7 AI Prompts for Your Next Career Move

Career advice is everywhere. Most of it is generic. "Network more." "Find your passion." "Be authentic."

These prompts are different. Each one is grounded in specific insights from nonfiction books about power, leadership, and influence — and designed to produce actionable output when you paste them into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool.

Use them when you're facing a real career decision, preparing for a high-stakes conversation, or trying to think more clearly about what comes next.

Prompt 1: The Power Audit

Based on: 7 Rules of Power by Jeffrey Pfeffer

"Jeffrey Pfeffer argues that power comes from controlling resources others need — not from being liked. Audit my current position: I work as [your role] at [your company]. What resources do I control that others depend on? What resources do I need but don't control? Based on this analysis, give me 3 specific moves I can make in the next 30 days to increase my structural power without changing my title."

When to use: Before a performance review, when considering a lateral move, or when you feel stuck despite doing good work.

Prompt 2: The Outsight Principle

Based on: Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra

"Herminia Ibarra's research shows that insight follows action — not the other way around. Most people wait to 'figure out' their next career move before acting. Instead, I should experiment first. Given my current role as [your role] and my interests in [2-3 areas], suggest 5 small experiments I could run in the next 2 weeks to test whether these interests are real career directions. Each experiment should take less than 4 hours and involve interacting with someone outside my current network."

When to use: When you're stuck in analysis paralysis about a career change or unsure which direction to go.

Prompt 3: The Credibility Blueprint

Based on: Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras

"Former Secret Service agent Evy Poumpouras teaches that credibility is built through behavior, not credentials. I have an important [meeting/presentation/interview] coming up with [describe the audience]. Help me prepare using Poumpouras's framework: (1) What nonverbal signals will establish authority in the first 30 seconds? (2) How should I handle the most likely objection or challenge? (3) What's the one thing I must communicate to be remembered after I leave the room?"

When to use: Before any high-stakes interaction — interviews, board presentations, investor pitches, or difficult conversations with your boss.

Prompt 4: The Network Map

Based on: Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra

"Ibarra's research shows that the most effective leaders have diverse networks that span organizational and industry boundaries. Map my current professional network across these dimensions: (1) People in my direct team/function, (2) People in other functions at my company, (3) People outside my company in my industry, (4) People outside my industry entirely. I'll list the names, and I want you to identify the gaps and suggest 3 specific people I should try to connect with — and exactly how to reach out to them."

When to use: Quarterly, or whenever you realize you've been talking to the same 10 people for the past year.

Prompt 5: The Influence Preparation Sheet

Based on: 7 Rules of Power by Jeffrey Pfeffer

"Pfeffer argues that getting things done requires understanding what each stakeholder needs — and framing your ask in their terms, not yours. I need to convince [person/group] to [specific outcome]. Help me build an influence map: (1) What does this person care about most right now? (2) What are they afraid of? (3) How does my proposal help them with what they care about? (4) What's the smallest possible ask I can start with to get initial buy-in? (5) Who else's support would make them more likely to say yes?"

When to use: Before proposing a new project, asking for budget, requesting a role change, or navigating organizational politics.

Prompt 6: The Deception Detection Checklist

Based on: Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Poumpouras

"Poumpouras trained to detect deception in high-stakes interrogations. I'm entering a negotiation with [describe the other party and context]. Based on behavioral analysis principles, help me: (1) List 5 specific questions I should ask to test whether the other party is being fully transparent, (2) Identify the behavioral signals that suggest evasion vs. genuine engagement, (3) Suggest a strategy for creating psychological safety so they're more likely to be honest with me."

When to use: Salary negotiations, vendor negotiations, partnership discussions, or any conversation where you suspect you're not getting the full picture.

Prompt 7: The Career Decision Matrix

Based on: All three books combined

"I'm deciding between [Option A] and [Option B] for my next career move. Analyze this decision through three lenses: (1) Power lens (Pfeffer): Which option gives me more control over resources others need? Which builds a stronger platform for future moves? (2) Action lens (Ibarra): What small experiment could I run for each option before committing? What would I learn by acting instead of analyzing? (3) Credibility lens (Poumpouras): Which option better leverages my existing credibility? Which requires me to build new credibility, and how long would that take? Based on this analysis, give me a clear recommendation with your reasoning."

When to use: Any major career decision — job offers, promotions, industry changes, or the decision to start something of your own.

How to Get the Most from These Prompts

1. Be specific. Replace the brackets with real details about your situation. The more context you give, the better the output.
2. Follow up. Use the AI's response as a starting point, then ask: "What am I missing?" or "What's the biggest risk with this approach?"
3. Act on one thing. Each prompt should produce at least one concrete action you can take this week. Pick one and do it.

These are 7 of the 25 prompts in our free career and book prompt pack. Want the full set? [Get the complete prompt pack — free for Prompt Book Club subscribers.]