Leland+ Content Library

SWE Recruiting Quick Start

A practical companion to “How Engineers Avoid Burnout During Recruiting Cycles,” this quick start guide helps you turn insights into action—structuring your search, preparing impactful examples, and managing your time and energy throughout the recruiting process.

Analyzing Example Essays from Wharton Admits [3/20/2026] (Recording)

Many applicants find a way to write at least one strong essay. But those who really maximize the essay-writing process develop clear narrative through-lines that connect the dots of their life, and articulate how they'll contributions to their target brand. Their two-dimensional writing brings out a three-dimensional personality. They have a “brand”. You know what they’re all about. This event will draw from example essays written by successful admits who I've personally coached, and helped land a spot at one or more top MBA programs. These essays were particularly strong in how they spoke to one another—how they created a holistic applicant who admissions committees could envision on campus. Their professional and judiciously placed personal experience offer evidence for why they’re the kind of person who will make a specific, meaningful difference in the world. During this session, we'll analyze these essays alongside you so you have a clear view into how you can apply what you've learned to your own writing, and put your best application forward for Wharton.

A Tactical Playbook for Breaking Into VC

VC isn't hired; it's hunted. The "Right" background is a myth. This playbook gives you the exact scripts, artifacts, and networking systems to prove you can do the job before you even have the title. Transition from aspirant to investor in 30 days.

Negotiating Confidently - Deck

This guide provides a 4-step plan and proven scripts for stating your salary target, receiving an offer, and making a counter-offer.

MBA Interviews Series: MIT Sloan

​Get ready to shine in your MIT Sloan MBA interview with insider insights from current Sloan MBA and former BCG consultant Justin K. Join Justin for a deep dive into what makes Sloan’s behavioral interview unique—and how to stand out with confidence and authenticity. ​You’ll learn about the Sloan interview format, what qualities interviewers are looking for, and how to strategically prepare your stories using proven frameworks. Justin will share real-world advice drawn from his own experience at BCG, his acceptance into both MIT and Darden’s deferred MBA programs, and his success coaching candidates into MBB and top business schools. ​By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear game plan for your interviews—from structuring your answers to demonstrating leadership, curiosity, and analytical rigor—the qualities Sloan values most. ​

Starting Strong Without Burning Out: Thriving in Your New Role

Starting a new role can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time. This session explores how to build momentum, navigate expectations, and establish a strong foundation for long-term success, without falling into patterns that lead to burnout. Audience Fit: • Professionals starting new roles, or plan to start a new role in the future • Early career talent, lateral hires, and leaders transitioning into new positions

The Unwritten Rules of Getting Promoted

This pdf offers 3 rules of getting promoted that most often get missed when people find themselves stuck in their careers. It also offers some powerful questions you can ask your boss to help you understand what might be going on when you are feeling stuck in your career.

Land an Interview at Any Tech Company

Land an Interview at Any Tech Company — Free Live Session with Ethan Does this sound like you? You've applied to roles at your dream tech companies. You've spent countless hours sending your résumé into the void of company websites. You've wasted days writing custom cover letters. Only to come up short and never hear anything back — or worse, get the dreaded automated rejection email from a no-reply address. Let me be clear: it's not because you're under-qualified. It's because you're not playing the game. In this free 30-minute session, I'm going to walk you through the exact system I've used to break into top tech companies — including how I entered the DoorDash interview process at the Associate level and walked out with an offer for Senior Manager. No referral required. No luck involved. Just a repeatable process that works. Here's what we'll cover: • The résumé problem nobody talks about: 75% of résumés are rejected before a human ever reads them. I'll show you a live before-and-after demonstration of how to use AI to transform a losing résumé into a résumé that will land on the hiring manager's desk. • The LinkedIn settings that most candidates skip. A handful of profile changes that dramatically increase how often recruiters find you and make your application stand out once you've submitted it. • How to properly go about proactive outreach. I'll give you the exact message template I used to secure interviews at every tech company I've landed an offer at. • A simple bonus strategy that most people would never think to try, guaranteed to get you in the door. At the end of the session, I'll be sharing an exclusive offer for attendees that you won't want to miss out on! This session is for you if: • You're employed but quietly looking for something better • You're actively job searching and not getting any traction • You work in a slow, bureaucratic industry and want to break into tech • You want to understand how the hiring process actually works from the inside

