Creating a Product Management Career Transition Roadmap using ChatGPT
A case study built by a clinician turned startup product manager
Dr. June Srisethnil, PT, DPT, OCS wears many hats: as a physical therapist, civil engineer, product manager, early startup employee, and more. Previously, she’s written a guide for the Next Degree community on her journey from clinic to product management. By popular demand, she returns today with a practical example on how to leverage ChatGPT, OpenAI’s generative AI phenomenon, as an introductory career planning tool.
As a physical therapist turned product manager, I know the challenges of career transitions firsthand. In this blog, join me on a concise yet practical exploration of using AI, such as ChatGPT, to craft a tailored roadmap for your career growth. Let’s delve into the nuts and bolts of how ChatGPT’s conversational interface can guide you in identifying transferable skills and navigating the intricacies of a new industry. No fluff, just actionable insights to empower your journey and help you get ahead.
Let’s dive in.
Part 1: Use of detailed prompts
Part 2: Use an iterative “Q&A” approach
Part 3: An example use case: creating a product management career transition roadmap using ChatGPT
Part 4: More “pro tips” from June
Part 1: Use of detailed prompts
ChatGPT, a particular type of AI chatbot, uses a conversational interface where you the user inputs a question, or prompt, and the bot “answers” you in a written output response based on all the public data on the internet (a huge oversimplification, but you get my point). So, the more detailed your prompts are, including background information and any specific details related to your desired output, the more likely it is you will get a personalized and useful response. (Editor’s note: ‘Prompt Engineering’ is a really powerful skill that anybody can pick up — read Datacamp’s huge prompt engineering guide here.)
For example, if you want ChatGPT to write you a cover letter for a job, you might not just say,
“Write a cover letter for a product manager job.”
Instead, to create a more personalized cover letter, you can add details to the prompt, like this:
“Please write a professional cover letter with 250 words or less based on my resume and the job description copied below. Use a 10th grade reading level.”
You can be as creative, specific, and personalized in prompt writing as you want. You can experiment with different prompts to get your desired output. You can even use ChatGPT to figure out new ways to use ChatGPT!
One word of caution: Generative AI is known to make up content at times, known as hallucination. In the career transition context, I doubt you have much to worry about, but it’s good to be mindful of the possibility.
Part 2: Use an iterative “Q&A” approach
If you don’t start a new conversation, your prompts can build upon themselves as the AI “understands” previous prompts and will adjust its responses accordingly. So, you can use a conversational “question and answer” approach to get what you want. For example, if you start with a very broad question, then in subsequent prompts you give it feedback on what you like or don’t like, or you clarify what you’re asking for, or you add more details — you will likely generate more useful responses.
Also, using the exact same prompt on differing occasions will yield slightly different results. So, you may get subjectively better results from one occasion to the next, depending on what you’re looking for. I wouldn’t repeat the exact same prompt more than twice if you aren’t getting a useful response. Better to rephrase or modify the prompt.
Part 3: An example use case: creating a product management career transition roadmap using ChatGPT
Below is an example of a single prompt to ChatGPT, to give you a flavor of how you might use it to generate an action plan or road map in just seconds.
PROMPT:
I’m a physical therapist looking to become a product manager at Digital Health Co. Can you write a detailed action plan for me to learn about the industry and get a job in the next year or two as a product manager?
RESPONSE:
Becoming a product manager at Digital Health Co or in the healthcare technology industry is an ambitious and rewarding career transition. To successfully achieve this goal within the next year or two, you’ll need to follow a structured action plan. Here’s a detailed plan to help you get started:
**Year 1: Building Knowledge and Skills**
**1. Learn the Basics:**
a. Research the role of a product manager: Understand what a product manager does, their responsibilities, and how they contribute to a company’s success.
b. Explore healthcare technology: Learn about the healthcare technology industry, trends, and key players.
c. Identify Digital Health Co’s products: Study Digital Health Co’s products and services to gain a deep understanding of what they offer.**2. Educational Foundation:**
a. Take online courses: Enroll in online courses, such as those available on platforms like Coursera, edX, or Udemy, to learn about product management, user experience (UX), and healthcare technology.
b. Read relevant books: Some recommended readings include “Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love” by Marty Cagan and “Lean Analytics” by Ben Yoskovitz and Alistair Croll.
c. Attend webinars and conferences: Participate in webinars and conferences related to healthcare technology and product management to stay updated on industry trends.**3. Gain Relevant Experience:**
a. Apply for internships: Look for product management internships in healthcare tech companies or related fields.
b. Volunteer: Offer to work on healthcare technology-related projects in your current role as a physical therapist or find volunteer opportunities in healthcare technology.**4. Network:**
a. Attend industry events: Join healthcare technology or product management-related events, meetups, and conferences.
b. LinkedIn: Build a strong LinkedIn profile that highlights your transition journey, new skills, and goals. Connect with professionals in healthcare technology and product management.
