Leland+ Content Library

AADSAS Experiences & Letters of Rec

Your AADSAS experiences section and letters of recommendation play a major role in how dental schools evaluate your readiness for the profession. In this session, we’ll break down how to choose, frame, and write experiences that show commitment to dentistry, service, and leadership, as well as how to secure strong letters that truly strengthen your application. You’ll learn what admissions committees look for, common mistakes to avoid, and how to make every component work together to tell a cohesive story.

From Zero to First Revenue: Bootstrap Growth Strategies That Actually Work

Getting to your first revenue is one of the hardest—and most important—milestones for any startup. This session is designed to share practical, proven strategies for bootstrapping growth and turning an idea into paying customers. Whether you’re launching your first product or trying to break through your initial plateau, you’ll leave with actionable insights and a clearer path to revenue.

Leaving an Impression: Telling a Compelling Story for the McKinsey PEI

The McKinsey Personal Experience Interview is designed to uncover how you lead, handle conflict, and drive impact, and your storytelling makes all the difference. This session will teach you how to craft clear, compelling PEI stories that demonstrate ownership, resilience, and results while staying authentic and concise. You’ll learn how interviewers evaluate responses, how to structure stories for maximum impact, and how to avoid common pitfalls that weaken otherwise strong experiences.

How to Create a Standout Deferred MBA Application

Deferred MBA programs look for future leaders with clarity of purpose, strong trajectory, and long-term potential, not just impressive internships or grades. This session breaks down what top programs actually evaluate in deferred candidates and how to position yourself early in your career. You’ll learn how to craft a compelling narrative, articulate credible goals, choose recommenders strategically, and avoid common mistakes that hold applicants back. Whether you’re just starting to explore deferred programs or actively preparing to apply, this workshop will help you build a focused, competitive application strategy.

Sample Resume Bullet Points

This guide includes a set of résumé bullet points designed to showcase a wide range of skills and industries. Each bullet uses a strong action verb and highlights a quantifiable outcome.

Sample Resume Action Verbs

Using strong, impactful verbs is essential to crafting compelling bullet points on your MBA résumé. This guide includes a categorized list of powerful verbs to clearly showcase your skills and accomplishments.

Five Real Cases: Americans Landing Jobs in Europe

I have been talking about working abroad in general terms. Now it is time to share the success. I have placed many clients in jobs across Europe, and I want to show you exactly how this works. In this session, I will present five real cases: the application strategies we used, the interview processes they went through, the offers they received, and how we handled work permits, visas, and relocation. These are not hypothetical scenarios. These are actual people who now work in Europe. I am very proud of these clients. Their success contributed to my winning the 2026 Top Coach Award in the Career and Leadership section on Leland. Each case demonstrates something different: different industries, different countries, different career stages. You will see what worked, what did not work, and what made the difference between an application that went nowhere and an offer that changed someone's life.

Study in China’s #1 School: Schwarzman Scholars Application Guide

The Schwarzman Scholars program offers a fully funded master’s experience at Tsinghua University, designed to develop future global leaders with deep insight into China’s role in the world. In this session, you’ll learn what makes a competitive Schwarzman application, how to position your leadership story, and how to navigate the program’s unique essays and interview process. Whether you’re early in your research or preparing to apply, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap to strengthen your candidacy for one of the world’s most prestigious scholarship programs.

Strategies for Crushing the New HBS Essays

Harvard Business School’s updated essay prompts demand clarity of purpose, strong self-awareness, and a narrative that goes beyond polished accomplishments. This session breaks down what the new HBS essays are really testing, how to approach each prompt strategically, and how to craft responses that feel authentic while signaling leadership, impact, and future potential. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas or refining drafts, you’ll leave with a clearer framework for writing essays that resonate with HBS admissions readers.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in "Tell Me About a Time..."

For anyone about to recruit for management consulting, you know behaviorals are integral to every round of the process. It should be easy to talk about yourself and your own experiences, right? With the right prep it certainly can be! These are often some of the most telling questions for an interviewer, so making sure you have sharp answers ready to go while avoiding these common pitfalls will set you up for success!

Inside the PE Behavioral Interview: What Actually Matters

Private equity behavioral interviews test far more than culture fit, yet many candidates approach them like standard behavioral screens. This session is for candidates preparing for PE interviews who want to understand what actually matters when firms evaluate your experiences. You’ll learn how to choose and refine your stories, demonstrate ownership and judgment, and communicate your background in a way that aligns with how PE investors assess talent.

