Alana Kunkel

You know that the product manager is urgent when the VP is posting for the product manager role themselves on LinkedIn. You can join me in Skool, where I have a batch of product managers applying to jobs right now while most other people are still recovering from Halloween.  https://lnkd.in/gCsMZ-Ab Seriously folks! Let’s land this job by Thanksgiving, since October was a record breaking month for us in terms of product manager openings being posted and the number of people from Product Gym taking gyms. The roles are out there. https://lnkd.in/gCsMZ-Ab PS Life is way too short to be unhappy especially when there is so much fun to be had :) #productmanagement #speedtolead

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As the year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the ups and downs of the past 12 months. It’s been a challenging year filled with big transitions: leaving a company, navigating daycare for the first time, and managing some family chaos along the way. But with those challenges came growth and change. I’m ending the year in a new role and at a company where I feel supported and valued—something I truly don’t take for granted. This shift has not only reduced my stress but also reminded me how important it is to prioritize a healthy work environment. 2025 is a blank slate, and I’m looking forward to embracing it with a fresh perspective, gratitude for the lessons learned, and excitement for what’s to come. To anyone else who had a rough year: You made it through, and that’s worth celebrating. Here’s to new beginnings, growth, and a little more peace in the year ahead. Cheers to 2025! #newbeginnings #growthmindset #careergrowth #resilience

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I am seeking a #🧑‍💻 UX Researcher for one of my clients. If you're open to new roles please share your updated resume, rate, and location. 📍 Location: #Seattle or #Minneapolis 🏡 Remote but local to Seattle or MN 💰 Rate: corp to corp, W2 (must be a citizen or green card) ⏳ Duration: 1 year As a Lead Experience Researcher in the Evaluative Practice, you will lead the planning and conducting of formative and evaluative research to support client in delivering amazing customer and employee experiences. You will collaborate with design and research leadership to inform decision-making and contribute to product planning, including OKRs, roadmaps, and strategy. Successful candidates will enjoy triangulating data across qualitative work, data analytics, experimentation efforts, and experience metrics to drive insights. 🔑 Skills Overview: Independently plan, lead, and conduct formative and evaluative research in complex problem spaces. Identify gaps and needs for new research studies based on an understanding of product strategy. Integrate data and analytics, experience measurement, experimentation, and evaluative practices in product spaces to impact product roadmaps. Support democratization efforts with appropriate rigor. 🛠️ Top 5 Required Skills: Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, User Experience Research, Human Factors, or related fields. Experience: 5 years conducting formative and evaluative research, or a combination of experience with an advanced degree in a related field. Methodologies: Experience independently planning and conducting various formative and evaluative methodologies (e.g., RITE studies, biometric testing, and advanced statistical analysis). Communication: Ability to develop and present research findings to drive the development of design specifications and inform product strategy. Integration: Experience integrating data, analytics, experience metrics, and experimentation into research work. 🌟 Preferred/Nice-to-Have Skills: Deep understanding of and passion for Accessibility Testing. Proficiency in quantitative UX research methods and analyses (e.g., descriptive/inferential statistics, regression analyses, experimental design). Strong collaborative skills to work with designers, developers, and business leaders. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to tackle complex UX challenges and navigate ambiguity. #W2 #C2C #UserExperience (UX) #ExperienceResearch #FormativeResearch #EvaluativeResearch #HumanComputerInteraction (HCI) #CognitiveScience, #UserCenteredDesign #ResearchMethodologies #DataAnalysis #QualitativeResearch #QuantitativeResearch #AccessibilityTesting #ProductStrategy #DesignSpecifications #UserTesting #StatisticalAnalysis #ExperienceMetrics #Experimentation #Collaboration #ProblemSolving #CriticalThinking #Roadmaps #OKRs #DataTriangulation #BiometricTesting

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Need a reason to skip the forced-fun company holiday party or avoid the collection of ugly Christmas sweaters? Prefer learning something new that will help your career as a product manager, developer, UX designer, coaches, or Leader? Check out the comment thread to see what Allison Pollard, David Koontz, and other colleagues are doing.