Nice.
**Year 2: Building a Strong Application**
**5. Specialize:**
a. Gain domain expertise: Deepen your knowledge in a specific area of healthcare technology, such as telehealth, digital health records, or wearable health tech.
b. Take on relevant projects: Within your current role or internship, take on projects that align with the skills required for a product manager.**6. Build a Portfolio:**
a. Create a product portfolio: Develop a portfolio showcasing your projects, including case studies, mock product designs, and any products you’ve contributed to during your internship.
b. Start a blog: Share your insights on healthcare technology and product management. This demonstrates your expertise and thought leadership.**7. Develop Soft Skills:**
a. Communication: Work on your communication skills, as product managers need to convey ideas clearly and effectively.
b. Leadership: Develop leadership skills, as you’ll be guiding cross-functional teams in product development.**8. Apply for Jobs:**
a. Research job openings: Continuously monitor job listings at Digital Health Co. and other healthcare technology companies for product management positions.
b. Tailor your application: Customize your resume, cover letter, and portfolio for each job application.**9. Prepare for Interviews:**
a. Practice product management interview questions. You can find common interview questions online.
b. Mock interviews: Conduct mock interviews with mentors or peers to refine your interview skills.**10. Stay Persistent:**
a. Be prepared for rejections and setbacks. Job transitions can be challenging, so staying persistent and learning from each experience is key.**11. Continuous Learning:**
a. Stay updated: Continue to stay informed about the latest trends in healthcare technology and product management.
b. Professional development: Take additional courses, attend workshops, or get certified in areas that will strengthen your product management skills.**12. Mentoring:**
a. Seek out a mentor in the product management or healthcare technology field. They can provide valuable guidance and insights.
Very nice.
**Year 2+: Securing Your Job**
**13. Ace the Interview:**
a. Impress during interviews by demonstrating your passion, domain knowledge, and your ability to solve problems and manage products effectively.
b. Showcase your portfolio and case studies to illustrate your abilities and experiences.**14. Negotiate Your Offer:**
a. Research salary ranges for product managers in healthcare technology to ensure you receive a competitive offer.
b. Negotiate terms and benefits to secure a favorable compensation package.**15. Transition Smoothly:**
a. Once you secure the position, work closely with your team and make a seamless transition into your new role.**16. Continue Learning:**
a. Never stop learning. The product management field is constantly evolving, so stay updated on industry trends.**17. Network and Build Relationships:**
Cultivate relationships with colleagues, industry professionals, and mentors to continue your growth in the industry.Remember that a career transition takes time and persistence. Stay focused, and don’t be discouraged by setbacks. With the right skills, knowledge, and perseverance, you can achieve your goal of becoming a product manager in the healthcare technology industry, potentially at Digital Health Co. Good luck!
Thanks ChatGPT!
As you can see, ChatGPT generated a useful roadmap for a clinician seeking product management or product-adjacent roles. Depending on your specific situation, the action plan will be more relevant to you the more detail you put into the prompt. And, if you’re looking for even more detail, you can zoom in by asking more questions on specific parts of ChatGPT’s response to keep digging!
Part 4: More “pro tips” from June
- When prompt writing, be sure to include more information about yourself, like your resume, CV, list of hobbies and interests, work styles and personality assessments, etc.
- Be creative and specific in how and what you ask for in your prompts.
- Use iterative “Q&A” prompts including asking for more resources to dive deeper, or asking for more background information, or asking for more detailed action items.
- Be wary of going down rabbit holes (more isn’t necessarily better!) and time suck. At some point, you will have lots of action items to work on, so be sure to go out and get them done!
If you’re like me, I love having some concrete action items and a plan to get things started. Using AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, to help come up with a career transition roadmap might be just what you need to get the ball rolling.
Is ChatGPT the entire solution? Absolutely not. But is it a powerful way to get the ball rolling on your career discovery, research, and upskilling? Absolutely. If you have any questions, I’m only a message away. You got this.
Interested in meeting other clinicians (and scientists!) who share your same interests, as well as learning more about startups in the healthcare space? Check out the “Careers in clinic (and beyond)” group as well as Next Degree — the next-gen healthcare job search designed to help you build a career you love, whether that’s in clinic — or beyond.
