Jean Kang

Path to PM

"Jean isn’t a program manager coach solely because she’s done the role. She’s a coach because she’s done both the role AND gone the extra mile to document what she’s researched and learned masterfully. 

“Jean’s the real deal, and I couldn’t recommend her more to someone questioning how to take the next step in their career."

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

Instructor profile: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/jean-kang

LinkedIn Learning Instructor 

Business Insider

Contributing Writer

Figma

Focus on leadership strategy and helping Product Support operate with even greater agility, clarity and cohesion

Strategic Program Manager

First Program Manager on Product Support, leading some of our most strategic organizational and company initiatives in partnership with cross-functional leaders across Legal, Product and Eng, Marketing, Comm, and Security

Senior Program Manager

CX GTM program manager responsible for how CS goes to market with Product through scaled enablement such as training, communication, and playbooks for 200+ CSMs globally across 11 offices.

Global GTM Enablement Program Manager

Chief of Staff, Women at Linkedin

UN Women

Board Member

Pinterest

Advertiser Ops & Strategy

Facebook

Client Solutions Manager

Intuit

SMB Sales

✨ PM Career Coach, x7 pivoter, helping other pivoters land amazing Program Manager roles and 🔥 thrive on the job | Founder of 🚀 Path to PM | Senior Program Manager @ Figma • Ex-Linkedin, Meta, Pinterest, Intuit

Over the last decade, I led impactful programs at companies like LinkedIn, Pinterest, & Figma.

But here’s the part that surprises people:

- I didn’t have a PMP certification.
- I’m a proud career pivoter. 
- I didn’t check every box.

What I did have was strategy, storytelling, and a clear sense of how to articulate my value.

That’s how I landed multiple 6-figure Program Manager roles at top tech companies not by following the “traditional” path, but by leaning into my superpowers. 

Eventually, I had a spark to do something different..

What if I used the same skills that helped me thrive in Big Tech… to build something of my own?

So I left to bet on myself (again). 

And what served me well in my career also helped me as a solopreneur.

I owned my story, built with intention and shared learnings in public.

I started creating content in 2023 and in 2 years, built a community of 350K+ across LinkedIn, Instagram, and my newsletter.

Today, I’m the founder of the PM Accelerator, a career transformation program where I help senior professionals land high-paying PM roles without another certification or starting over. 

My mission is to democratize access to tech careers + empower folks to design a career, business & life they love especially in this era of AI.

The Results:

→ Partnered with Google, Hubspot, NVIDIA, Adobe, Kajabi, Notion, & more
→ LinkedIn Learning Instructor with 200K+ learners
→ 100M+ impressions over the last year
→ 230K+ follow my journey on LinkedIn
→ Built a $200K+ business in 1 year 
→ 32K+ read my newsletter 
→ (soon TEDx speaker 😱)

If you want to learn the exact framework I used to land dream PM roles + help others do the same… 

📌 APPLY TO THE PM ACCELERATOR (link in bio)

In this 5-week career acceleration program, I teach you how to get interviews, land dream offers and literally thrive on the job.  

I helped 100+ students land PM roles at Microsoft, SoFi, Scale.AI, Adidas, Workday and more (many in under 4–7 weeks)

→ GO HERE: pm-accelerator.com 

📧 jean@jean-kang.com for partnerships, collaborations, and speaking opportunities

📌 Media kit: jean-kang.com

Imposter syndrome is a silent killer.

5 tips to beat it (and change your life 🔥)

—
☝🏼 Step 1: Recognize Your Fixed Mindset

Negative self-talk sounds like:

↳ “I’m not good enough.”
↳ “I always mess up.”
↳ “I’m too quiet.”

These aren’t facts—they are negative thoughts. Recognizing them is the first step.

—
✌🏼 Step 2: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Growth lives outside your comfort zone.

↳ Want to improve public speaking? Say yes to that presentation.
↳ Want to become a program manager? Raise your hand to lead that project.
↳ Want to create content? Start posting 3x a week.