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YOU GO, Bob Mahler PMP, PMI-RMP! NO . . . on . . . WOTW!! I said this to my future boss in the first interview for a Senior PM position at a bank that has a "six-horse stagecoach" as its symbol. "I do not work on weekends. My time off is essential for rest, balance, and maintaining my well-being. This boundary is non-negotiable and will be respected to ensure both personal and professional sustainability." After he recovered from that statement, then I hit him with Stephen Covey, "Sharpening the Saw," which is the seventh habit in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. "Recreation," or taking time for renewal, is essential because it allows us to "re-create" ourselves. This process restores our energy, "creativity," and overall effectiveness by nurturing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life. Without this rejuvenation, productivity and well-being suffer. So, "recreation" is not just about leisure but about actively engaging in activities that help us recharge and improve our performance in all areas of life. I worked there for more than 5 years . . . Monday through Friday.

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Audrey Wheat from CAPTRUST is looking Product Manager to join her team. It’s Friday people, so you know what that means there will be a lot of product manager roles posted this afternoon, but you have to learn how to pitch yourself to get an interview beyond sending an “I’m interested” message to the hiring team. Do you want access to the rest of the product manager jobs instead of just getting them one by one, then sign up for our exclusive newsletter here.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj In addition to sending you a fresh batch of urgent product manager roles each day like hot bread out of the oven, I will also be sending you some LinkedIn templates on how to convert these LinkedIn postings into interviews.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj For whatever reason I have been getting a lot of hate comments about posting this many product manager jobs from real product managers. I have no clue how some people can be that angry considering I am trying to help the community out. You can sign up for the postings in my newsletter here.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj I am hosting 7 live trainings next week with the intention of helping as many people land a product manager job as possible for FREE. My team is still posting up the meetups on Eventbrite, but I will be sending an invitation to the following trainings over the weekend.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj Real Reason Nobody is Landing Product Manager Jobs in 2024 How to Interview Against Product Managers with More Experience Cold Product Manager LinkedIn Message Templates to Convert Interviews Product Manager Resume Templates for Startups and Big Tech Roles Big Tech Product Manager Case Studies of 2024 Secret Product Manager Job Boards and Referral Network How to Increase Product Manager Job Applications w/ Chat GPT + AI PS Please RESHARE this post for all your colleagues still looking for a job. #productmanagement #productmanagementcareers #productmanagementjobs #speedtolead

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Scrappy Project Management A friend recently returned a favorite book of mine, "Scrappy Project Management" by Kimberly Wiefling. I'm the type of person who happily loans books to others, then instantly forgets and they get a free book. But this book is different. I was anxious and pesty to get it back, as it is my GPS - it clearly and succinctly spells out what project leadership needs to do in order to succeed. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in rescuing a troubled project- it's never too late to do the right thing! One of my favorite things about this book is how short it is. It delivers maximum value in under 125 pages. Better yet, there is a single page with a checklist that comes pretty close to summarizing everything! (image below, from official link: https://lnkd.in/ebn-qZpF)

