The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

By MAXX Potential

Posted: March 16, 2023
Apprenticeship, Businesses

“There’s been a lot of comparisons of this tech to some of the bigger disruptors, such as the internet, Google search, and cloud computing.” Tucker Mahan, MAXX Potential Talent Director, is talking about ChatGPT and the OpenAI API. “There’s a lot of interesting dialogue happening – ethics, opinions, security, value versus investment, and predictions.”

As ChatGPT remains the main topic of conversation at board tables and in break rooms, it’s time to be playing with the possibilities, pushing limitations, and exercising curiosity.

And that’s exactly what Tucker’s been doing. In the first 48 hours after the release, Tucker integrated the new model endpoints into his ongoing project.

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

With the release of the Whisper API, Tucker envisioned being able to upgrade his custom-built assistant, Dumbledore, to use their transcriptions and translations endpoints to improve the Speech-to-Text speed, add a Spanish practice bot, and implement a wake word solution.

“The Whisper API was super great.” Tucker explained that he’d worked with the open source project before the API was released, and he had considered building something that would do the job for his Dumbledore project. In the end, he’d opted to use an alternative Speech-to-Text solution up until the Whisper API released. “Being able to access their API to do Whisper translations in real time was super exciting.”

He shared his process for a good working session when he wants to be in the zone. “I just sit down. I put my headphones on. I forget to turn the music on, and I start chugging away.”

He focused on Dumbledore for hours, coding several new features to make the assistant do what he wanted. It wasn’t until his wife showed up at his desk with a plate of Margherita pizza around 8:30 pm that he realized he’d forgotten to eat.

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

Throughout the entire project, Tucker kept ChatGPT open on part of his screen to write basic code, trouble shoot, and provide insight as needed. The tool proved its worth. Tucker reported, “ChatGPT helped me debug, frame, and structure a lot of the improved Dumbledore project.”

For Tucker, the idea is to use ChatGPT to speed up his process.

“So when I’m writing a lot of boilerplate, simple logic stuff, Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, I’m using it for that. It does get things wrong.” Tucker explains. “I adjust variables and make adjustments where I need to.”

But there’s a key to getting stronger and better code from ChatGPT. Tucker shared, “If I do a good job of feeding it parts of my code up front, or which libraries I’m using, it starts using the variable names and libraries I’ve already selected so that its output is a lot more custom to what you’re doing.”

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

With ChatGPT by his side, Tucker created Dumbledore 3.5. His new iteration incorporated the Whisper API and GPT-3.5-Turbo models to enhance more in-depth conversation. Around midnight, Tucker tested Dumbledore 3.5.

“Hey, Dumbledore.” Tucker spoke the wake words.
“With whom would you like to speak?” His computer asked.
“Abuelo,” Tucker replied.
“Hola, ¿qué pasa?” was the immediate response from the AI assistant.

Tucker programmed Dumbledore 3.5 to have three different versions of his assistant. For basic functionality, Tucker can reply, “ChatGPT.” If Tucker responds with “Dumbledore,” he’ll be greeted by a voice that sounds uncannily like Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movie series, and if he responds with “Abuelo,” Dumbledore speaks in Spanish.

“I’m constantly working on my Spanish skills. My wife is fluent in Spanish and our son will be bilingual, so I want to make sure that I can keep up with them.” Tucker explains why his personal assistant is fluent in Spanish and English. “Having the ability to talk to a computer that will not judge me when I mispronounce things is front and center for me. This was possible because of the Whisper API and GPT 3.5.”

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

“This is technology worth learning,” Tucker shared. “I believe that it has so many potential applications and will continue evolving rapidly, likely getting integrated into so many of the tools we already use. I tuned into the GPT-4 developer preview with 100k+ others, and the improvements with that model are great to see. My favorite moment was seeing GPT-4 summarize a blog post using only the letter Q and GPT-4 as a proper noun, ‘GPT-4 quintessentially quickens quality quantifications, quelling questionable quandaries.’”