The more you stretch, the more you grow.

—
🤟🏼 Step 3: Seek Meaningful Feedback

Feedback starts with you.

↳ Do a weekly retro: What worked? What didn’t? What’s next?
↳ Ask colleagues or friends: What should I do more of? Less of?

Feedback is a gift for growth.

—
🖖🏼 Step 4: Detach Your Self-Worth From Work

You are more than your job.

Grow in areas that align with your values:

↳ Nurture relationships.
↳ Pursue passion projects.
↳ Volunteer or give back.
↳ Prioritize hobbies that bring joy.

—
🖐🏼 Step 5: Add “…Yet” to Reframe

Turn self-doubt into self-belief with one word: “Yet.”

↳ “I’m not a great leader…yet.”
↳ “I’m not in my dream job…yet.”
↳ “I’m not a skilled writer…yet.”

If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared. If not you, then who?

What’s ONE step you can take today? 👇🏼

📌 P.S. And if you're into actionable tips, try out my newsletter.

I talk about leveling up your 9-to-5, building a fulfilling side hustle, and designing a life on your terms.

https://lnkd.in/gc2mu4yK

Repost to inspire someone who needs to hear it & follow Jean Kang for more 🙏🏼

Tech Creator (400k+) with 8M+ monthly views | Ex-LinkedIn, Meta, Figma | Solopreneur, TEDx Speaker & Angel Investor helping you thrive at work using AI

Stop telling yourself you’re not qualified, good enough, or worthy.

Growth happens when you start 
doing the things you’re not qualified 
to do.

Be the person people *want* to work with.

How you collaborate will define your career more than anything else.

Because let’s be real. 

No one wants to work with the person who’s genius but impossible to deal with.

Here are 6 traits that make you an invaluable teammate:

1. Be dependable ☝🏼

↳ Follow through on what you say you'll do.
↳ Show up on time. Physically and mentally.
↳ Be the person others know they can count on.

2. Communicate like a boss ✌🏼

↳ Get to the point (lead with a headline).
↳ Keep people updated before they have to ask.
↳ Listen with the intent to understand, not just to reply.

3. Make other people’s jobs easier 🤟🏼

↳ Offer solutions vs complaints
↳ Offer help before you're asked.
↳ Share resources, knowledge, and wins.

4. Take ownership of everything (Good or bad) 🖖🏼

↳ Give credit where it’s due.
↳ Don't wait for someone else to step up. Be that person.
↳ Say this: “I dropped the ball. Here’s what happened and what I’ll do next time …”

5. Show appreciation 🖐🏼

↳ Say thank you. A lot.
↳ Celebrate small wins. Not just big results.
↳ Recognize someone’s effort, not just outcomes.

People remember how you made them feel. Make them feel valued.

At the end of the day, the best career move isn’t just getting better at your job.

It’s getting better at working with people.

What’s one trait that makes someone amazing to work with? Drop it below 👇

P.S. I just hit 250K on LinkedIn 😭

Here’s how I built an audience of almost 400K followers in < 2 years. 

It’s a letter I wrote to my younger me (and harsh lessons I learned about building a personal brand)

Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eDWXTb3i

Be the person that everyone wants to work with. 

I love this story so much.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, owns a $4 trillion dollar company

And yet his LinkedIn profile lists just TWO jobs:

☝🏼 Dishwasher, busboy, and waiter at Denny’s
✌🏼 Founder & CEO of Nvidia

His profile went viral, and people started calling it “the most inspiring LinkedIn profile ever.”

Here’s why his story resonates:

1/ Your first job doesn’t define your success

We’ve all had jobs that felt small or irrelevant. That’s normal.

What matters is what you take from them.

2/ Every experience matters

Jensen doesn’t list every role he’s had.

But even working at Denny’s gave him lessons in grit, humility, and service.

These are traits that shaped how he leads today.