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Exciting leadership news in the world of business! Starbucks recently appointed Brian Niccol, former CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, as its new CEO. With a proven track record of innovation and growth at Chipotle, Niccol’s leadership promises a fresh perspective for Starbucks. During Brian Niccol’s nearly seven-year tenure at Chipotle, he implemented several key innovations that contributed significantly to the company’s turnaround and growth: 1. Digital Transformation: Niccol led the development of Chipotle’s digital platform, which included enhancing the mobile app and website to make online ordering more convenient. This transformation significantly increased digital sales, which became a substantial part of Chipotle’s revenue . 2. Chipotlanes: He introduced the concept of “Chipotlanes,” drive-thru lanes specifically for picking up digital orders. This innovation improved customer convenience and contributed to the company’s digital growth strategy . 3. Menu Innovation: Under Niccol’s leadership, Chipotle introduced new menu items like the “Lifestyle Bowls,” catering to dietary trends such as keto and Whole30. He also tested new items, such as Queso Blanco and carne asada, to keep the menu fresh and appealing . 4. Cultural and Operational Changes: Niccol relocated Chipotle’s headquarters from Denver to Newport Beach to refresh the company culture and tap into the talent pool in Southern California. This move was part of a broader effort to address operational and cultural challenges . 5. Marketing and Brand Positioning: Niccol shifted Chipotle’s marketing strategy to focus more on storytelling and brand differentiation rather than promotions. This included innovative campaigns and sponsorships, such as participating in the Rose Bowl Parade and engaging with popular video games like Fortnite . 6. Sustainability and Food Safety: He placed a strong emphasis on food safety and sustainability, improving Chipotle’s reputation after previous food safety issues. This included strengthening supply chain practices and enhancing food safety protocols . 7. Financial Performance: Niccol’s strategic initiatives led to impressive financial results, with Chipotle’s stock price more than doubling and the company achieving some of the highest comparable sales growth in the industry during his tenure . As Starbucks navigates challenges in the coffee industry, Niccol’s experience in digital innovation and brand revitalization positions him well to lead the company into a new era of growth and success. Excited to see how his vision transforms Starbucks! #Leadership #Innovation #Starbucks #Chipotle #DigitalTransformation #GrowthStrategy

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Job Seekers - Beware of Scammers! You just added the green 'Open of Work' banner to your profile and you instantly receive 20 requests from recruiters to connect and they all want to help you, you feel relief, but wait, before you accept their request to connect, do your due diligence: 1) Click on their profile 2) What country are they in, Nigeria, Guam, Saudi Arabia - red flag 3) "The profile you are looking for doesn't exist" - red flag 4) They have minimal job history, no recommendations, or an incomplete/empty profile - all red flags Scammers are on LinkedIn and Job Seekers are one of their targets!

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I've made it 90 days in my new role as Product Solutions Owner, Sr. at Prime and I've learned a LOT! One of my favorite tools to support the transition to a new company is the book, "The First 90 Days". If you aren't using it as you transition into a new role, and especially a new company, you should. My first priority is to learn the history of the projects team members, it's stakeholders, and the project history. Armed with that information I can make a decent forecast about where we are headed. I am grateful for the culture of transparency and approachability that Prime fosters. My new team has been welcoming, and transparent about their needs and project challenges. As with so many new products, there have been tight deadlines, long hours, and complex requirements. It's easy to focus on the details and forgo process and people. However, I find that spending time with these highly skilled professionals can tell me all I need to know for some early wins. I was once nicknamed "The Disruptor" by a manager whom I deeply respected and trusted. I take this as a compliment, as I have never been afraid to challenge the status quo, or question the culture norms within a company, and offer to shake things up to wake things up. My focus now is to create a vision for how we would like the project and it's team members to move forward. I can't wait to get started on the next 30 days and see where it takes us! #Productmanagement #Agile #mentor #disruptor

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Great conversation thread on Cover Letters. How many you sent recently? Do you have one handy if required? Your resume should have interesting highlights that get you through the door. Not all recruiters and hiring managers appreciate more and lengthy things to read 😅 As someone who had a career break taking care of family and decided to pivot to a different industry upon returning, a cover letter helps me cleared the gap and intention upfront. #hiring #recruitment #jobsearch

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Friendly reminder that meetings count as work! I know people will sometimes quip that they didn’t get any work done as they weee just in meetings all day, but those meeting are the work! If you have meetings that feel pointless, review them. Do you need to attend? Does the meeting need to be shorter? Does the meeting need a clearer agenda or structure? Does the meeting need someone to be in charge of keeping it on track? #meetings #neurodivergent