How To Write Outstanding Law School Application Essays [4/29/2026] (Recording)

Your law school application essays are arguably the most important aspect of your law school applications. To have the best outcomes and plenty of options at the end of the process, you need to craft compelling essays with solid narratives that paint a picture beyond your numbers. We will talk about different essay prompts and how best to tackle them, why it makes sense to have two 'main' essays instead of just one, how to handle optional essays and the dreaded 'why x school' essays. We will also have time for some 'Ask Me Anything' at the end.

How to Craft a Powerful Introduction

In this exercise, you'll try drafting several different introductions using the provided models. Find which style works best for you.

What Successful MBA Applicants are Doing in January

January is a critical month in the MBA admissions cycle, and how you use it can set the tone for the rest of your application. In this session, Leland coach Jenny R., who has admissions committee experience at Wharton and has coached hundreds of MBA applicants, will share what she consistently sees top candidates focusing on during this window. Drawing on her years of admissions and coaching experience, Jenny will break down the specific actions successful applicants take in January, from refining their narrative and strengthening their profile to planning test retakes, recommendations, and school research. You’ll leave with a clear checklist of priorities and a smarter strategy for using January to position yourself competitively for the months ahead.

Guide to Getting a Job at a Startup

From my first-hand experience and tons of soul-searching, learn how to get a job at a startup.

Ask Me Anything About Round 3 MBA Applications

Are you considering applying for an MBA in Round 3 and have questions about how to make your application stand out? Join me, Joy, for an "Ask Me Anything" session where I'll provide insights and answer your burning questions about the MBA application process. With over 20 years of experience as an MBA Admissions Consultant, I've helped over 500 clients gain admission to top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. My background in marketing and creative writing allows me to help you craft compelling narratives that highlight your unique qualities. Whether you're applying to a full-time, executive, or any other MBA program, this session is your chance to get expert advice on editing, recommendations, interviews, networking strategy, school selection, and more. Space is limited, so RSVP now to secure your spot and take a step closer to achieving your MBA dreams!

Beyond the MBA: Building a Career Story Schools Want to Invest In

Top MBA programs do not admit candidates solely on ambition, strong credentials, or polished essays. They admit individuals whose career direction is clear, compelling, and rooted in authentic personal motivation. Your career story is the lens through which every element of your application is evaluated—and when developed correctly, it becomes the most differentiating part of your candidacy. In this session, two MBA admissions consultants with more than 25 years of combined experience will walk you through the framework used by the most successful applicants to define career goals that resonate with top programs. You will learn how admissions committees assess career vision, what signals readiness and conviction, and why thoughtful goal-setting must come before selecting target schools. What You Will Learn • How to articulate a career direction grounded in personal meaning, not buzzwords or manufactured narratives • The specific traits admissions committees look for when evaluating career goals • How to demonstrate feasibility and alignment with program strengths • Ways to incorporate future-focused thinking—including but not limited to AI and industry evolution • How to connect your past experiences, present capabilities, and long-term aspirations into a coherent, differentiated narrative • Why a strong career story increases your likelihood of admission and makes you a more compelling future alum

Pivoting from Academia to Industry

Pivoting from Academia to Industry Transitioning from academia into an industry role requires more than strong technical skills—it demands the ability to clearly communicate your value, reframe your academic experience, and navigate a hiring landscape that looks very different from university admissions. In this workshop, Stefan E. will share the strategies he used to execute his own successful pivot, earning interviews at 10 of the 12 universities he applied to and early admits to four top programs. Drawing on his experience as a lecturer, instructor, and former international student, Stefan will teach you how to translate research and teaching into industry-ready impact, present your skills with clarity, and approach your career transition with confidence.

Breaking Into PE: What It Takes — From Any Background

Private equity recruiting is highly competitive, but there’s no single “right” path to breaking in. In this session, we’ll break down what PE firms actually look for in candidates, how recruiting works at different stages, and how people from non-traditional backgrounds successfully make the jump. You’ll learn how to position your experience, build the right technical and investment skill set, and avoid common mistakes that hold candidates back. Whether you’re coming from banking, consulting, corporate finance, or an unconventional path, this session will give you a clear roadmap for breaking into private equity with confidence.

What Deferred MBA Essays Need to Accomplish, and How to Get There

Deferred MBA essays are less about polished resumes and more about potential, clarity of goals, and long-term impact, and getting them right requires a very specific approach. In this session, you’ll learn what top programs actually expect deferred candidates to demonstrate, how admissions committees read these essays differently from traditional MBA applications, and how to structure your responses to show maturity, self-awareness, and trajectory. We’ll break down common pitfalls, winning themes, and practical steps to move from a blank page to a compelling final draft with confidence.