Leland+ for Career Coaching

Part 1: Understand Your Goals and Tell Your Story

Are you tired of applying to 100 jobs and not hearing back? Maybe you’re nervous about reaching out to other people and talking about yourself. Perhaps you’ve heard about networking from a lot of people, but you’re skeptical about the way it can actually work for you. This workshop series is for you! As a career coach, I have distilled the targeted networking approach of finding jobs into a five-step process, each of which I will guide you through. Every three weeks, we will address another piece of the puzzle through an interactive workshop. In Part 1, we will: - Reflect and think really hard about what you want to do at this point in your career. Not what you think you can get, not what you'd be willing to settle for. We’re going to talk about what you actually really want out of your next job, what's important to you, and your WHY. - Learn to tell your story in an elevator pitch and rehearse this so that you are comfortable sharing your own story with people in as little as one minute. - Start revising your job search materials (resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profile) to reflect this story. Part 2: Identify Your Target Organizations (May 29) Part 3: Build Your Network to Learn (June 19) Part 4: Maintain Your Network (July 10) Part 5: Use Your Network to Apply (July 31) By the end of the process, you will be fully prepared to use the targeted networking approach to find a job, and more importantly, you will be closer to a chosen job and career that helps you live a purposeful, fulfilling life. Each workshop will include exercises that we will work through together, and I will answer questions. While you can attend any workshop as a one-off, it can be very powerful to attend the entire five-workshop sequence. If you want more personalized support as you go through the job search process, sign up for 1-on-1 coaching sessions with me! This workshop is appropriate for: - Students and early-career professionals who are not sure how to get started with the internship or full-time job search - Mid-career professionals who are looking to pivot into another industry or find a job after a career gap - Anyone who wants to become more adept at networking and use it strategically

MBA Self-Discovery Workbook: Unlock Your Narrative & Write Freely

This is a reflection-focused, 13-section workbook for MBA applicants to uncover and build your story before embarking on the complex, layered process of writing your essays. This resource is informed from my time in Stanford GSB's Interpersonal Dynamics (Touchy Feely), my time helping dozens of other GSB classmates find their voice as the Managing Editor for Stanford GSB's Paper (Nondisclosure), and in helping over 500 MBA applicants self-reflect in a way that feels genuine, personal and clarifying. I wrote this resource with just enough structure (but not too much), and with a practical eye towards covering the ground you'll need for your MBA apps. You'll go deep, but every question has a purpose. I also use this with everyone I work with, and it's something we'll cover at the very beginning of our process. My hope is that this resource, in addition to being a big help, feels like we're in conversation. The goal is just to get to know you a little better, one step at a time, in a way that feels natural, even enjoyable. Even if you're the only one who ever sees it, I've tried to write this in a way that I'd speak about this kind of thing with you. Because I think humans are the best way to help other humans see themselves a little deeper. And trust me, plenty of "coaches" could use more of that too ;) This workbook will cover your background, motivations, short and long-term goals, values, behavioral stories, and more. A PDF is attached here, but there's also a downloadable Word file I recommend using to make things much easier for you to fill out as you go. This took me about 20-30 hours of time to put together, and I suggest putting at least 5-10 into filling this out. Some go at it all at once, but most do it in a few sittings. Long walks are good to interperse between writing sessions, and I actually recommend you reflect and go back to this to update your answers several times throughout your MBA process. Save new versions as you go and you'll be able to see your application pixellate over this monthslong process. If you're reapplying, I'd push you to compare what you end up with here with what you submitted last time. The differences may be revealing. I hope ends up a real tool for you, and that it helps you find answers you might not have found otherwise. It also will give you a glimpse into what coaching together feels like. Don't hesitate to reach out if you feel like sharing this. Working on your writing and applications together is a natural byproduct of the kind of reflection you'll be doing here, and it's my favorite thing to help someone with. Happy writing :) -Ben

Help I'm in the Wrong Job: The Unwritten Rules of Making a Career Pivot

At some point in their careers, most people find themselves wondering where the career path they chose in their 20s is what they want to do for the next few decades. Career pivots are common - especially in a world where technology keeps shifting the job market. But how do you make a career pivot? In this session, we'll explore ways to start moving your career in a new direction -- long before you quit your job. We will have time for prepared topics as well as Q&A - so bring your questions. About Jeff Sigel: Jeff Sigel is an executive and career coach with 20+ years of marketing experience. He has held leadership roles in top Food manufacturing, retail, and restaurant companies - including as VP of Marketing and VP of Corporate Strategy & Business Intelligence. He has made a career pivot of his own into coaching and training emerging leaders.

