Leland+ Content Library

Fit Is Not a Freebie: How Firms Actually Evaluate Your Behavioral Interviews [8/11/2026] (Recording)

Most candidates spend 90% of their prep time on cases and assume fit will take care of itself. It doesn't. Fit is evaluated with the same rigor as the case at every MBB firm, and the interviewers asking behavioral questions are trained to score them. As a former BCG interviewer, I've sat on both sides of that table, and the gap between what candidates think they're being evaluated on and what's actually happening is significant. This session covers what firms are actually looking for and how to build a fit preparation strategy that works. How Fit Is Actually Scored at MBB: This isn't a casual conversation, it's a structured evaluation with specific criteria. -Why fit isn't just about whether your interviewer likes you, but it's a scored component with defined qualities -The qualities that interviewers are looking for in every fit story, regardless of firm Telling Fit Stories That Actually Work: The format most candidates use produces weak answers. -Why STAR produces flat, unmemorable answers and what to do instead -How to structure a leadership, impact, or conflict story so it actually lands -What makes a fit story memorable vs. one that interviewers forget before the next candidate walks in Building Your Story Bank Before Recruiting Season: Having one good story is not enough. -How many stories you actually need and how to choose which experiences to use -Why most candidates recycle the same stories across question types and how to avoid it -How to adapt a single experience to multiple fit questions without it sounding rehearsed Live Example: A strong fit answer, broken down for what makes it work, and the common version of the same story that doesn't.

AMA: Prepare NOW for Admissions This Fall - MFE & STEM Master's [6/5/2026] (Recording)

Thinking about an MFE, MSCS, Data Science, Analytics, or other STEM master’s program? Join this AMA for honest advice on admissions, competitiveness, recruiting, career outcomes, and whether a program is actually worth it. We’ll cover: - School selection - Resume & profile positioning - Career changer applications - Essays & materials - Networking as part of your strategy Bring your questions — especially if you’re targeting Financial Engineering, quant finance, AI/ML, or technical career pivots.

From Overlooked to Indispensable: The Visibility Strategy for High Performers [6/19/2026] (Recording)

You're doing the work. You're getting results. And somehow, the wrong people are getting the credit, the promotions, and the rooms you should be in. In this 45-minute session, we go beyond "speak up more" and into the real psychology of why high performers become invisible — and what actually moves the needle. Drawing on behavioral science, enterprise leadership experience, and hard-won patterns from the field, you'll walk away with a concrete visibility framework and the self-awareness to know exactly where your gap is. This isn't soft. This is strategy.

GMAT Quant Workshop 1 of 4 — Number Properties: Odds, Evens & Remainders [9/1/2026] (Recording)

Number properties is where the GMAT punishes intuition. Odds and evens, factors and multiples, divisibility, remainders — the questions look simple, and that's the trap. Bring paper. You'll attempt real exam-style problems live — including the odd/even logic and remainder patterns this topic is famous for — then we'll solve every one together, step by step, so you leave knowing exactly how to set these up on test day. Part 1 of a 4-part September series — drop into one session or attend all four: Sep 1 — Number Properties Sep 8 — Word Problems & Percents Sep 15 — Algebra & Equations Sep 22 — Rates, Work & Distance All sessions Tuesdays, 8:00 PM ET, 60 minutes.

Mixtures and Weighted Averages with the Number Line Trick [8/20/2026] (Recording)

Come join this session to learn a very clearcut method for deciphering the most. complicated Mixture problems. I'll show you all the different variations of Mixture problems and how to tackle each type.

Mastering the McKinsey PEI With a Former McKinsey Interviewer [9/8/2026] (Recording)

The McKinsey Personal Experience Interview can be challenging when you’re unsure what interviewers are actually looking for in your stories and how they evaluate your responses. This session is designed for candidates preparing for McKinsey interviews who want a practical approach to preparing and delivering strong PEI answers. You’ll learn how to choose the right experiences, structure your stories clearly, and avoid common mistakes that can weaken an otherwise strong response. Attending live gives you the opportunity to ask questions about your own experiences and get real-time guidance from a former McKinsey interviewer. The speaker will share practical best practices from evaluating candidates firsthand, including what makes a PEI story effective and how to prepare for follow-up questions. If you want to approach the McKinsey PEI with a clearer strategy, it’s worth joining live.