3/ Careers aren’t linear

He went on to earn a Master’s from Stanford, worked as a chip designer at AMD and LSI Logic, while raising 2 children.

In 1993, he co-founded Nvidia while sitting in a booth at Denny’s with “no idea how” to start a company.

30 years later, Jensen is one of the most influential leaders in tech.

Let this be your reminder:

Your resume does not define you.

Your background does not define you.

And no one else gets to define your story except for YOU 💙

image credit: entrepreneurshipquote

The CEO of Nvidia has a legendary LinkedIn profile

Me in my 20s:

- I want to buy a home
- I want to make 6 figures
- I want to work at big companies

Me in my 30s:

- I prioritize peace and presence
- I build products that actually help people
- I crave deep, tech-free time with the people I love

So, what changed?

After hitting my “big goals” by 27, I still felt... empty.

All the titles, salaries, and wins and yet, something was missing.

That’s when I knew I needed to shift my definition of success.

Now at 33, success looks a little different: 

🟢 Freedom > big salary
🟢 Meaningful experiences > status
🟢 Being aligned > being impressive

I’m blessed to partner with companies like Kajabi for making it possible to monetize my expertise so I can build my dream life. 

Kajabi’s new platform updates have made it ridiculously easy to:

↳ Personalize the student experience (hello, new coaching portal!)
↳ Track exactly what content’s performing best
↳ Scale without sacrificing connection

There’s only a a few months left before the year ends.

So, what’s 1 thing you’re doing to make it count? 

Remember, it’s never too late to start something 😉

#KajabiPartner

A career is great.

A meaningful life is better.

Surround yourself with people who fight for you in rooms you aren’t in.

I will never forget those who:

✔️ Advocated for me 
✔️ Believed in my worth 
✔️ Fought for opportunities 
✔️ Gave me credit for my work 
✔️ Praised my work to my manager 
✔️ Articulated my impact to leadership

Because of you, I’m dedicated to paying it forward.

And this is how you create a difference in someone’s life.
 __

6 ways to fight for someone (and leave a lasting impact)

☝🏼 Advocate for better terms

↳ Whether it’s pay, benefits, or recognition, use your voice to push for fairness.

✌🏼 Celebrate their successes

↳ Big or small, recognition will always be remembered.

🤟🏼 Offer nonjudgmental support

↳ Be the person they can lean on without fear of criticism.

🖖🏼 Speak on their behalf

↳ Share their achievements and advocate as though they’re in the room.

🙏🏼 Share resources or connections

↳ Share a simple introduction or resource that can make a difference in their work/life.

🤝🏼 Be their accountability partner

↳ Help them stay on track toward their goals by checking in weekly and celebrate milestones together.

Tag the people in your life who do this and show them your love 💙

P.S. I wrote down my dream of becoming a TEDx speaker (and then manifested it in just 3 months)

This Monday, I’m sharing the exact plan that made it happen. My friends called it genius.

Get it here → https://lnkd.in/gc2mu4yK

You will never forget those who took a chance on you when others rejected you.

Failing is actually a good thing.

But most people let it consume them…

Thank you Costas K. G. for this image 👌🏼 

(instead of building resilience to bounce back) 

I’ve failed A LOT in my life.

↳ got fired twice 
↳ bombed presentations 
↳ stayed too long in toxic relationships

But here’s what it taught me

↳ grit to keep going
↳ take failures as lessons 
↳ made space for something better

And because of these “failures”, I’m right where I need to be:

I met the love of my life.

I’m living my dream and & doing what I love. 

Allowed me to quit tech and create a life on my terms.

Try these 5 things to get back up (even when you don’t want to):

☝🏼 Feel the pain
   
  → Give yourself permission to feel it fully. 
  → Your emotions are valid (and it’s okay not to be okay)
   
✌🏼 Zoom out
   
  → You are not your worst moment.   
  → Recognize that this too shall pass 
   
🤟🏼 Find the lesson.
   