ChatGPT is already being used by many, and Tucker suggests finding out if people on your teams are using the tool. “Odds are there’s at least a couple on your teams who are.”

“Education and training with this tech is a good next step. I think a lot of creative efforts are necessary to discover how to best utilize this tech, because there are so many time and cost savings involved if you do this well. It has certainly increased my productivity.”

At MAXX Potential, we encourage curiosity, initiative, and exploration. If you’re interested in talking with MAXX about how AI can help your company reach its goals, contact us!

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

By MAXX Potential

Posted: March 16, 2023
Apprenticeship, Businesses

As ChatGPT remains the main topic of conversation at board tables and in break rooms, it’s time to be playing with the possibilities, pushing limitations, and exercising curiosity.

And that’s exactly what Tucker’s been doing. In the first 48 hours after the release, Tucker integrated the new model endpoints into his ongoing project.

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

He shared his process for a good working session when he wants to be in the zone. “I just sit down. I put my headphones on. I forget to turn the music on, and I start chugging away.”

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

For Tucker, the idea is to use ChatGPT to speed up his process.

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

ChatGPT is already being used by many, and Tucker suggests finding out if people on your teams are using the tool. “Odds are there’s at least a couple on your teams who are.”

At MAXX Potential, we encourage curiosity, initiative, and exploration. If you’re interested in talking with MAXX about how AI can help your company reach its goals, contact us!

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

AI Is Taking Over Resume Assessment. Is That A Good Thing?

By Barbara Brutt

Posted: November 14, 2022
Apprenticeship, Businesses

The benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology are here to stay, and it’s already automating many processes, including hiring. Charged with automation of repetitive tasks, AI frees humans for other creative problem-solving challenges—specifically, the ability to produce new ways to do things. When it comes to resume assessment, AI handles collection and resume analysis while managers run the interview process.

The purpose of the resume is to get a candidate’s foot in the door for the hiring process. When a hiring manager or an AI software program looks at a resume, they’re seeking specific skills and experience. So what does it take to assess a resume and the corresponding candidate?

What It Takes to Assess a Resume

Most industries require a resume for an initial job application, and these documents are basically a sparknotes version of a candidate’s work history and experience. When looking at a resume, it’s important to compare the job description to the work experience. If the role requires interpersonal skills or daily writing responsibilities, it’s ideal to look for customer service experience and clean writing throughout the resume.

A Human Assesses a Resume

When a Human Resources hiring manager handles job applications and assesses resumes, they compare job experience to the role description. They look at job history, projects, and results. Hit the right style points, and some managers will likely be swayed to interview. Hide your contact information in an excessive design, and you may never hear back.

The human element of resume assessment may include unconscious biases, gut instincts, and certain familiarities. This can make some resumes move to the top of the pile while other candidates who might be great for the role are overlooked.

While a resume presents job facts, it also shares a story of personal and professional growth. A hiring manager can see the candidate’s career passion, sense of authenticity, and personal pride. These clues converge to represent a candidate’s potential.

AI Assesses a Resume

AI replacing humans has made the resume assessment process more efficient. Collecting resumes through an automated application system allows for notifications of resume receipt to be sent to employer and candidate alike. These are welcome benefits.

When an AI program assesses a resume, its algorithms follow exact rules. AI searches for keywords from the job description in the resume, and it assesses whether or not the appropriate certifications, education levels, and work timelines are present. For AI, the process is a simple yes or no. If a resume meets the criteria, then the corresponding candidate moves forward in the hiring process.

As AI becomes more pervasive, many people fear being replaced by artificial intelligence. However, according to census data studies collected over the last 140 years, automation technology has actually created more jobs.

The Problem with AI Resume Assessment

Where AI falls short in recruiting is how it evaluates candidates based on historical data as opposed to their current potential. AI vetoes resumes of candidates who may have the necessary skills and aptitude for a role, but they lack the education levels or general certifications.