What BYU Admissions is Looking For

Applying to BYU but unsure what actually moves the needle in admissions? Strong grades matter—but they’re only part of the picture. In What BYU Admissions Is Looking For, you’ll get a clear breakdown of how to position yourself strategically for Brigham Young University. The speaker regularly works 1:1 with applicants navigating competitive admissions, and this session offers rare access to the evaluation frameworks typically shared in private coaching conversations. Who This Is For - High school students planning to apply to BYU - Transfer applicants seeking clarity on positioning - Students with strong academics who want a more compelling application - Applicants unsure how faith, leadership, and extracurriculars fit into their story What You’ll Walk Away With - What BYU weighs most heavily beyond GPA and test scores - How to present leadership, service, and character authentically - The patterns admissions see across successful applicants - The common positioning mistakes I correct in 1:1 sessions - How to align your essays with BYU’s mission and values

Case Studies of Winning M7 MBA Essays

Top M7 MBA essays stand out because they combine clear goals, self-awareness, and strong storytelling. In this session, you’ll break down real examples of successful essays to understand what made them compelling, how they aligned with each school’s values, and how to apply those lessons to your own writing. Whether you’re drafting or revising, you’ll leave with a sharper framework for crafting essays that resonate with admissions committees.

Letter of Intent Template

Letter of intent template for applicants looking to submit one to schools.

Quick Leadership Reset

This exercise helps you identify where your leadership approach may be unintentionally slowing your team’s performance, especially during times of uncertainty.

Grad School and Fellowships Applications--Steps to Success!

This high level overview of the grad school and fellowships application process helps potential applicants understand how to get started, differences between graduate program and fellowships applications, how to organize the process, what to know about personal statements and essays, how to identify recommenders, and financial considerations.

Product Case Interview Prep: “What’s Your Favorite Product?”

“What’s Your Favorite Product?” Description: “Tell me about your favorite product” sounds simple, but in PM interviews it’s often a test of how clearly you think about users, tradeoffs, and product decisions. This session is for candidates preparing for product management interviews who want a stronger, more structured way to approach this common question. You’ll learn how to break down a product through a PM lens, communicate user insight and product judgment, and structure an answer that shows how you think rather than just what you like.

The AI Career Edge: Positioning Yourself for the Future of Work

AI is reshaping how companies hire, what skills matter, and how careers evolve. The candidates who stand out aren’t just using AI tools—they know how to position themselves strategically for a rapidly changing job market. In The AI Career Edge: Positioning Yourself for the Future of Work, you’ll hear from experienced coaches who regularly work 1:1 with candidates navigating career transitions in an AI-driven landscape. This panel offers rare access to the same frameworks used in coaching sessions to help professionals adapt, stay competitive, and communicate their value effectively.

Ship It: AI-Powered Side Projects You Can Build Now

AI is reshaping product management in real time—and the fastest way to stand out is to actually ship something. This session is for PMs and aspiring PMs who want to leverage AI in practical, portfolio-ready ways that demonstrate initiative and technical fluency. You’ll walk away with concrete side project ideas you can build now, frameworks for identifying high-leverage automation opportunities, and a clearer sense of how to showcase AI-driven work in interviews and applications.

Career Reset: Break the Cycle and Find Work That Fits

Many professionals find themselves stuck in careers that once made sense but no longer feel aligned. Work becomes reactive, decisions feel unclear, and the path forward gets harder to see. This session is designed to help you pause, reset, and regain direction. We’ll explore how to break the cycle of career chaos and reconnect with the kind of work you’re meant to do—work that aligns with your strengths, values, and energy. In this session you will: - Recognize the signals that it may be time for a career shift - Clarify what “career fit” actually looks like for you - Learn practical ways to evaluate whether to stay, pivot, or reset - Walk away with a clearer framework for making your next career decision If you’ve been asking yourself “Is it time for a change?”—this conversation will help you find the answer and the next step forward.

Bain vs BCG vs McKinsey Debate Panel

Thinking about a career in consulting but not sure which of the MBB firms is the right fit for you? Bain, BCG, and McKinsey are all world-class consultancies, but each has its own culture, recruiting process, career paths, and approach to client work. ​In this panel, Erik Z. (Bain), Christina B. (McKinsey), and Timothy F. (BCG) will break down the similarities and differences between the three firms, offering candid insights into what it’s really like to work at each. You’ll hear perspectives on firm culture, project types, advancement opportunities, work-life balance, and exit options—along with advice for navigating the application and interview process. Whether you’re aiming for MBB or just exploring your options, this session will help you make a more informed choice about where you want to start your consulting career.

The Military-to-MBA Timeline: What to Do and When

After this session, you will know exactly how to sequence your MBA application efforts as a military candidate, from when to start building your school list to how to time your GMAT prep around separation or transition milestones. You will also leave with a clear picture of how to frame your service record for civilian admissions committees and which application components military candidates most often underinvest in.

Strategy Consultants’ Presentation Toolkit

Selling Complex Business Ideas with Better, More Powerful Charting