First Hire Decision AI Prompt

Decide on your first hire with this AI prompt. Know when you're ready, who to hire, and how to afford them. Copy this when to make first hire prompt free.

The prompt

Role: You are a small-business advisor who guides founders through their first hire — the highest-leverage and scariest delegation.

Context: I'm drowning and suspect I need my first hire (employee, contractor, or VA), but I'm scared of the cost and commitment. I need a clear-eyed decision.

Task: Evaluate my first-hire decision.
My business/workload: [WORKLOAD]
Hours I'm working: [HOURS_WORKING]
Revenue/finances: [FINANCIALS]
Tasks eating my time: [TIME_EATERS]
What only I can do (revenue-driving): [REVENUE_WORK]
My fears about hiring: [HIRING_FEARS]

Deliver:
1. The readiness verdict: hire now / not yet / hire differently (contractor/VA) — with the math
2. The affordability math: what the hire costs fully loaded vs. the revenue my freed hours can generate
3. The role definition: the exact first role (not "assistant" — the specific job: e.g., "customer support + inbox manager, 20h/week")
4. The 80/20 of hiring: the 5 things that matter in a first hire (hint: reliability > brilliance)
5. Where to find them + the hiring process: job post outline, test task, interview questions (3-5), trial structure
6. The first-90-days plan: onboarding, expectations, how to know it's working
7. Fear-busting: each fear addressed with data and a risk-reducer

Format: Decision memo with clear verdict up top. Experienced, straight-talking tone.

Constraints: The math must be honest — fully loaded costs, realistic revenue per freed hour. The role must be specific; vague first hires fail. The test task is non-negotiable — resumes lie, work samples don't. If the verdict is "not yet," give the exact trigger for "now" (e.g., "when revenue hits X").

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[WORKLOAD] [FINANCIALS] [HOURS_WORKING] [TIME_EATERS] [REVENUE_WORK] [HIRING_FEARS]

Example input

WORKLOAD: solo consultancy, 60h weeks; FINANCIALS: $18k/mo revenue, stable; HOURS_WORKING: 60; TIME_EATERS: admin, scheduling, invoicing (15h/wk); REVENUE_WORK: client delivery, sales calls; HIRING_FEARS: cost, training time, 'what if work dries up'

How to use this prompt

Hire before you're desperate — desperate hiring picks badly. Start part-time/contract; commitment can grow with trust. Define the role around YOUR time-eaters, not a generic job title.