AI was not designed to increase the diversity in hiring. It was designed to make administrative processes more efficient for employers. It did one job, but it cannot do the other. There are many people capable of filling the positions that cause recruiting headaches for tech employers, but they won’t all shine in historical evaluation systems.

In the United States, there are an estimated 27 million “hidden workers,” people who want to work but are failing the initial resume assessment because they’re lacking credentials. AI resume assessment misses the candidate’s potential and value beyond credentials.

According to the Harvard Business School, hidden workers cited the following criteria that disqualified them from securing work:

36% – years of experience
30% – employment gaps in resume
29% – academic performance
29% – professional credentials
26% – career progression (previous job titles and employers)
22% – skills

A large majority (88%) of employers agree that qualified high-skill candidates are vetted out of the process because they do not match the exact criteria established by the job description. That number rose to 94% in the case of middle-skill workers.

AI algorithms are designed to isolate criteria on an applicant’s resume and sort resumes by that information, but the algorithms may skip a creatively-skilled applicant’s resume who may become an impactful employee.

Knowing how to spot potential is crucial and it’s what MAXX Potential does.

Assessing Potential Beyond the Resume

Recognizing potential in a resume starts with reading between the lines of the project accomplishments, interpersonal achievements, and passion presentation. While AI checkmarks credentials, industry keywords, and education, hiring managers unearth a candidate’s attitude, drive, and eagerness.

At MAXX Potential, we look for the people who light up—who revel in the journey of solving a problem.

We find talented individuals because they are interested in joining the tech industry and sign up for the free multi-session Career Lab. Participants interact with hands-on activities, demonstrating problem-solving abilities alongside their tech experience. After Career Lab, some participants apply to the paid apprenticeship program where they gain on-the-job experience and professional development mentorship.

There is no shortage of high potential people—the key is finding them and equipping them to succeed in the tech industry.

Ready to learn more about the tech industry or ready to find a unique way to invest in future tech talent? Register for our next Career Lab as a participant or partner with MAXX Potential to access a diverse talent pipeline.

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

AI Is Taking Over Resume Assessment. Is That A Good Thing?

By Barbara Brutt

Posted: November 14, 2022
Apprenticeship, Businesses

What It Takes to Assess a Resume

A Human Assesses a Resume

AI Assesses a Resume

The Problem with AI Resume Assessment

According to the Harvard Business School, hidden workers cited the following criteria that disqualified them from securing work:

36% – years of experience
30% – employment gaps in resume
29% – academic performance
29% – professional credentials
26% – career progression (previous job titles and employers)
22% – skills

Knowing how to spot potential is crucial and it’s what MAXX Potential does.

Assessing Potential Beyond the Resume

At MAXX Potential, we look for the people who light up—who revel in the journey of solving a problem.

There is no shortage of high potential people—the key is finding them and equipping them to succeed in the tech industry.

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

Building vs. Buying Talent: Which is right for you?

By The Team at MAXX

Posted: June 22, 2022
Apprenticeship, Businesses

Many IT executives are routinely faced with decisions on whether to build vs. buy when it comes to critical business applications (There’s a great post on that topic here), but how can you apply this framework to your talent strategy? Should you build or buy the necessary talent to grow your team? Our take: as with enterprise software, a winning approach involves applying a strategic framework and the capacity to do both.

Is there anything more strategic than your culture and talent strategy?

It makes sense to buy talent, and by that, we mean paying market premiums for experienced professionals, when the role requires advanced skills such as prior leadership experience, industry knowledge, and a deep technical track record. When a candidate has amassed a resume of skills and experience, your investment decision is based on how they can integrate into your organization, and the immediate value they can add in terms of increased revenue or implementing cost-savings strategies.

