Leland+ Content Library

How to Build AI-Powered Features Without an ML Team

Building AI-powered features no longer requires a full machine learning team, but many product builders aren’t sure where to start or what’s actually feasible. This session is for PMs, founders, and builders who want to integrate AI into their products in a practical, scalable way. You’ll learn how to identify high-impact use cases, leverage existing models and tools, and make smart product decisions without needing deep ML expertise.

Talking Your Way into McKinsey (with an ex-Personality Hire!)

Breaking into McKinsey requires more than strong credentials—it’s about how you present yourself. Join this session to learn how top candidates communicate, connect, and stand out in interviews. You’ll discover strategies for behavioral and fit questions, how to showcase your strengths authentically, and what interviewers look for beyond technical skills. Whether you’re preparing for first-round or final interviews, you’ll leave with actionable tips to elevate your performance.

Essay Edit: Watch Me Transform an Underwhelming Master Essay Draft

Ever wonder what turns a decent essay into an admit-worthy one? In this live session, expert Leland coach and former AdComs at Harvard Karla M. will walk you through the process of transforming a real, underwhelming master’s essay into a compelling, polished narrative. You’ll see how to refine structure, elevate storytelling, and bring clarity and personality to your writing. By the end, you’ll have a clear framework and practical editing techniques to strengthen your own essays and stand out in the admissions process.

Example HBS Essays from an Applicant with a Rural Background

See how this successful HBS applicant tells the story of their rural upbringing and passion for improving education.

GRE Quant: Time-Saving Strategies

Struggling to finish GRE Quant sections on time—even when you know the math? This session is designed to help you work smarter, not harder. In this workshop, we’ll break down proven time-saving strategies for the GRE Quant section, including how to recognize common question patterns, avoid unnecessary calculations, and make faster, more strategic decisions under pressure. You’ll learn when to estimate vs. calculate, how to spot traps, and how top scorers manage pacing without sacrificing accuracy. Whether you’re aiming to boost your score, break through a plateau, or simply feel more confident on test day, this session will give you practical tools to improve speed, efficiency, and overall performance on GRE Quant.

Unlock Your Next Career Move: What Actually Gets You Hired [6/10/2026] (Recording)

Applying endlessly without getting interviews can make the job search feel frustrating and unpredictable. This session is designed for professionals who want a clearer understanding of what actually drives hiring decisions and how to position themselves more effectively in a competitive market. You’ll learn how to strengthen your resume narrative, communicate your value in interviews and networking conversations, and identify the signals hiring managers consistently look for across strong candidates. Attending live gives you the opportunity to ask questions about your own search and get real-time feedback on challenges you’re facing. The panelists work closely with candidates navigating career transitions and will share the patterns they see across successful job searches, along with what stands out during the hiring process. If you want a more focused and strategic approach to landing your next role, it’s worth joining live.

Live Review of a Master's Personal Statement by an Expert Coach

Get an inside look at what makes a master’s personal statement stand out in a live, real-time review led by Ash C, one of Leland’s expert graduate admissions coaches. You’ll see how an experienced reader evaluates structure, clarity, storytelling, and fit—and learn exactly what elevates a draft from “good” to “admit-worthy.” Whether you're early in your writing or polishing your final version, you’ll walk away with concrete strategies to strengthen your own statement before deadlines hit.

APM AMA: Landing an APM Offer as a Non-Technical Student

Breaking into product management without a technical degree is absolutely possible—with the right positioning. Join Elena A., an incoming Associate Product Manager at Salesforce with experience as a Salesforce intern, for a session on landing APM roles as a non-technical candidate. Bring your questions—Elena will share how she told her story, built product credibility from a non-CS background, and navigated the APM recruiting process from first applications to final rounds.

The Resume That Got Me Into Facebook As An IC6 PM

This is the exact resume that I submitted to Facebook, got me interviews and resulted in me being hired as an IC6 PM in 2017.

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.

What Sets Great Cases Apart: Insights from an Ex-Mckinsey Interviewer

Great consulting candidates don’t just solve cases—they stand out in how they think, communicate, and lead the conversation. This workshop is designed to break down what truly separates strong case interviews from exceptional ones, drawing on insights from a former McKinsey interviewer. In this session, you’ll learn how interviewers evaluate structure, problem-solving approach, synthesis, and communication under pressure. We’ll cover common mistakes candidates make, what top consulting firms consistently look for, and how to elevate your case performance across interview rounds. Whether you’re building your foundation or fine-tuning for final-round interviews, you’ll leave with practical strategies and a clearer interviewer’s perspective.

Navigating an AI Career: from Google to Microsoft to AI startups

Curious what it’s really like to build a career in AI—and how to stand out in one of tech’s fastest-growing fields? In this session, Michael A., who previously worked at McKinsey, Google, and Microsoft, and who now works with AI startups, will share insights from his own journey across big tech and emerging companies. You’ll learn how to identify the right roles in AI, what skills and experiences matter most to hiring teams, and how to position yourself for long-term success in this evolving space.