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For years, I’ve been ideating around a way to help people navigate their career journeys. That project is now called PathSeed. Throughout my time at Apple, Fiserv, and beyond, I’ve connected with hundreds of people—not just colleagues, but individuals with unique stories, motivations, and aspirations. These conversations shaped my understanding of what it truly means to grow, pivot, or rebuild a career. I’ve used those insights to help others, whether it was by rewriting resumes and cover letters, offering tailored advice for networking and interviews, or brainstorming ways to find the next opportunity during challenging times. But it’s not enough. Too many people face overwhelming hurdles, whether it’s finding work after layoffs, managing bills during unexpected life changes, or breaking into the workforce for the first time. Others are navigating career transitions in new countries or aiming to align their passions with a sustainable livelihood. The reality is that finding your next step—whether it’s your dream role or simply a way to keep going—is hard. I want to change that. That’s why I’ve been developing PathSeed: a suite of tools designed to make career growth easier for everyone. These include:  - Tailored Resume and Cover Letter Generators: Thoughtful, customized tools to help you stand out.  - Career Exploration and Ideation Aids: Resources to inspire and clarify your path forward.  - Informative Editorials: Insights and stories to spark learning and discovery.  - Connection Tools: Designed to foster genuine, impactful networking. Some of these tools are already in alpha testing, and they’ll be available soon. My goal isn’t just to create another enterprise but to provide meaningful support at scale. That’s why I’m committed to keeping these resources free or low-cost—because helping people matters more than maximizing profit. If you’re curious about the journey or want to stay updated, I’d love for you to follow along: https://lnkd.in/gXBHyWwR 🌱

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"It worked!" 🚀 I'm on a call with BJ Hickok, a Senior Systems Experience Manager on my team at T-Mobile, evaluating the impact of an automation project he and our cross-functional partners brought to life. We knew in our guts that the features would work. Then we saw the numbers. It was even more thrilling to see that the project succeeded and is on track to at least 6X the return on investment AND that the frontline who most benefits from the project loves the features! ✨ I asked him to run them again to double-check my work. I might have shouted, "It worked!" a little too loud. Not sorry. It worked because: - It is a human-centered design. - Dreaming big. - Challenging what was "unlikely." - A cross-functional team collaborated to make it happen. - High trust among the team, between functions, and with our vendor partners. - We hit and learned from setbacks along the way. - Data-informed decisions, both digital and call listening studies. - We continue to iterate and improve. - A "what if it works?" became an "it works!" I would love to tag everyone who made this project successful, but I want to avoid accidentally excluding someone because I missed them or they are not on LinkedIn. (Trust that they were celebrated internally.) 💛 Happy Friday! #productmanagement #digitaltransformation #trustatwork #teamwork

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🎄🎉 Holiday Parties: The Perfect Time to Celebrate AND Network! 🎉🎄 December is all about festive vibes, good food, and holiday cheer, but let’s not forget—it’s also a golden opportunity to build connections and grow your business! A number of businesses in the SoFlo Black Pages community are hosting their end-of-year gatherings, and here’s why you should make the most of these events: 🎁 Make Meaningful Connections Holiday parties are a laid-back way to meet other business owners, potential partners, or clients. A casual chat over eggnog might just spark your next big collaboration! 🎁 Showcase Your Personality People do business with people they like and trust. Holiday events are a great time to let your personality shine—no sales pitch needed! Just be your authentic self. 🎁 Learn What’s New Get insider updates about what other businesses are doing and discover trends that could benefit your own goals. Networking can inspire fresh ideas for the new year! 🎁 End the Year on a High Note Celebrate your successes while planting seeds for future growth. What better way to close out 2024 than by expanding your network and strengthening your community ties? 🎄 Pro Tip: Don’t forget to bring your business cards (or have your LinkedIn QR code ready) and follow up with new contacts after the party. That’s where the real magic happens! So, while you’re enjoying the festivities, keep an eye out for opportunities to build relationships that could take your business to the next level in 2025. Cheers to celebrating AND networking! 🥂✨ #SoFloBlackPages #HolidayParties #EndOfYearCelebrations

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If you are going to this year's Scrum Gathering in New Orleans, I'd be honored if you decided to spend part of your conference with me at my talk: Embracing Neurodiversity: A Blueprint for Inclusive Scrum Teams. We're going to talk about not only the changing climate of our workplaces that are including an ever increasing percentage of neurodivergent people but also how this effects us as Scrum Masters or Agile Coaches. Our job is NOT to find the right process for every team or business in the world. Our job is to find the right process for the team or organization we serve right now. Those are made up of a unique set of individuals, some of which are neurodivergent. If we're not prepared to help them succeed, how can we truly say that we have the ability to elevate our teams / organizations?