For entry-level positions, however, turnover should be higher if you are finding capable and driven employees, and the selection process is less straightforward. You are looking for motivated individuals with the ability to become that senior professional one day. Integrating a build approach into your talent strategy is a long-term investment that will set your organization up for success and pay off well into the future.

The Unique Challenges of Entry-level Roles

Buying talent for entry-level roles can seem like a faster option initially, but it becomes more costly when you have to do it over and over again (as you should). On the surface these roles may seem less strategic, and can also consume a disproportionate amount of training time and recruiting expense to keep them staffed. Downtime for even the most junior roles is costly and presents an operational risk.

Hiring
Entry-level candidates are lacking the years of experience that are sought after for more senior roles. This makes a traditional resumé the least valuable tool in making a selection. At this stage you are looking for two things: value-alignment and aptitude. These are hard to measure, and the cost of a mistake at this stage is high.
Developing
Mentoring entry-level talent takes time and attention away from experienced employees who are already at capacity. Many organizations also lack the capacity and budget to build a custom training program that includes dedicated full-time staff who are skilled, not only in their technical craft, but in the art of mentoring.
Retaining
High-potential employees are seekers of continuous growth and learning opportunities. Building a structured process for upskilling requires far more than purchasing a library of self-study training material (Don’t we have the Internet for that?). Most savvy leaders know that investing in their team creates a culture of continuous learning and growth that people will stick around for.

MAXX Potential was built by industry leaders who experienced these challenges first-hand and created a solution. Organizations have a need to invest in entry-level recruiting in order to grow their teams without taking away from other strategic imperatives. MAXX has cultivated a strong pipeline along with a supporting infrastructure specific to entry-level enterprise technology roles. We seek out people who have the potential and desire to break into the technology industry, and work with them to develop the skills needed to thrive in your organization. Our goal is to fill entry-level technology roles with people who are worth investing in and have the capability to contribute to your organization in a way that is meaningful starting day one.

Let Us Take these Entry-level Challenges Off Your Plate

While we aren’t a fit for ALL of your talent needs, what we do at MAXX Potential, we do really well. As a partner, we offer effective solutions for filling entry-level technology roles with the least amount of risk and disruption.

With guaranteed backfill of vacated roles, customized on-the-job training, ongoing mentor support and zero conversion fees to hire at any time, MAXX Potential would be an impactful addition to your overall talent strategy. Contact us today.

OUR THOUGHTS

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

Building a Diverse Tech Talent Pipeline

By The Team at MAXX

Posted: May 6, 2022
Apprenticeship, Businesses

The Importance of Building A Diverse and Sustainable Tech Talent Pipeline

For many tech employers, attracting and retaining talent is one of the biggest challenges they face today. It has become clear that the traditional way of recruiting — an evaluation based on verifiable resumé experience alone — isn’t producing the results to meet the demand. Attracting talented individuals from non-traditional sources has gone from being a competitive advantage to a strategic imperative.

Compounding the problem is pure supply and demand economics. Employee expectations for remote work options, and the fact that prospective candidates have more opportunities globally has taken the “war for talent” to a whole new level. With the largest multinational corporations now having the capacity and resources to be a force at every virtual career fair and therefore having the first picks from the talent pool, how is a mid-size firm to compete? To address the shortage, there are also a growing number of alternative pathways such as bootcamps and specialty programs, but with varying degrees of caliber and success rates. The “tech talent creation” landscape has become difficult to navigate and could easily consume an entire team just to evaluate the effectiveness of all these programs

The unique challenges with entry-level roles

Beyond the complexities in finding experienced talent, filling entry-level IT roles presents additional challenges for both IT and HR leaders. The first issue is that most high-potential learners will not want to stay in an entry-level position for long. Once they’ve picked up the skills a junior role has to offer, they will (and should) be looking for a next challenge to keep advancing their skills. This leads to a recurring problem of having to find and retrain new hires in less-strategic, but critical front-line positions. Those positions are often the best place for a high-potential future technologist to start.

