Use Your PhD To Lead Product Development Across Company Departments

Product Management- An Introduction

You know you want to become a product manager. To make this transition, you’ll need to understand the product management industry. This module covers…

• Products. This module defines and illustrates the five levels that can constitute a product. You’ll also learn the stages of the product commercial lifecycle and the product development cycle.
• Product Management. This module details the aspects of product management required throughout a product’s lifecycle. It covers product marketing and compares product management in different industries.
• The Product Manager Role. This module introduces the main types of activities that product managers perform and the stakeholders they interact with.
• Product Management Career Differentiators. This module explains how project manager roles compare with similarly titled jobs. You’ll find out what differentiates product manager roles from product owner, project manager, and program manager roles.

Product Manager- Details Of The Role

You want to know what being a product manager involves and what experience is required for success. This module covers…

• Earning Potential And Lifestyle. This module presents product manager salary ranges based on seniority level, geographic location, and company size. It also outlines the hours that product managers may work depending on what activities they are conducting. 
• A Day In The Life Of A Product Manager. This module delineates the research, strategy, and communication activities that product managers perform. You’ll learn about each of these activities in detail and how much of their time a product manager should expect to contribute to each to achieve their objectives.

• Product Management Terminology. This module defines specialized product management terms and concepts such as forecasting, SWOT analysis, product line, and more. You’ll learn how to speak the language of the product management industry.

Essential knowledge. This module details the most important technical and transferable knowledge for product managers as well as how you have already developed them in your PhD training. It also points you to resources and communities to further boost your profile as a product manager.

Product Management Interviews- The Path To Getting Hired

You’ll need a well-thought-out job search strategy to secure a position as a product manager. This module covers…

• Job Search Toolkit. To transition into product management from academia, you will need to reframe your PhD experience using industry-specific keywords. This module provides key insights to help you accomplish this task through your resume, LinkedIn, and networking.
• Product Management Experience. This module highlights product management courses, internships, and other activities you can do to strengthen your product manager application.

• Interview Questions. You’ll find out what questions to expect during a phone screen, phone interview, video interview, and on-site interview. This module also supplies example prompts for product manager interview presentations.
• Interview Preparation. This module provides strategies you should employ to get ready for each of your product manager interviews. You’ll learn how to research the company you are interviewing with and its products so that you can portray yourself as a top candidate.

Career Trajectory- What Comes Next?

Now that you have secured a position as a product manager, what next steps should you take to continue growing professionally and personally? This module covers…

• Onboarding. This module explains what to expect and how to behave during your first few months on the job. You’ll discover what policies, processes, and people you’ll want to familiarize yourself with during this time to set a trajectory for long-term career success.
• Vertical Career Progression For Product Managers. You’ll learn the product management hierarchy, which extends from entry-level to executive-level positions.
• Horizontal Management Moves. As a product manager, you will gain knowledge that is coveted in other managerial roles. This module outlines these roles and how your product manager experience can facilitate your transition into one of them.
• Future Career Paths. Your product manager experience is readily transferable to several different top PhD-level jobs. You’ll find out what abilities you will need to highlight and those you may need to build if you choose to pursue one of these careers.