Leland+ for Career Coaching

Behavioral Interview Story Response Template

Use this template to document your best stories and prepare responses for common behavioral interview question topics.

How to Network (And Enjoy It!)

What is networking all about? What do I say to make conversation with a stranger? How can I approach new contacts and make progress in my career? Networking is an essential skill to developing your career and searching for a new job, but many people struggle with putting themselves out there authentically and being able to create a genuine connection with people. In this free workshop, Career Coach Connie Ma will guide you through the three steps of networking effectively and enjoying yourself at the same time: asking questions, listening actively, and sharing about yourself. Join us, and start feeling more confident, resourceful, and excited about your next networking encounter!

Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

Why use an elevator pitch? What are the key elements to introducing yourself and making a good first impression? How do you use an elevator pitch? Career Coach Connie Ma will guide you through creating a self-introduction or elevator pitch which you can use in any social or professional situation to leave a good first impression. We will discuss how to talk about yourself, how to talk about tricky parts of your past employment history, and how to adjust your self-introduction to suit any situation you may find yourself in. Come work with us on your self-introduction, practice with others, and become more confident in representing yourself!

Corporate Recruiter Approved STAR Interview Guide

A comprehensive guide that will ensure you are prepared for any interview question that comes your way.

International Careers Office Hours - Ask Me Anything

Curious about launching an international career but don't know where to start? Wondering whether European, Asian, or other multinational companies offer better opportunities than traditional US corporations? Join me for bi-weekly office hours where no question is off limits. As someone who navigated from engineering graduate to CEO across three countries and 25 years of international business, I'm here to provide honest, practical guidance on everything from selecting your first international employer to preparing for overseas assignments to building the cultural intelligence that sets global leaders apart.

October Series - Finding Career Clarity (Session 1)

Most job seekers never take the time to define what they truly want from their next role. Instead, they rush into applications, hoping something will stick. This is the “career discovery” phase—your golden circle, your why. It’s about understanding what lights you up, what you jump out of bed for, and what your purpose is. These are tough questions, but they are essential. Skipping this step leads to wasted time and missed opportunities. The cost of not doing a self-inventory or clarifying your vision is that your job search becomes scattered and inefficient. Taking stock of your skills is a key part of this process. By getting clear on your direction, you set yourself up for a focused and effective search. Think of this as writing your playbook or creating your map before you set out on your journey.

October Series - Managing a Job Search (Session 4)

Stop moving in the wrong direction! It’s easy to confuse being busy with making progress. Not all activity is created equal. Many job seekers spend hours applying blindly or scrolling through job boards. But this kind of busywork often leads to burnout and disappointment. The real trap is measuring effort instead of results. (Read that again). What matters is focusing on high-impact activities and tracking meaningful metrics. If you don’t, you risk throwing darts in the wrong direction and wondering why you’re not hitting the board. While you might get lucky with sheer volume and the law of averages, it’s ultimately the quality and direction of your activity that truly counts.

October Series - Reaching your Network (Session 5)

Are you missing out on opportunities? Most job seekers don’t follow up after applications or interviews. Even fewer take the time to learn from rejection. The cost of not following up or seeking feedback is that you miss out on valuable information and opportunities to improve. Staying stuck in the same patterns leads to frustration and wasted effort. Building a follow-up system and actively seeking feedback helps you identify trends, such as why you were declined or rejected, and allows you to iterate and get better with each attempt. Getting feedback from your "job search system" is crucial for finding patterns and making meaningful change in your career.

October Series - Creating a Career Plan (Session 2)

Jumping into the job search without a plan is like heading into battle without any armor or strategy. The most successful job seekers treat this step as building their strategy. It’s not just about knowing what you want, but also want you don't want. And how you’re going to avoid it. This means identifying what you’re looking for, what you’re not looking for, and assembling the tools and resources you’ll need along the way. The job search plan is the foundation for everything that follows. Without it, you’re likely to waste time on the wrong opportunities or get stuck in endless cycles of busywork. By taking the time to create a strategy and assemble your repertoire you give yourself the best chance of career success.