The other challenge with entry level roles is that, already at capacity and understaffed, most IT leaders can’t afford to allocate their most capable staff to mentoring inexperienced hires who will have a lot of questions and require more coaching than an experienced hire.

To tackle these challenges, most leaders are looking for innovative solutions. A common quote we hear from customers is, “in order to survive and compete in the future, we have to get creative and it’s time for us to build our own pipeline.”

Diversity matters now more than ever.

Struggling to find the best people? Cast a wider net! Diversity is often used to describe gender, race, and other observable characteristics. Many forward-thinkers are recognizing that this definition is no longer sufficient. At MAXX Potential, we have a much broader definition of diversity that also includes aspects that make individuals unique, such as skillsets, personality types, and individual life experiences. We attract a diverse spectrum of people from all walks of life who are creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and share a passion for technology.

MAXX Potential recognized all of these shifting dynamics long ago and has spent the last decade building a successful and sustainable solution.

What makes MAXX Potential apprenticeship approach effective?

By working with MAXX Potential, our partners have access to a continuous supply of capable talent. We always have a motivated Apprentice on-deck, which eliminates downtime. Our results-driven approach incentivizes successful outcomes and was designed to remove the unintentional bias that is often prevalent in traditional recruiting. No candidate is ruled out based on their resume or past experience. We welcome new grads as equally as career-changers who love technology and are looking for a career trajectory-changing opportunity.

How we spot talent

At the foundation of our approach is the MAXX Potential Career Lab, which was designed to give aspiring technology professionals a taste of what the industry is like. In this immersive learning opportunity, we present candidates with hands-on individual and group activities as we evaluate their desire and aptitude. Many people are working in jobs where they are not able to realize their full potential, and when they are presented with an opportunity to show what they can do, they seize it! As people move through Career Lab, we use behavior-based methodologies to determine whether they would be a good fit for a paid apprenticeship. Whether or not they move forward, candidates learn valuable life skills and develop a better understanding of the tech industry. Those selected as Apprentices are hired as full-time employees at MAXX Potential where they work directly with industry professionals on real projects to acquire the experience they need to move into higher paying industry roles. To reach folks who might otherwise be overlooked, we are continuously cultivating relationships with community colleges, workforce development programs, bootcamps and other alternative training providers. This extends our customers’ reach while saving them time and they can rest assured that our selection process is thorough and our standards are high. prevalent in traditional recruiting. No candidate is ruled out based on their resume or past experience. We welcome new grads as equally as career-changers who love technology and are looking for a career trajectory-changing opportunity.

Finding the Win-Win-Win

We think hard about incentives and believe means matter. We meet our Apprentices where they are and provide the individualized mentorship and experience they need to be successful in a tech career. Apprentices progress at their own pace and our customers are able to hire at any time, removing progress-limiting obstacles such as income share agreements, time-bound employment contracts and expensive hiring fees.

Having successfully mentored thousands of aspiring technologists, we know that still today, checklists and personality tests are not enough to discover the audience of talented people who are well-suited to enter a tech career. Even Myers Briggs agrees that personality tests are valuable for their intended use, but not for hiring and selection processes. In their most recent Trends Report, they note that “organizations need to recognize that individuals can contribute at any age or life stage and focusing on the individual, rather than the mass, is going to make the difference.” We get to know both our apprentices and customers well, and adapt to their unique needs. This leads to long-term relationships built on trust and confidence that we will be there when they need us.

We can help you

Looking to upgrade your talent strategy? Contact us to learn how MAXX Potential can work for you.

OUR THOUGHTS

Spence Weiss

Junior BI Developer, Swedish Match

Eddie Cardwell

Data Analyst, Hamilton Beach Brands

Parker Benbow

Web Specialist, UpSpring PR

High Peaks Solutions Launches Innovative Technology Apprenticeship Program in Partnership with MAXX Potential

By Elizabeth Papile

Posted: April 13, 2022
Apprenticeship, Businesses

High Peaks Solutions provides clients with innovative approaches to meeting their security objectives through the delivery of consulting services and a unique Software-as-a-Service product offering. Their SaaS product is a purpose-built, innovative, automated platform that redefines and simplifies the management of complex security programs.