How to Make a Big International Career Move Without Wrecking Your Momentum [7/11/2026] (Recording)

Most international moves are planned as logistical exercises of visas, postcodes, and shipping boxes. But for high-performing professionals, the real risk isn't the paperwork; it’s the loss of career momentum. Whether you are choosing between staying where you are, applying for a degree abroad, or making a direct leap into a new market, the stakes are high. In this session, we move beyond the "backpacking expat" advice. We will look at how to evaluate international opportunities through a strategic lens, ensuring your next move compounds your future rather than interrupting it. We’ll discuss the exact frameworks used with mid-career professionals and high-achieving students to choose between cities like Copenhagen, Vienna, or Sydney, and how to know when a degree is a bridge, and when it’s just expensive avoidance. By the end of this livestream, you will be able to: 1. Apply the 4-Part Decision Lens: Evaluate any move based on career upside, visa/work-right reality, ROI/financial runway, and emotional sustainability. 2. Audit Your Path: Determine whether a direct job search, a Master’s/MBA bridge, or a hybrid strategy is the most viable route for your specific career stage. 3. Identify Momentum Killers: Recognize the common mistakes (like over-researching or under-translating experience) that cause high-performers to stall during relocation. 4. Draft a Post-Move Narrative: Begin framing your move so it fits into a coherent professional story that international recruiters actually trust. Outcomes 1. A Clearer Go/No-Go Framework: A structured way to stop second-guessing your choice between staying or going. 2. A Bridge Audit: Clarity on whether that degree you're considering is actually necessary for your target market's visa and hiring rules. 3. The Translation Checklist: A list of what in your current background needs to be pruned or massaged to make sense to an employer in a different system.

Last Minute Office Hours Before R1 Deadlines [9/1/2026] (Recording)

With Round 1 MBA deadlines approaching, it’s easy to wonder whether your application is truly ready or if there are still important details you should address before submitting. These office hours are designed for MBA applicants who want a final opportunity to ask questions, troubleshoot specific parts of their application, and make thoughtful last-minute decisions before the deadline. Bring questions about your essays, recommendations, school selection, application strategy, or anything else you’re still working through. Attending live means you can get direct answers to your specific questions and hear how an experienced MBA admissions coach would approach your situation in real time. Rather than covering a set topic, this session gives you the flexibility to focus on the areas where you need the most guidance before submitting. If you have questions you want answered before R1, it’s worth joining live.

GMAT Quant: The Most Important Strategies for a 90th-Percentile Score [9/5/2026] (Recording)

In this livestream, I’ll share my recommended GMAT study schedule and teach some of the most important strategies for improving your performance on GMAT Quant. You’ll learn how to structure your preparation, what to prioritize at different stages, and how to use practice questions and full-length exams effectively. We’ll work through representative GMAT-style problems, focusing not just on getting the right answer, but on developing the decision-making skills that lead to better performance. You’ll learn how to recognize common question types, identify efficient solution methods, avoid common traps, and manage your time on difficult questions. By the end of the livestream, you should be able to: * Build a structured GMAT study plan based on your timeline and goals * Identify the Quant topics and skills you should prioritize * Recognize common GMAT Quant question types * Choose more efficient approaches to difficult problems * Improve your pacing and time-management strategy * Use practice questions and mock exams more effectively * Understand how high-scoring test takers approach GMAT Quant I’ve been tutoring standardized tests for more than 20 years and earned a 760 on the GMAT. I received my MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and earned a master’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University. This session is appropriate for students at a range of score levels, whether you’re just beginning your GMAT preparation or looking to push an already solid Quant score higher.

AI Automations and Agents [6/29/2026] (Recording)

AI can automate far more than simple tasks, but many professionals struggle to identify where it creates the most value and how to implement it effectively. This session is for anyone looking to understand how AI automations and agents can streamline work, eliminate repetitive processes, and unlock new levels of productivity. You’ll learn how modern AI agents work, where they can be applied across real business workflows, and how to identify opportunities for automation in your own work. Join live to ask questions about your specific challenges and hear directly from an AI expert known for connecting cutting-edge AI capabilities with practical business needs. The speaker stays at the forefront of emerging AI trends and regularly helps organizations design solutions that deliver meaningful results. Expect real-world examples, actionable frameworks, and insights into where AI automation is headed next.

How to Write a Law School Personal Statement That Stands Out [9/23/2026] (Recording)

Admissions committees read thousands of personal statements. Most blur together. This workshop is about writing the one that doesn't. Erin Williams will walk through what actually makes a personal statement memorable: a strong opening, a clear narrative arc, and the kind of specific detail that makes an application feel like it belongs to one real person instead of a template. She'll cover common mistakes (vague openers, recycled "why I want to be a lawyer" narratives, telling instead of showing) and how to fix them. You'll leave with a concrete framework for structuring your statement, plus practical edits you can apply to a draft you're already working on. Bring questions, bring a draft if you have one.