The Mental Habits of High Performers [5/19/2026] (Recording)

Your thoughts, interpretations, and mental patterns have a direct impact on how you perform at work. Many high-performing professionals experience patterns like overthinking, perfectionism, fear of failure, self-doubt, or harsh self-criticism, often without realizing how much these patterns influence decision-making, confidence, communication, and performance. In this session, we’ll explore how the mind works, how thoughts shape performance, and practical tools to build more intentional and supportive mental habits in high-pressure professional environments. We’ll cover: • How thoughts influence emotions, behaviors, and performance outcomes • Common mental patterns experienced by high performers • Why the mind is wired to detect risk, pressure, and potential failure • A practical framework for questioning and reframing unhelpful thoughts • How awareness creates more intentional responses under pressure • Practical mindset shifts and habits that support stronger mental performance over time You’ll leave with practical tools to better manage your internal dialogue, improve resilience and decision-making, and approach your work with greater clarity, confidence, and intentionality. This session is designed for professionals who want to strengthen their mindset, improve performance, and build a healthier relationship with pressure, growth, and high expectations.

Build Your Personal Brand & Thought Leadership System with Claude + Notion [5/20/2026] (Recording)

Personal branding is your ticket to excelling in the AI age. Most professionals know they should be creating content yet almost none of us do it consistently. Not because we lack ideas, but because we have no system to enable consistency. In this session, we'll build one. Using the network analysis from last week, we'll use Claude to generate a content calendar built around your actual expertise, then turn each idea into multiple formats: a LinkedIn post, a story hook, a networking pitch, and more. Everything lives in a pre-built Notion template you duplicate at the start of the session, so you spend the full session generating content, not building infrastructure. Outcome for attendees: A content calendar tailored to their specific network audience and a reusable Claude + Notion workflow they can run every month independently Session pre-requisites: Claude account & Notion account — free is fine 🙂

The Perfect Tech Resume

Most tech resumes don't get rejected — they get ignored. They read like job descriptions instead of proof of impact, and they disappear into the ATS before a human ever sees them. Join me for a hands-on session where we'll break down what actually makes a resume land interviews — from bullet structure to formatting to the cuts most candidates are afraid to make. With experience at Microsoft, Slack, Salesforce, Ramp, and Atlassian — and having helped clients land 100+ offers at Google, Meta, Adobe, and more — I've reviewed hundreds of resumes and seen the same fixable mistakes over and over. Every bullet should pass one test: does it show what you did and what changed because of it? If not, it goes. We'll cover the formula that works, rewrite weak bullets live, and walk through real before-and-after examples. Whether you're actively job searching or building your materials for the next move, you'll leave with a clear framework for turning your resume into a one-page highlight reel that gets replies.

MBA Scorecard: Rank Every Program to Find Your Fit

A personalized Excel scorecard for ranking every top MBA program that autopopulates based on key criteria you should evaluate in narrowing down your list to your top-choice programs. Weight only the factors that matter to you (e.g., specific career funnels, geography, cost, culture, academics), and score each program out of 100, and see your rankings update live. This includes a filled-out example as well so you can see what a final product looks like. Delete anything that isn't useful, and keep the rest so this search is custom-tailored to you.

Professional CV - two Masters and three Doctorates + work experience!

For anyone looking for a clean, simple, thorough CV template! Includes my background of multiple undergraduate degrees, two Master's degrees, and three Doctorate degrees, along with research bibliography and work experience. Translatable for those entering MBA, Masters, PhD, medical school, dental school, physician's assistant and more.

