How an Unconventional Career Path Led to Freelance Success in Prompt Engineering

Bruce Meek’s journey to becoming a highly skilled freelance prompt engineer was anything but ordinary. Each twist in his career path, from working on oil rigs and serving in the Army to running a local magazine, helped him become the innovative prompt engineer he is today.

Bruce’s unconventional path to AI

At 15, Bruce was already supporting himself by working multiple jobs in fast food. After leaving high school early and earning his GED, he spent years working long, grueling hours on oil rigs. But the hardest part wasn’t the work—it was the time spent away from his young family.

Searching for a better life, Bruce joined the U.S. Army, only to have his military career cut short due to injury. As a disabled veteran, he needed to reinvent himself yet again.

Bruce found success in sales, first in cell phones and then in advertising. Years later, the advertising role led him to launch a successful local magazine. It wasn’t until later that he realized how this venture would lead him to his most fulfilling career yet.

Falling out of publishing and into prompting

Bruce did so well in the magazine business that he eventually ran three publications at the same time. Managing multiple magazines involved endless administrative tasks, so Bruce regularly looked for ways to save time through technology. He was following the development of generative AI, so when ChatGPT-3 was released, he quickly began experimenting with prompts to simplify routine tasks.

Soon, tasks that once took hours were reduced to minutes. For example, Bruce used prompts to pull property data and market trends. “Filling the real estate section in each issue used to take hours of research, but with AI, we could deliver accurate real estate information almost instantly.”

As Bruce’s knowledge grew, so did his experimentation. “I’m a hands-on kind of person and I like to dig through things at my own pace, which could be either very slow or breakneck. For AI, it was breakneck. By the time GPT-4 launched, I was fully hooked,” Bruce says with a smile. “I didn’t set out to become a professional prompt engineer, but the more I learned, the more I wanted to design prompts full time.”

The advantage of being self-taught

One reason Bruce succeeded in each of his disparate careers is that he is a proactive learner. “Being self-taught in prompt engineering has given me the freedom to explore without being limited by traditional academic rules,” he says.

In addition to staying updated with the latest AI research, Bruce has a small group of peers with whom he shares ideas and techniques. “It’s a group of five people I talk to almost daily. We all design prompts at a high level, but we do it differently, so we each bring unique insights,” he explains. “Our collaboration allows us to share knowledge, test new techniques, and push each other to innovate in real time. They inspire me to think outside the box, which keeps me ahead in a fast-evolving field.”

Upwork becomes a catalyst for change

After investing thousands of hours experimenting with prompts, Bruce felt confident in his skills to do the job full time. For extra insurance, he completed several AI courses and became a certified prompt engineer through the Blockchain Council, but the courses were more a formality than a source of knowledge. “I breezed through the courses because I had already been doing the work for nine months.”

With a certification in hand, Bruce officially launched his prompt engineering career on Upwork.

Through Upwork, Bruce gained access to a variety of industries, allowing him to refine his skills across different fields and rapidly build a strong reputation. “The platform really accelerated my learning and business growth.”

His freelance business grew so fast that within a few months, Bruce launched ArcanEdge, an AI agency on Upwork. And he’s still expanding.

“One thing people don’t talk about enough is the incredible talent you can connect with on Upwork to grow your network and skills,” Bruce says. “That’s how we met Sifars, an agency specializing in AI services that complement ours. Thanks to our partnership, we’re now able to offer full management of AI projects, from development to deployment.”

Free custom GPTs created by ArcanEdge

Helping clients make the best use of AI

While Bruce enjoys the technical aspects of his work, his entrepreneurial background compels him to approach all of his projects from a business perspective too. 

“I look for ways prompts can solve real-world problems,” says Bruce. “I take complex, technical concepts and break them down in a way that clients can easily understand, so they’re not only satisfied with the results but also fully understand how AI is impacting their operations.”

Bruce also helps clients discover the broader uses of AI, from automating workflows to generating dynamic reports. “With the right prompts, businesses can boost efficiency in ways they might not have thought possible.”

In one project, Bruce designed a prompt that pulled accurate database results without any model training. “The client saved a lot of time and resources, showing that creative prompt engineering can tackle complex tasks that usually require more complicated setups.”

His key to designing more effective prompts

According to Bruce, the key to crafting effective prompts is understanding both the AI model and the client’s specific business needs. One technique he uses is skill chaining, which he’s a fan of because, “We know the model has been trained with a ton of information, but the key is figuring out how to access the exact information we want as fast as possible. Skill chains are like opening a valve/s to a specific part of knowledge.”

Bruce predicts that as AI models evolve, skill chaining will become a common practice in managing large-scale AI systems. “We’re just scratching the surface of what AI can do, and skill chaining will help unlock even more possibilities,” he says.

Pushing AI boundaries—and giving back

Bruce’s passion for AI extends beyond client projects. As a disabled veteran, he’s working on ways to use the technology to support veterans.

“I know firsthand the challenges veterans face when navigating complex systems like health care and benefits. I want to streamline systems to make it easier for veterans to access the resources they need.” When he’s not working on client projects, he devotes time to a personal project that involves automating benefit applications and creating personalized support systems.

No matter your path, you can succeed on Upwork

Bruce believes his unique career path has been a key factor in his success as a prompt engineer. “Coming from a military background, I developed skills in discipline, precision, and problem-solving under pressure. When I was in sales, I learned to be flexible and improve my communication skills. As a small business owner, I learned to be resourceful in finding creative solutions to complex problems. All of these skills enable me to help businesses to creatively integrate AI to solve problems efficiently,” explains Bruce. 

The ability to innovate and push boundaries keeps Bruce passionate. “The AI field feels limitless, which makes it an exciting space to be in. And Upwork gives me the opportunities to play in that space. I get a lot of messages from prospective clients every day through Upwork.”

No matter your path, Upwork can provide opportunities to transform your expertise into success. If you’re a professional who wants to freelance, join Upwork. If you’re a business that wants help with an AI project, start a conversation with Bruce today.