A prompt engineer has emerged as a new role with the rise of generative AI. Prompt refinement, AI output analysis, and business alignment are all desirable skills.
AI has enabled the development of sophisticated large language models that can ingest and deliver an enormous amount of detailed information. People’s working, studying, and searching practices are changing because of AI tools like ChatGPT and other generative AI systems.
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What is prompt engineering?
As part of prompt engineering, input prompts are created to help language models understand the desired output of language models like ChatGPT.
A prompt engineer asks better questions, gives better instructions, and assigns roles to language models so that they generate the output you need, such as blog topics, product descriptions, and coding documentation. Prompts connect what a human wants to create with what a machine is capable of doing.
It is your job as a prompt engineer to develop concise but effective prompts using various techniques that will yield the results you need.
What does a prompt engineer do?
Prompt engineers are also known as AI (artificial intelligence) prompt engineers or LLM (large language model) prompt engineers. It is a relatively new field that emerged alongside generative AI. Marketing, education, finance, human resources, and health care are among the industries where they can work.
As a prompt engineer, you’ll be responsible for:
- Crafting AI prompts to get desired outputs
- Testing and analyzing outputs from the AI by experimenting with different prompts
- Assessing the ethics, cultural sensitivity, fairness, and bias involved with a prompt and its output
- Optimizing AI-generated output by identifying shortcomings and refining prompts
- Automating repetitive or complex tasks by embedding AI prompts into applications and software
- Working on cross-functional teams to develop products
- Workflow integration with AI chatbots
- Monitoring AI systems’ performance
How to become a prompt engineer
An exciting career path can be found in prompt engineering. You can learn about AI language models and technology in general, hone your writing skills, and help companies accomplish their business goals. Follow these steps to get started in this field:
1. Consider your goals for a career in engineering
Consider your goals before launching your career or switching fields so that you can focus your efforts on the steps that will lead to success. The following are some examples of goals:
- Bring prompt engineering into your current role
- Prompt engineering can help you grow your business
- Get a job as an in-house prompt engineer for an organization
- Develop AI language model technology by mastering prompt engineering skills
2. Earn prompt engineering credentials
Earning relevant credentials may help you in your job search if you’re looking for a job as a prompt engineer. You can demonstrate your commitment to professionalizing and mastering the latest techniques by earning a prompt engineering credential.
The following credentials may be required for a prompt engineering role, depending on what different employers require:
- Having a bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or a related field is required
- Blockchain Council offers a certification in prompt engineering
Consider taking prompt engineering courses in addition to earning credentials. Learning in-demand skills in a structured format, and sometimes with the instructor’s support, can be a great way to prepare for the future.
3. Build prompt engineering skills
An engineer must have a variety of abilities in order to succeed, including creativity, technology proficiency, and even understanding human psychology.
Let’s look at some prompt engineering skills.
- Writing skills
- Knowledge of different language models
- Knowledge of prompting techniques
- Providing context
- Understanding your end-users
- Machine learning
- Data analysis
- Subject matter expertise
4. Gain prompt engineering experience
The best way to gain experience in prompt engineering is to create your own opportunities for hone your skills and apply them to real-world scenarios since this career path is still new. To get you started, here are some ideas:
- Learn how to use a variety of AI language models
- Utilize prompt engineering to build your own projects, such as a chatbot that offers medical advice based on a user’s symptoms.
- Identify opportunities for prompt engineering in your current role with your manager or supervisor
5. Apply for prompt engineering jobs
Start searching for engineering jobs in an industry you are interested in. As soon as you find several job openings that interest you, update your application materials, including:
- Your resume should reflect your skills, credentials, and experience in prompt engineering
- A template for a cover letter that can be tailored to each application
- Showcase your prompt engineering work in a portfolio or website
- Your LinkedIn profile needs to be updated
Developing your engineering career starts with an online course offered by one of Coursera’s leading organizations. You can gain job-ready skills by enrolling in Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT from Vanderbilt University, part of the Prompt Engineering Specialization.