AI at Work: 5 Ways to Save an Hour a Day

Feeling overwhelmed by AI but not sure where to start? This hands-on workshop shows you exactly how to use AI for real work—today. This session is for professionals who want to work smarter, not harder, using free AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. Outcomes: You’ll leave with a clear framework for prompting AI effectively, five ready-to-use examples for real work, and customized prompts to fit your own role. Learning Objectives: *Understand how AI fits into everyday workflows *Identify 3+ tasks AI can do faster and better *Practice a repeatable method for effective prompting

How to Ace the Wharton TBD (From an Ex-Admissions Fellow)

​The Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) is unlike any other MBA interview—a fast-paced, collaborative exercise designed to test how you think, communicate, and lead in a group setting. ​In this session, Brian B., a Wharton MBA graduate (with honors) and former Admissions Fellow who helped run Wharton’s TBDs, will share insider insight into what the admissions team is really looking for. Having coached dozens of MBA candidates, Brian will walk you through how to prepare effectively, contribute with confidence, and stand out as both a strong teammate and leader.

How to Ace the Wharton TBD (From an Ex-Admissions Fellow)

The Wharton Team-Based Discussion (TBD) is unlike any other MBA interview—a fast-paced, collaborative exercise designed to test how you think, communicate, and lead in a group setting. ​In this session, Brian B., a Wharton MBA graduate (with honors) and former Admissions Fellow who helped run Wharton’s TBDs, will share insider insight into what the admissions team is really looking for. Having coached dozens of MBA candidates, Brian will walk you through how to prepare effectively, contribute with confidence, and stand out as both a strong teammate and leader. ​Whether you’ve received your Wharton invite or are planning ahead, you’ll leave this session with actionable frameworks and strategies to excel in the TBD.

GRE Text Completion: How to Use Context Clues Effectively

Many GRE test-takers struggle with Text Completion not because of vocabulary gaps, but because they miss the contextual signals that reveal the correct answers. Understanding how to leverage context clues can turn these questions from guesswork into strategy. In GRE Text Completion: How to Use Context Clues Effectively, you’ll learn how to analyze sentences and identify the hints that point directly to the right choice. Audra Z. regularly works 1:1 with GRE students and will share the same strategies used in coaching sessions to help candidates improve accuracy and confidence. Who This Is For - GRE test-takers aiming to boost their Verbal scores - Students who find questions tricky or time-consuming - Candidates wanting a structured approach to decoding sentence meaning - Test-takers who want to move beyond memorizing vocabulary What You’ll Walk Away With - A framework for identifying context clues in complex sentences - How to predict the correct answer before looking at choices - Patterns I see across students who consistently select the right options - The common mistakes I correct in 1:1 sessions - Practical exercises to apply these strategies immediately

AI for Global Leaders: Mastering Cross-Cultural Communication

In today's globalized world, effective cross-cultural communication is no longer a soft skill, it's a critical leadership competency. But what if you could harness the power of Artificial Intelligence to navigate cultural nuances with precision and empathy? This forward-thinking webinar, led by global communication expert Caolan Hunter, will show you how. Drawing on his experience building his own AI communication tool and advising top global companies, Caolan will demystify how AI can be your secret weapon for analyzing communication styles, adapting to different cultural norms, and leading your international teams with confidence. This isn't just a talk on AI; it's a masterclass in modern global leadership. Event Outcomes & Learning Objectives: 1. Decode Cultural Communication Styles with AI. You will learn to use AI-powered tools to analyze and understand different cultural communication patterns, such as direct vs. indirect feedback, and formal vs. informal address. 2. Navigate Cross-Cultural Challenges Proactively. You will discover how to leverage AI simulations and practice scenarios to prepare for difficult cross-cultural conversations, anticipate potential misunderstandings, and build stronger relationships. 3. Develop a Personal AI Strategy for Global Leadership. You will walk away with a practical framework for integrating AI into your daily workflow to enhance your cultural intelligence and effectiveness as a global leader in 2026 and beyond.

HELP -- I'm Non-Traditional! AMA with Jessica B [6/8/2026] (Recording)

You didn't take the standard path. That doesn't mean you can't get into a top program — it means you need a sharper strategy than most. This is an open AMA for applicants who don't fit the typical mold: career changers, military veterans, physicians, founders, late-career applicants, people with non-linear resumes, or anyone who's ever wondered whether admissions committees will know what to do with them. I've worked with all of you. Since 2006, my clients have come from backgrounds that don't map neatly onto the McKinsey-to-HBS pipeline — and they've gotten into M7 programs anyway, frequently with scholarship. Three times Poets & Quants has recognized me as one of the best admissions consultants in the field. Bring your specific situation. Ask me whether your background is a liability or an asset, how to frame a career that's hard to explain in 250 words, whether EMBA or full-time MBA makes more sense for where you are, or anything else that's been keeping you up at night. No slides. No agenda. Just answers.

An Example of a Latham & Watkins Cover Letter for Emerging Companies Practice

This cover letter connects a background in entrepreneurship and clean energy to a firm's forward-looking practice in emerging companies.

An Example of a Kirkland & Ellis Cover Letter for their Energy Practice

Learn how to translate sustainable entrepreneurship and renewable energy experience into a compelling narrative for a top law firm's corporate practice.