  → What is this trying to teach you?
  → What would you do differently next time?
   
🖖🏼 Rewrite the narrative.
   
  → Stop calling it failure. The only way to grow is through falling.
  → You are a beautiful work-in-progress.
   
✋🏼 Start slowly
   
  → Commit to taking 1 tiny step (any step) 
  → Raise your hand at work. Post 3x a week. Have one hard conversation.
   
I look back and realize:

My collection of failures added up to a far more meaningful life.

What’s one thing you’ve learned from failure that made you stronger? 👇🏼

Helping you land a 6-figure Program Manager job you love | Ex-Big Tech PM → Founder & Creator (375K+) | Solopreneur sharing insights on Careers, AI, & Project Management

FAILURE
Fall
Acknowledge
Investigate
Learn
Understand
Realign
Evolve

Stop waiting for your work to speak for itself.

In 2025, that's not enough.

You can be amazing at what you do.

You can have the degrees, experience, and referrals.

But if no one knows you exist… none of it matters.

We’re not in a job market anymore.

We’re deep in an attention market.

Here’s the reality:

↳ People are Googling you before they meet you
↳ They’re judging your value before you even show up
↳ Recruiters aren’t just checking your resume (they’re scrolling your LinkedIn)

So if you’re doing what you’ve always done and expecting different results...

It’s time to switch it up.

Here’s how to go from invisible → visible:

1️⃣ Share what you're learning.

Example: “Just wrapped up a speaking cohort and learned more in 8 weeks than I thought possible. Here are 3 things that surprised me…”

2️⃣ Post about your job search journey.

Example: “Applied to 12 roles this week. Got 2 interviews. Got 5 referrals. Here’s what helped me land the referrals:”

3️⃣ Comment with insight on posts in your field.

Example: On a post about remote leadership —
“Totally agree. I’ve seen async tools make or break team culture — especially for introverts.”

4️⃣ Let people know what you’re great at and what you’re looking for.

Example: “If you need someone who can translate big ideas into action steps, I’m your person.

Looking for my next role in project management and GTM strategy for a mission-driven AI startup.”

Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.
And that’s power.

You weren’t meant to feel stuck, underpaid, or overlooked.

You were meant to lead, to be respected, and thrive not just survive.

If you're ready to own your voice and land a role where you're paid well, valued deeply, and excited to show up…

I’d love to help. I work with senior professionals to level up their leadership and land strategic program management roles they love.

✔️ Apply now to chat with me + my team: https://lnkd.in/eN_pc9rX

I would bookmark this 🔖

Google launched a free AI learning tool

(and it’s so cool) 😱

It’s part of their new AI experiment called Learn Your Way,

and it’s one of the most intuitive tools I’ve seen for modern learners.

A few standouts:

☝🏼 It adapts to your grade level and your interests
✌🏼 It converts material into formats you’ll actually use (audio, mind maps, slides, etc.)
🤟🏼 It checks in with quizzes and memory boosters so the info actually sticks

Say you’re learning physics.. it’ll literally teach you with rocket examples if you’re into space.

No more boring, generic explanations (bye to old textbooks)

This is still early (and in testing) but this is what I call learning BEYOND the classroom.

You’re not just learning new things.

You’re learning in a way that works BEST for YOU.

And I’m so HERE 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 IT👏🏼

📌  Here’s the link to try it out: https://lnkd.in/eB6J6CeF

What do you think?

Pepperdata

Software Engineer

• Consulted with various client team members to understand process pain points for detailed requirements gathering.
• Developed code solutions to tactically reduce human repetition returning hours back to accounting teams.

Software Developer

Polly

• Built and maintained library of reusable components.
• Developed features in Vue consuming Python and Django based API framework.
• Refactored legacy code for better readability, maintainability, and consistency across the code base.
• Researched and contributed to decisions on the direction of the frontend architecture.

