Fresh Grad Advantage: Using AI Prompting to Learn, Work, and Stand Out

Written by: Boluwa Olojo

When I came out of uni, I took an unpaid internship and worked my way through it until I was too broke to continue. Then I got a writing job, and I still have a few bylines floating around the fashion scene. Things were very different back in 2015–2016.

You’re entering a world shaped by AI and economic uncertainty. Fresh out of uni? Your degree’s framed, your LinkedIn headline looks impressive enough, and you’ve just realised “entry level” sometimes means “three years of experience.” Welcome to the game. The good news is, you already have something most people overlook: curiosity. And that’s exactly what you need to make AI work for you.

1. My First Steps into Using AI

I recently took the OpenAI Prompting Course, and it changed how I use AI. The biggest lesson? It’s not about asking AI to do things for you; it’s about teaching it to think with you. The better your prompt, the better your results. Think of it as learning to brief your very smart but slightly literal intern.

2. Steps to Start AI Prompting Today!

I tell AI who I am and what I do. I set context essentially:

Example: “I work in marketing, focusing on paid media and content.”

Then I ask for a step-by-step guide on whatever I’m stuck on. Sometimes I’ll ask for examples by industry or tell it to format the answer like a plan or checklist. Suddenly, the responses go from “generic advice” to “something I can actually use at work.”

It doesn't matter if you're job hunting or are working, you can use AI Prompting to your benefit:

What stage are you at?	How to use AI Prompting?
As a job hunter	AI can help you prep smarter when job hunting: ·       Get it to summarise company news before an interview ·       Turn your experience into bullet points that sound like you ·       Help you write follow-up emails that don’t read like templates. ·       Just make sure you review and reword everything. Remember: AI gives you the first draft, not the final say.
When employed	Use AI as your silent teammate: ·       Let it explain tricky concepts ·       Draft quick reports, or give feedback on your writing. ·       Ask it to simplify jargon or simulate “How would a manager read this.” ·       You’re not cheating; you’re levelling up faster than the average grad.

If you’re wondering whether you need to be “AI-driven,” “data-driven,” or “value-based,” you’re fine. You just need to be curiosity-driven. The people winning right now are the ones experimenting, testing, and asking better questions.

3. My Advice to You

So, start small with one smart prompt a day. Tell AI what you’re working on and ask it how to make it easier or better. Before long, you’ll stop seeing it as a shiny new thing and start seeing it as what it really is: a tool to help you stand out!

If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn below

Boluwa Olojo