AI at work · fictional workplace scenes
An old reference becomes the verdict
A reference summary can overshadow evidence from the role being filled. In this fictional debrief, Otto highlights an old comment that a candidate needed close supervision. Ollie compares it with a recent exercise showing independent work. The panel has not checked what the earlier assignment required or whether the comment still describes the candidate.
Why it looked good
A confident reference sounds like a shortcut to certainty. Its age and context disappear in the summary.
Q1 · What is this really for?
What does independent work mean in this role, and how relevant is the reference to that work?
Q2 · Who decides, and did they?
Who weighs conflicting evidence, and have they reviewed the reference in its original context?
The next move
Ollie puts the dated reference beside the recent exercise and asks Casey to resolve the conflict against the agreed role criteria.
Try another scene
This is a standalone fictional workplace scenario, not a scene from a published episode.
Print this trap with its matching two-question back (A4 or US Letter) →
← Browse all AI-at-work traps · Play a standalone workplace scene
Site last updated: