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Why Your Executive Presence is Sabotaging Your $300K Career (The 10 Unconscious Habits Keeping You Stuck)
You walk into the conference room with a flawless technical solution. Your code is elegant. Your roadmap is bulletproof. Your market analysis could make McKinsey weep with envy. And then you open your mouth. “Um, this might be totally wrong, but I was thinking… sorry to interrupt, but maybe we could…” Congratulations. You just torched…
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Why 87% of Tech Professionals Pick the Wrong Career Path (+ The $200K Framework That Fixes It)
You just got passed over for promotion again. Your manager praised your “great work” but promoted someone who “shows more strategic thinking”—while you actually shipped three major features this quarter. This is the classic PM vs TPM career trap that’s costing professionals $200K+ in lifetime earnings. After coaching 700+ product professionals, I’ve watched brilliant people…
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Why Startup Product Management Will Either Make You or Break You (And Why Community Might Be Your Only Lifeline)
Startup PM isn’t just FAANG work without resources—it’s professional masochism where community might be your only lifeline. Brutal truths about why most fail and how to survive the transition from big tech.
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Why 90% Fail Amazon Leadership Principles Interviews (+ Problems with STAR)
Most Amazon interview candidates crash using STAR method. Learn the “Landing the Plane” framework that actually works – with real examples and insider tips from someone who’s been on both sides of Amazon interviews.
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How Amazon’s 16 Leadership Principles Built the Everything Store: Product Management Lessons for Career Growth
Most product managers treat Amazon’s Leadership Principles like corporate wallpaper. But those 16 principles weren’t born in a boardroom—they were forged building the impossible. From garage startup to everything store, each principle crystallized into a playbook for product success. Strip away the corporate speak, and you’ll find the raw DNA of product thinking that can…
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Missed the PM Job? Why You’re Closer Than Ever
If you’ve ever walked out of a multi-round product management interview thinking, “That went pretty well,” only to get a rejection email days later—you’re not alone. Recently, a candidate I coached reached out to share that she had made it through four in-person rounds with six different interviewers. Her feedback? Overwhelmingly positive. In fact, one…
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How Great Product Managers and UX Designers Work Together to Build Exceptional Products
The relationship between Product Managers and UX Designers is a delicate dance—when done well, it’s like a well-rehearsed duet, each complementing the other’s moves. When done poorly, it’s like trying to waltz while stepping on each other’s feet. Both roles are critical to delivering a seamless, user-centric product. A PM ensures that business goals, technical…
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Why the CIRCLES Framework Falls Short in Product Design Interviews
The CIRCLES framework is often touted as a go-to method for tackling Product Design and Product Sense interviews. While its structured approach might seem appealing, it can fall short in demonstrating the creativity, adaptability, and user empathy hiring managers value most. At Kalena Advisors, we specialize in helping candidates break free from rigid frameworks to…
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Top 5 Ways the (Amazon) STAR Method Works Poorly for Interview Candidates
Struggling to stand out in Amazon’s rigorous interview process? The STAR method is a popular framework, but many candidates fail to use it effectively, costing them the opportunity to impress. In this article, we reveal the top 5 reasons the STAR method doesn’t work for Amazon interviews and how to fix them. Learn to align…
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Master Amazon Behavioral Interviews: Top Mistakes, Proven Strategies & 50 Questions to Prepare For
Preparing for an Amazon interview and striving to stand out in behavioral rounds? This updated guide goes beyond the 50 most commonly reported Amazon behavioral interview questions to highlight the top mistakes candidates make—especially when using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format—and how to avoid them. With insights into Amazon’s Leadership Principles, this resource…