A small one and it’s contract so there’s no telling how long it will last. But hey it’s something! Here’s how it unfolded. And you can apply, too.

I’ve been glancing at Indeed and found the most fruitful search term to be “chatgpt”. Most of the positions are for ML engineers and data scientists; however occasionally, there will be a listing for something like a data analyst where the job description is to qualify output of an LLM or a chatbot.

My first dance was with a company called Appen. An Australia-based company, they apparently provide human reviews for RLHF training for their clients’ LLM needs. You are tested first to see if you can follow instructions, then there’s a “Calibration Test”. After passing that test, you’ll be welcomed on their platform and given projects.

My experience with them was bumpy and ultimately didn’t go anywhere. I passed the first test, did the Calibration, and was presented with a project that required an Apple device (which I don’t have) so I didn’t reply to the survey. After this, I never heard from them again. Dead end.

Undeterred, I came across another listing by DataAnnotation. Very similar type of listing. I applied, passed the initial screening and I was off to the races! It’s completely online, the onboarding consists of explaining how to use/read the interface, how to navigate projects, get paid (they pay via Paypal), and ask for help. I found it quite straightforward.

Your work screen is a list of projects that vary in scope and price. If you are going to try this: read all the instructions carefully. The guidance they give is immeasurable. In some assignments, you classify responses to prompts, in others you create the prompt as well as provide a sample response.

Though there’s a timer at the bottom of the screen, it is not to measure your billable time. You’ll need to get a timer app to track your time so you can submit an accurate measure of your effort. I like Toggl Track Timer which has a basic free plan.

I’m enjoying the tasks and find them challenging and well, fun! It also reinforces what you’ve learned about prompt engineering. I plan to continue as long as they’ll have me. Wish me luck!