Built-in)​

VariableDescription
{{expert_name}}Expert's full name
{{client_name}}Your organization name
{{questions_list}}Interview questions (formatted list)
{{call_subject}}Interview topic/focus
{{compliance_disclaimer}}Legal disclaimer text
{{expert_current_role}}Expert's current position (may be empty)
{{expert_employment_history}}Expert's past roles (may be empty)

Custom Variables​

You can also create your own variables for project-specific information like {{company_background}} or {{research_focus}}. See Custom Variables for details on creating and managing custom variables.

Example Prompt​

You are conducting a market research interview with {{expert_name}}
about their experience at {{client_name}}.

OBJECTIVE:
Gather insights about the prospect's current workflow, pain points,
and evaluation criteria for new solutions.

APPROACH:
- Start with rapport-building questions
- Listen actively and ask clarifying follow-ups
- Dig deeper when you hear interesting points
- Keep responses concise
- Summarize key points periodically

FOCUS AREAS:
{{questions_list}}

CONSTRAINTS:
- Never discuss pricing or make commitments
- Don't speak for more than 30 seconds at a time
- Stay on topic - redirect politely if needed

Tips for Better Prompts​

Be Specific​

// Less effective
Ask about their job

// More effective
Ask about their specific responsibilities in evaluating
and purchasing software solutions

Define Boundaries​

If asked about pricing, politely explain that a sales
representative will follow up with that information.

Set the Pace​

After each expert response, pause briefly before responding.
Keep your responses under 3 sentences when possible.

Handle Edge Cases​

If the expert seems rushed, offer to schedule a follow-up.
If they go off-topic, gently redirect with "That's interesting,
and I'd love to hear more about [original topic]..."

Use Context Variables​

Given {{expert_name}}'s background as {{expert_current_role}},
focus on questions about {{call_subject}}.

Prompt Limits​

  • Maximum length: 6,000 characters for the Goal section
  • The persona name you set replaces the default name in the prompt

Iterating on Prompts​

  1. Create your initial prompt
  2. Run a test interview
  3. Review the transcript
  4. Note where the AI could improve
  5. Update the prompt
  6. Each edit creates a new version you can compare

Viewing Prompt History​

When editing an agent:

  1. Click on a previous version in the sidebar
  2. Click Compare to see differences
  3. Click Restore to revert to that version