Frontend Engineer

Liferay

•	Developed web application features in React.js and other development ecosystems including Java Server Pages and Freemarker templating environments.
•	Integrated RESTful API services into frontend clients
•	Maintained, modified, and built queries in GraphQL using Apollo
•	Participated in full SDLC for feature development from requirements gathering to delivery and maintenance
•	Reviewed pull requests for code and logic organization from other developers
•	Collaborated with business and UX teams to plan, groom, and create tickets during sprint planning and retrospective meetings

Rice Garden, Inc.

•	Managed testing and implementation of new PeopleStrategy eHCM/HRIS, Payroll, and Talent Acquisition systems to ensure data integrity.
•	Audited employee data to ensure job codes, position titles, pay rates, FLSA codes, and employee statuses for accuracy.
•	Processed all hourly and salary payroll transactions for 150+ multi-state employees on bi-weekly schedule.
•	Evaluated staffing needs, maintained open job requisitions, and facilitated digital on-boarding processes for all new hires.
•	Ensured employees met FLSA wage standards and classifications.
•	Designed paid sick leave plan in compliance with CA AB 1522 and local paid sick leave laws.
•	Calculated employee qualifications for health benefits during annual plan renewal and processed COBRA notifications and enrollments when necessary.
•	Completed employment verifications, unemployment insurance claims, and filed workers’ compensation claims.

Human Resource Specialist

•	Exported and prepared time cards for payroll processing for average 140 employees on a bi-weekly basis.
•	Audited time-keeping records to detect and prevent fraudulent practices.
•	Identified food and labor cost variances on a weekly basis.
•	Analyzed key operational data, including COL and COGS variances.
•	Facilitated onboarding paperwork, including I-9, W-4, and E-Verify. 
•	Managed employee benefits enrollment in compliance with Affordable Care Act.
•	Conducted online remote training sessions for company’s BOH inventory management system for all new managers.
•	Filed workers' compensation claims.

Restaurant Operations Analyst

• Designed and generated brand’s Visual Reference Guide to compliment training manual to improve consistency across brand.
• Generated in-depth year-over-year customer count trend analysis for brand at company, regional, and store levels.
• Utilized Salesforce.com’s ExactTarget engine to facilitate email marketing campaigns and maintain email database.
• Data entry utilizing QSROnline software.

Marketing Coordinator

Rowland Unified School District

• Coached and mentored an average of 40 students per year in the junior varsity badminton program. 
• Managed team finances of $2000/year adhering to team budget year over year and to purchase team equipment and supplies. 
• Managed staff of 4 assistant coaches and led the team to Southern California C.I.F. playoffs, for the past five years.

High School Athletics Instructor

HKR Investments, LLC dBA Robeks

• Managed average workforce of 20 employees with sales volumes ranging from $12,000 to $22,000 per event. 
• Recruited and trained employees for off-site events, averaging 10 events annually. 
• Designed inventory management wireframe that resulted in a 1.5% drop in cost of goods year over year.

Off-Site Operations Manager

• Designed and executed email campaign that resulted in an 11% unique capture rate. Tripled brand awareness at store level and increased customer traffic by 3% year over year. 
• Performed regional market research by analyzing demographic statistics to assess potential viability of new site selection. 
• Performed SWOT analyses on store locations within CA, AZ, UT, TX, NV, and IL. 
• Utilized USPS Every Door Direct Mail campaign to generate traffic resulting in 3-7% capture rate. 
• Performed data entry to compile digital email database which led to advent of redesigned loyalty program.

Marketing Intern

Self-taught Software Engineer | Pronouns: He/Him

`$ npx joshuawu` IYKYK 

Curious about my transition journey from HR to Software Engineer? Let's connect! Leave a note with the connection request and let me know!

Individualization > Communication > Arranger > Learner > Woo
“Lifting as we climb” - Mary Church Terrell

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The Battle

Jean Kang

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The Battle

Jean Kang

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Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jean Kang's LinkedIn Performance

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