How in the world did someone like me get here?

Let me start by saying that my passion has always been in psychology. I’ve known that since high school, and it still holds true in my life. My shiny, new Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree can attest to that. Just recently, though, my interest has been piqued by the quickly evolving field of artificial intelligence. I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s seeping into every aspect of society, and it’s practically impossible to ignore.

So, like any ambitious person, I began putting in the work. I did plenty of research into how to get started, what fields I could break into, and how I could boost my resume with webinars and certificates. All the while, I was keeping tabs on different job sites for open roles that maybe—just maybe—I’d be qualified to apply to. I didn’t have very high hopes, but hey, it was worth a try.

That’s when I stumbled across Mindrift.

It was a job posting on LinkedIn that set the first gear into motion. I applied as an AI Tutor and had to take a series of tests. Looking back at my old emails now, I see something that surprises me: I had actually failed one of the very last tests. But what came after painted my very first picture of the company: they gave me a second chance.

And just like that, I was accepted as a freelance AI Tutor after passing the final test. The opportunity was more than I could have ever asked for, and, quite frankly, I was overwhelmed. I had no background in tech, no working experience in tech, and no references from people working in tech. But what I did have was good English writing skills.

Despite my lack of job experience in the artificial intelligence/technology sphere (I graduated in 2023!), I had some relevant experience to my name. I’d spent the past six years hustling in campus publications, continuously improving my writing and editing skills while adapting to high-pressure situations. It whipped my work ethic into shape, forced me outside my comfort zone, and exposed me to different styles of writing. This made my transition to AI Tutor at Mindrift easier, but there were still a lot of surprises in store for me.

Right off the bat, I was surrounded by a warm team of freelancers who welcomed me. I was guided by an encouraging QA who made us all feel comfortable asking questions. I felt a palpable sense of excitement from my coworkers, which made me want to work harder too.

It helped that the work itself was great. Writing had always been second nature to me, and my role involved a lot of writing—writing prompts, writing answers to prompts, and writing answers for the next turn’s prompt. Working hours were also completely flexible, so I was able to do tasks whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted (the beauty of remote work!) I was even able to travel to a whole other country with no interruptions to my tasks thanks to my trusty laptop.

Through this, I learned that I enjoy freelance work a lot. Being self-employed doesn’t come with the special benefits of a regular employee, but it allows me to dictate my own work schedule. I have the freedom to work as many hours as I wish, and I am paid for exactly how much work I do. Since I’m not paid for the hours I spend off the clock, it pushes me to work more too!

Just as I was settling into a nice rhythm as an AI Tutor, a huge surprise came my way a few weeks later: I was offered the position of editor. I discovered I had been recommended by my QA, and I jumped at the opportunity. I’d been doing that for years for my campus publications anyway, but this time, I’d be getting paid for it!

As an AI Tutor, I had already been producing writing outputs for the widely expansive field of Large Language Models (LLMs). But being an editor at Mindrift was a whole different experience. I learned more about the capabilities of LLM models, I participated in an array of different projects, and I was able to work with more people and higher-ups.

Alongside that, being at Mindrift unlocked doors to other opportunities for me. While I continue my role as an editor here, I have been offered another opportunity to work in a similar freelance role for another company. It can be challenging to balance both jobs, but considering they’re both flexible and remote, I am in full control of my time.

As of the time of writing, I’ve only been with Mindrift for about half a year now, but it has been an incredible journey full of lessons and growth. There have been times when the work was slow and inconsistent, and other times when it was so busy, I couldn’t catch up. But nonetheless, I have no regrets.

So, if you’re someone who wants to get into the field of AI with barely any background or experience, try your luck anyway. The job hunt can get demotivating, but you have to keep striving to improve and continue applying. And who knows, your future might be with Mindrift. I mean, look at me:

I would never have dreamed of being where I am now.