Beat Burnout Without Sacrificing Success | Johns Hopkins & Harvard Coach-PhD [8/26/2026] (Recording)

Somewhere along the way, ambitious leaders were sold a lie: that success requires sacrifice, and that if you're not running on empty, you're not working hard enough. I've spent my career as a coach-scientist and I trained at Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Emory. In this live session, I'll break down: 1) The connection between wellbeing, leadership effectiveness, and long-term, sustainable success 2) Where coaching starts to protect your energy and focus without dialing down your ambition 3) We'll close with live Q&A, so come with questions about staying at your best without burning out. You'll leave with a new way to think about wellbeing. It's now what you earn once the work is done, it's the thing that makes work sustainable. Event Title: Beating Burnout Without Sacrificing Success Format: Live virtual session with audience Q&A Audience: Leaders, executives, and professionals seeking sustainable high performance Session Includes: Expert insights, a practical roadmap supported with coaching, and live Q&A

The Consulting Interview Playbook: Fit, Case, and Market Sizing: 5 Years of Candidate Mistakes in 45 Minutes [9/23/2026] (Recording)

Fit, case, and market sizing - one session, 45 minutes. I've coached over 1,000 candidates across 95+ countries, and the same mistakes show up over and over. This workshop is built entirely around those mistakes: what actually gets candidates cut, and what to do instead. This session wlllbe useful whether you're just starting prep and want to skip the mistakes that waste countless hours, or you've got an interview tomorrow and need to catch the errors that make or break it. If you're anywhere in the interview prep journey, this is for you.

GMAT Quant Isn't About Math: The 4 Skills That Decide Your Quant Score [6/16/2026] (Recording)

About this event You've done hundreds of problems. You know the formulas. Your score isn't moving. Here's why: the GMAT isn't actually testing your math. The math on Quant is high school level — it has to be, because there's no calculator. What separates a 600 from a 700+ isn't more content knowledge. It's the four test-taking skills that decide how every problem unfolds: how you choose your path, how you manage time, how you handle stress, and how you maintain focus across 45 minutes. In this 60-minute session, we'll deep-dive each of those four skills using the same framework I use with my 1:1 students on Leland. You'll see live problem walkthroughs showing the difference between a 4-minute "compute the obvious thing" path and a 20-second "make your life easy" path — and you'll learn the single mental move that makes the second one feel natural. By the end, you'll have a personalized diagnostic of your own weakest skill — and a concrete 4-week plan to actually move your score. --------------------------------------- What you'll learn Why "more practice" doesn't fix the plateau — and what does The 4 Test-Taking Abilities behind every top score (Strategy / Methodology, Time Management, Stress Management, Focus) and how each one maps onto specific in-the-moment moves The one mental question to ask before every Quant problem that re-routes you from the long path to the short one The skip decision framework — when to invest, when to bank time, and how to make the call at the 1-minute mark instead of the 2-minute mark An anti-paralysis protocol for the moment you go blank on test day Your personal TTA profile via 3 live polls — including a 4-question diagnostic that tells you exactly where your prep should focus next --------------------------------------- What you'll walk away with A clear picture of your weakest skill out of the four — and why it's almost certainly the lever that will move your score the most A calibrated 4-week prep plan A short list of pattern-recognition moves you can use on your very next practice session --------------------------------------- Who this event is for - Pre-test or mid-prep MBA applicants targeting 700+ - Students who have plateaued despite putting in significant prep hours - Anyone whose mock scores consistently trail their practice scores by 5+ points - Students who have done content review and want to know what to do next This is not a content-review session. We will not cover formulas, definitions, or "how to solve a quadratic." If you're at the foundational-content stage, this event will be most useful after you've done your first content pass. --------------------------------------- Format 60 minutes, live Fully worked problems demonstrating compute-first vs. think-first approaches Open Q&A at the end --------------------------------------- About the host Josh P. is a GMAT coach on Leland who works with students across all three sections — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. He has developed a structured methodology for diagnosing and addressing the test-taking skills that determine scores — refined across hundreds of 1:1 students over multiple years. The four-skill framework taught in this event applies across the whole test; tonight we focus it on Quant. His students span pre-MBA candidates targeting top-10 programs, professionals returning to the test after a long gap, and applicants who have hit a plateau and need a fresh diagnostic to break through. Book a free 1:1 intro on his Leland profile to discuss your own GMAT prep.

Home for Ambition #23 — Weekly Live Show [9/16/2026] (Recording)

Home for Ambition is a weekly live show, hosted by Leland CEO, John Koelliker, 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.