October Series - Crafting your Brand (Session 3)

We all know you can’t apply for jobs without a resume. While you technically can without a LinkedIn profile, it’s not advised. (Also, add a head shot...). Many job seekers try to fix things on the fly, but this approach is vague and leads to wasted time. Without a networking template, you’re flying blind, and without testing your materials, you’re stuck. Preparation means having your resume, LinkedIn, and networking materials ready before you start applying. It’s about making sure your documents are polished and your stories are clear. (Many people struggle with both). If you don’t prepare in advance, you’ll spend more time fixing mistakes and less time making real progress. Before you take off, make sure to run through your "pre-flight checklist."

September Surge - Make a Search Plan (Part 2)

The “September Surge” is when hiring heats up, and I'm here to help you land your next role faster—with less stress and more confidence. Join my 4-part webinar series on Leland to unlock proven frameworks, actionable strategies, and a live demo of a leading job search app—trusted by high-achievers worldwide. Event Description: Make a Job Search Plan Build a step-by-step, data-driven job search plan using my proven system. We’ll cover targeting the right roles and companies, balancing cold and warm outreach, setting weekly activity targets, and using tracking tools to optimize your search.

October Series - Using AI to Job Search (Session 6)

Most people who are "flying solo" in the job search are struggling. The myth of the solo job search is persistent, but it’s rarely effective. Going it alone means missing out on the support, insights, and opportunities that come from community, coaching, and technology. Using modern job search systems can accelerate your results and make the process less isolating. Do not be afraid to leverage the resources available to you. They can be game-changing, helping you course correct in your career.

September Surge Series - Get Clarity (Part 1)

The “September Surge” is when hiring heats up, and I'm here to help you land your next role faster—with less stress and more confidence. Join my 4-part webinar series on Leland to unlock proven frameworks, actionable strategies, and a live demo of a leading job search app—trusted by high-achievers worldwide. Get Clarity on What You Want Description: Kick off your job search with purpose. Learn how to define your career vision, identify your strengths, and set clear, motivating goals. We’ll share proven frameworks for self-assessment and values alignment—so you can focus your job search and feel confident about your direction.

Breaking into French Companies - Your Strategic Career Journey

Think L'Oréal, Chanel, Dior, Perrier, Cartier, and Airbus. These prestigious French brands represent just the tip of the iceberg in America's business landscape. Behind these household names are remarkable success stories like Sarah, who climbed from marketing coordinator to VP of North American Operations at a luxury goods company, Marcus who rose to General Manager at a major French aerospace supplier, and Elena who became Chief Strategy Officer at a leading French pharmaceutical subsidiary. What unites their journeys? They all grew through the ranks within French companies, embraced strategic assignments to France, and now enjoy sophisticated career paths with exceptional compensation packages that reward both performance and cultural adaptability. With French companies actively expanding their US operations and establishing new innovation centers across America, we're witnessing an unprecedented window of opportunity for ambitious professionals. Beyond the famous brands everyone recognizes, there are 5,400 French subsidiaries operating in the US, each offering significant professional opportunities for those who understand how to navigate their unique culture. French companies share one critical characteristic that sets them apart: they actively seek talented American personnel who can bridge cultures and they reward relationship-building with clear advancement paths and substantial compensation. Their approach combines French values of intellectual sophistication, hierarchical respect, and personalized leadership with appreciation for individual creativity and strategic thinking. What if this relationship-based, intellectually stimulating path to leadership is exactly your calling?

Reaching Your Network - Deck

This guide details a 3-step system for effective outreach and explains exactly how and when to request a referral.

US-Style Networking: How To Land a Job in the States

Networking is one of the most powerful tools for landing opportunities in the U.S.—but it often looks very different from what international students and professionals are used to. In this workshop, Leland coaches Fiona T. (expert in finance recruiting), Madhuri M. (former hiring manager at Adobe), and Alyssa T. (Bain consultant) will break down the unique culture of U.S.-style networking and share practical strategies for building authentic connections that open doors to jobs and internships.

The Career Accelerator: A Playbook for Your Job Search

This playbook is for job seekers looking to replace scattered applications with a structured, step-by-step system to find their next role. Students will learn to define their career direction, create a strategic search plan, organize their applications, and negotiate a higher salary to secure the offer they deserve.

Managing A Job Search - Deck

This guide shows you how to organize your search with targeted lists and track the status of every application, contact, and task.

Crafting Your Brand - Deck

This guide details a 6-part framework for your professional story, including your background, strengths, and vision.

Using Al to Job Search - Deck

This guide shows how AI can tailor your resume, generate interview scripts, and draft networking follow-ups.