“Hiring and retaining key talent is critical to the success of any business and this is especially true of High Peaks Solutions as we manage our growth and ensure best-in-class service to our clients. The partnership with MAXX Potential and the Apprenticeship program plays a crucial role in our ability to expand and grow the business by allowing us to find and develop talented resources in this challenging recruiting environment.” Rob Rice – Chief Technology Officer

Early Career Professionals Experience Cybersecurity Careers

Individuals who show a passion for problem solving and are interested in a career in information technology are hired by MAXX Potential where mentorship through an Apprenticeship model is provided. The Apprenticeship phase allows individuals to gain hands-on experience by working directly with customers, while also receiving coaching from experienced professionals.

Apprentices receive a valuable career opportunity in a high-growth field, and High Peaks Solutions can grow their team and build upon their culture of continuous learning. This more effective hiring process allows High Peaks Solutions to increase their profile as a compelling option for early career talent in the IT industry. Included in the partnership is the joint commitment to guide Apprentices while their role is customized to suit the specific needs of High Peaks Solutions and serve their customers in a more efficient and effective manner.

About High Peaks Solutions

High Peaks Solutions is committed to inspiring clients through the development of enhanced security programs so they are better prepared to handle the cybersecurity risks faced by all companies today. They offer management and technical consulting in areas such as security policy development, third-party cybersecurity risk, vulnerability, and business continuity management. The SummIT Security SaaS Platform provides a solution to an automated security program.

About MAXX Potential

MAXX Potential helps businesses transform their talent strategy and individuals kickstart their careers in technology. Their proven Apprenticeship approach delivers high-quality managed services and staff augmentation, while also helping customers build a stronger, more effective entry-level talent pipeline.

Reach out to MAXX Potential to inquire about their Businesses Solutions today.

The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

MORE POSTS

The First 48 Hours of OpenAI’s API: An Interview with Tucker Mahan

How OpenAI API Integration Can Take Your Project to the Next Level

Hour 1: Exploring the Potential of OpenAI GPT-3.5-Turbo and Whisper APIs

Hours 2-5: How ChatGPT Speeds Up Project Development

Hour 6: Testing the Limits of AI Conversation

GPT-4 Is Here – What Are Your Thoughts?

MORE POSTS

AI Is Taking Over Resume Assessment. Is That A Good Thing?

What It Takes to Assess a Resume

A Human Assesses a Resume

AI Assesses a Resume

The Problem with AI Resume Assessment

Assessing Potential Beyond the Resume

MORE POSTS

AI Is Taking Over Resume Assessment. Is That A Good Thing?

What It Takes to Assess a Resume

A Human Assesses a Resume

AI Assesses a Resume

The Problem with AI Resume Assessment

Assessing Potential Beyond the Resume

MORE POSTS

Building vs. Buying Talent: Which is right for you?

Is there anything more strategic than your culture and talent strategy?

The Unique Challenges of Entry-level Roles

Let Us Take these Entry-level Challenges Off Your Plate

OUR THOUGHTS

Building a Diverse Tech Talent Pipeline

The Importance of Building A Diverse and Sustainable Tech Talent Pipeline

The unique challenges with entry-level roles

Diversity matters now more than ever.

What makes MAXX Potential apprenticeship approach effective?

How we spot talent

Finding the Win-Win-Win

We can help you

OUR THOUGHTS

High Peaks Partnership

High Peaks Solutions Launches Innovative Technology Apprenticeship Program in Partnership with MAXX Potential

Early Career Professionals Experience Cybersecurity Careers

About High Peaks Solutions

About MAXX Potential

OUR THOUGHTS