🧠AI Foundations
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Exercise10 min·Lesson 4 of 5

Try It Now — Email Upgrade

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Exercise: Use Rafiki, your AI tutor, right here on this page — tap any ‘💬 Try with Rafiki’ button in this lesson, or the chat bubble at the bottom right. No signup needed — Rafiki is built into this page. Do not close this lesson — keep it open alongside the AI tool in a second tab or window.

In this exercise, you will take a rough, informal message and transform it into a professional email — using an AI assistant as your writing partner. This is a skill you can use immediately, today, in real life.

Your Starting Material

Below is a message that Kelvin, a recent graduate from Technical University of Kenya, wrote to a potential employer. It is honest and enthusiastic — but not professional. Your job is to help Kelvin upgrade it.

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Kelvin's original message (rough draft):

"hi, my name is kelvin omollo i saw your job on linkedin for customer service at equity bank. i really want this job because i need to work and i studied business. i am hardworking and i learn fast. please consider me. i can start immediately. thanks kelvin"

Step 1: Open the AI Tool and Start a New Chat

Open your chosen AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot). Click "New Chat" or "Start a conversation." You are now ready to give it a prompt.

Step 2: Give the AI a Specific Prompt

Copy and paste this prompt into the AI chat box exactly as written — or type your own version that captures the same information:

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Your prompt to type:

"Please rewrite the following message as a professional job application email. The sender is Kelvin Omollo, a recent Business Administration graduate from Technical University of Kenya. He is applying for a Customer Service Representative position at Equity Bank that he saw on LinkedIn. Make the email formal, confident, and no longer than 4 paragraphs. Use British English spelling. Here is his original message: [paste Kelvin's message here]"

Step 3: Review the AI's Output Carefully

Read the email the AI produces. Check these things:

  • Does it have a proper subject line suggestion?
  • Is the greeting professional (e.g., "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Recruitment Team")?
  • Does it mention the specific role and where Kelvin saw it?
  • Does it highlight at least one relevant strength or qualification?
  • Does it end with a clear call to action (e.g., requesting an interview)?
  • Is the spelling consistent (organisation, not organization)?

Step 4: Ask for a Revision

Now practise giving the AI a follow-up instruction. Try one of these revision prompts:

If the email is too long
"This is good but too long. Please shorten it to 3 paragraphs maximum while keeping the key points."
If the tone feels stiff or robotic
"The tone is too formal and sounds robotic. Please make it warmer and more natural while still being professional."
If you want to add a specific skill
"Please add a sentence mentioning that Kelvin did a 3-month internship at KCB in customer service during his final year."

Step 5: Write Your Own Version

Now try it for yourself. Think of a real message you need to write — or make up a scenario: applying for a job, following up after an interview, writing to a supplier, or requesting a reference letter. Write your rough draft (even just a few messy sentences), paste it into the AI, and prompt it to produce a professional version. Compare the before and after.

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Reflection prompt — think about this before moving on: What was the biggest difference between Kelvin's rough message and the AI's polished version? Was there anything in the AI's version that you would change or remove? What does this tell you about the role of your own judgment when using AI writing tools?