Product Management AMA: Trends, Interview Prep, AI PM & More [6/25/2026] (Recording)

Join us for an insightful AMA session on Product Management, where we'll dive into the latest trends, interview preparation, AI in product management, and more. I'm Jay, your host for this event, and I bring a wealth of experience from leading roles at Meta and Microsoft, as well as founding a successful e-commerce brand. With a strong background in engineering and product leadership, I've mentored numerous PMs and led teams to success across various domains. Whether you're preparing for behavioral or product case interviews, looking to enhance your execution skills, or simply exploring the field, this session is designed to provide valuable insights and guidance. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from my experiences and ask your burning questions about the dynamic world of product management. RSVP and secure your spot today!

AI Safety 101: What Every Builder Needs to Know [8/11/2026] (Recording)

After this session, you'll be able to identify the safety risks that matter most when building AI-powered products and explain how to design around them with intention. We'll cover how to evaluate model outputs for harmful behavior, how to think about alignment at the application layer, and how to document safety decisions in ways that hold up to scrutiny. These are the frameworks practitioners actually use when shipping AI responsibly. Attending live means you can ask how these principles apply to what you're building right now, and hear how the coach thinks through real cases in real time. This coach works directly in the AI safety space and brings the kind of judgment that only comes from making these decisions on live products.

Crack the Amazon Interview: STAR Stories That Actually Work [10/21/2026] (Recording)

What makes a strong Amazon interview answer — from the perspective of the person actually evaluating it? In this live session, I’ll break down how Amazon behavioral interviews work and how to turn your experience into compelling STAR stories aligned with the Leadership Principles. I spent 8 years at Amazon, where I conducted 150+ interviews and served as a Hiring Manager. I’ve since coached 100+ candidates, from early-career professionals to managers and senior managers. We’ll cover: -How Amazon interviewers evaluate behavioral answers -How to structure strong, concise STAR stories -How to choose stories for different Leadership Principles -How to demonstrate your individual contribution and measurable impact -How to handle probing and follow-up questions -The most common mistakes I’ve seen candidates make I’ll also share practical examples and leave time for live Q&A, so bring your questions about Amazon interviews, STAR stories, Leadership Principles, or behavioral interviewing. By the end of the session, you’ll have a practical framework you can use to prepare, refine, and pressure-test your own interview stories.

Why MBA & Why Here: How to Answer the Most Important Interview Questions [9/10/2026] (Recording)

Nearly every MBA interview starts the same way. "Tell me about yourself." "Why do you want an MBA?" "Why this school?" Three questions every candidate knows are coming — and yet these are the answers interviewers remember most, because they reveal whether you actually know your own story. As a Ross admissions interviewer, I've heard every version of these answers. The ones that work aren't the most polished. They're the most specific, the most connected, and the clearest about what the candidate actually wants. This session breaks down how to answer each one in a way that holds up under follow-up. Tell Me About Yourself: This isn't an invitation to recite your resume. It's the first signal of whether you can communicate with clarity under pressure. -What interviewers are actually listening for in your self-introduction — and it's not a timeline of your career -How to build a two-minute answer that orients the interviewer, sets up your story, and makes them want to ask more -The most common version of this answer and why it doesn't work Why MBA: The oral version of this answer is different from the written one — and most candidates don't adjust. -Why reading your goals essay out loud is not an answer to this question -How to make your Why MBA feel like a natural conclusion rather than a rehearsed pitch -How to explain Why Now? in a compelling way -What interviewers are listening for that your essay already addressed (and what they're listening for that it didn't) Why This School: Most answers to this question sound like the school's own brochure. Here's how to not be that candidate. -What "Why This School" is really asking — it's a fit and preparation question as much as an enthusiasm question -How to build a specific answer that can't be copy-pasted to a different program -What interviewers think when they hear a generic "Why" answer and what it signals about your application overall Holding Up Under Follow-Up: The three-question opener is just the beginning. Here's how to prepare for what comes next. -How interviewers probe the answers you just gave and how to stay consistent -What it looks like when a candidate's story doesn't hold together — and how to make sure yours does -How to practice these answers so they sound natural rather than rehearsed

Authorship and Originality in AI assisted Essay Writing [9/25/2026] (Recording)

AI can generate content fast, but it is virtually impossible to preserve originality and authorship in AI-assisted work. People end up generating content that no one likes to read or watch. Even if it is sometimes creative enough and not generic, it is still not the author's unique original work. Prompt, context, harness, intent, loop- none of these engineering can solve this, as the work is open-ended. Creatives, or anyone interested in combining AI processing power and speed with human originality and authorship in content creation, can benefit from this lesson.