How to Position Yourself for Promotion: What Leaders Actually Evaluate [6/2/2026] (Recording)

Many professionals assume strong performance alone leads to promotion. In reality, promotion decisions are usually based on a broader set of factors leaders evaluate when determining who is ready for the next level. In this workshop, we’ll break down how promotion decisions are often made and introduce a practical framework you can use to assess and strengthen your own positioning. Drawing from over 12 years in corporate professional services, executive search, and talent development leadership, including leading promotion review processes, sitting in on promotion and performance discussions, and advising on promotion decisions, I’ll share practical insights into what leaders actually look for when evaluating readiness for advancement. In this session, you’ll learn: - The key factors leaders evaluate when determining promotion readiness - Why strong performers still get passed over for promotion - How to assess your own positioning across results, leadership behaviors, and organizational confidence - Practical ways to strengthen your visibility, leadership presence, and readiness for the next level - How to identify the highest-impact areas to focus on for career growth You’ll leave with a clear framework to evaluate your promotion readiness, identify potential gaps, and approach your career growth more strategically and intentionally. This session is designed for professionals who are preparing for increased responsibility, navigating career growth, or looking to position themselves more effectively for future advancement.

How to Position Yourself for Promotion: What Leaders Actually Evaluate [6/2/2026] (Recording)

Many professionals assume strong performance alone leads to promotion. In reality, promotion decisions are usually based on a broader set of factors leaders evaluate when determining who is ready for the next level. In this workshop, we’ll break down how promotion decisions are often made and introduce a practical framework you can use to assess and strengthen your own positioning. Drawing from over 12 years in corporate professional services, executive search, and talent development leadership, including leading promotion review processes, sitting in on promotion and performance discussions, and advising on promotion decisions, I’ll share practical insights into what leaders actually look for when evaluating readiness for advancement. In this session, you’ll learn: - The key factors leaders evaluate when determining promotion readiness - Why strong performers still get passed over for promotion - How to assess your own positioning across results, leadership behaviors, and organizational confidence - Practical ways to strengthen your visibility, leadership presence, and readiness for the next level - How to identify the highest-impact areas to focus on for career growth You’ll leave with a clear framework to evaluate your promotion readiness, identify potential gaps, and approach your career growth more strategically and intentionally. This session is designed for professionals who are preparing for increased responsibility, navigating career growth, or looking to position themselves more effectively for future advancement.

Home for Ambition #10 — Weekly Live Show [6/3/2026] (Recording)

Home for Ambition is a weekly live show, by Leland, for people trying to stay ahead as work, learning, and opportunity keep changing. Each episode tackles a handful of timely, high-signal topics across AI, careers, education, and the future of work. We expect thoughtful debate, unique perspectives, and practical takeaways you can actually use. It is not a typical interview show or a generic news recap. It is a live roundtable built to help ambitious people make sense of what is changing, understand what matters, and leave with a sharper point of view on how to navigate what comes next.

How to Strengthen your LinkedIn Presence in 5 Minutes

With over 1 billion members and 67 million companies, LinkedIn stands as the world's largest professional network, making it an invaluable platform for your career growth. These days you need to have a strong LinkedIn presence because admissions teams and recruiters will be looking.

The Hiring Room: Amazon TA Leader’s Interview Playbook

This is not a list of behavioural questions. It’s a comprehensive, end-to-end interview strategy guide from a former Amazon Talent Acquisition leader and Stanford graduate — designed to help you think, prepare, and perform like a top candidate. We begin before the interview even exists: clarifying who you are, what you want, and how to align your narrative with the roles you’re pursuing. From there, we move through resume positioning, strategic storytelling, behavioural frameworks, executive presence, and what interviewers are actually assessing behind the scenes.

Sample Answer to a Resume Deep Dive Question

This is an example of a resume deep dive in a consulting interview.

Customizable Cover Letter Template for Consulting Jobs

This is a generic cover letter template that can be customized to fit any consulting job opportunity you are exploring.

Sample Answer to a Leadership Question (LinkedIn Example)

This is an example response to a leadership question based on an experience with a team at LinkedIn.

Leadership Question Responses Debrief

This video debrief covers the Sample Answers to Leadership Questions, including both the college club and LinkedIn team examples.

Demo: Mastering the Technical Interview

This demonstration shows how in-depth we get with research for technical interviews. This specific example looks at product management as an example, but the skills displayed can be used for any industry.

How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself"

"Tell me about yourself" is a common interview question, but there are specific signals that employers are looking for. In this video I will break down how you should approach these questions.

How to Answer "Why this Company"

One of the most common interview questions is "Why do you want to work here?" In this video we will discuss what your approach and strategy should be as you answer this question in your behavioral interviews.