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Priscilla John King from VIVIO is looking for a Product Manager. It’s Friday people, so you know what that means there will be a lot of product manager roles posted this afternoon, but you have to learn how to pitch yourself to get an interview beyond sending an “I’m interested” message to the hiring team. Do you want access to the rest of the product manager jobs instead of just getting them one by one, then sign up for our exclusive newsletter here.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj In addition to sending you a fresh batch of urgent product manager roles each day like hot bread out of the oven, I will also be sending you some LinkedIn templates on how to convert these LinkedIn postings into interviews.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj For whatever reason I have been getting a lot of hate comments about posting this many product manager jobs from real product managers. I have no clue how some people can be that angry considering I am trying to help the community out. You can sign up for the postings in my newsletter here.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj I am hosting 7 live trainings next week with the intention of helping as many people land a product manager job as possible for FREE. My team is still posting up the meetups on Eventbrite, but I will be sending an invitation to the following trainings over the weekend.  https://lnkd.in/g7stR_Nj Real Reason Nobody is Landing Product Manager Jobs in 2024 How to Interview Against Product Managers with More Experience Cold Product Manager LinkedIn Message Templates to Convert Interviews Product Manager Resume Templates for Startups and Big Tech Roles Big Tech Product Manager Case Studies of 2024 Secret Product Manager Job Boards and Referral Network How to Increase Product Manager Job Applications w/ Chat GPT + AI PS Please RESHARE this post for all your colleagues still looking for a job. #productmanagement #productmanagementcareers #productmanagementjobs #speedtolead

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Tuesdays are always a good day to start following up with hiring for product manager interviews since Monday is generally a mess. People come back from the weekend not remembering what they did, what they need to work on, or what the team needs to work towards and immediately hiring managers are thrown into Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting. This is why I tell most product manager job hunters in my program to follow up with the product manager job posts from Friday afternoon and Saturday morning on Tuesday afternoons. Here is the thing y’all need to understand. The product manager job hunter currently is mad savage. Heads and Directors of product alike get 70+ DMs within the first 20 minutes of the job post going live and you know who ends up grabbing those interviews? The people that follow up with them 2 days later, 3 days later, and 4 days later. When I was working at a tech recruiting agency, my mentor told me that most of the business was done on the 7th to 12 follow up, and these days that seems to be true for securing product manager interviews too. Except you don’t need to follow up with the hiring manager 7 times just, 3 to 4 times will do if you are using value-driven LinkedIn Messages like the ones I have for you in Skool. https://lnkd.in/gCsMZ-Ab Steal my LinkedIn Message templates in Skool: https://lnkd.in/gCsMZ-Ab PS For the love of god do not buy into the myth that companies are not hiring during the holiday season. Hiring budgets must be used by the end of the year and the teams that don’t use their hiring budget LOSE THEIR HIRING BUDGET. Product Gym was born on 11/7/17 and I remember very clearly one of our originals secured 51+ interviews between Cyber Monday and Christmas Eve. She applied and that’s why she ended up getting interviews. Everybody else kept telling themselves the market was bad, so they didn’t apply, and that’s why they didn’t get interviews.

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Day two of the ATD Org Dev Conference can be summed up in one word: Inspiring. Key Insights: 🚗 Change is happening at speeds we’ve never seen before. Our brains are wired to be concerned. It is our job to be there for our employees, communicate, and mitigate. 💕 Leadership requires both deep compassion and emotional regulation. 🔝 Organizations cannot reach their greatest potential unless their people do. 💬 Research is essential to uncovering unknowns. Invite people into the experience, ask them what they want. 👛 Trust is shaped through experiences. It is a currency you can give and exchange. 🤔 You must be curious to build connection with others. Stay tuned for more from Day 3 tomorrow! #ATDOrgDev

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