How to effectively manage the tricky subject of Salary Negotiation Nobody wants to earn less than they're worth. There certainly are many reasons why employees leave their employers, including work environment, job responsibilities, and career development. Still, most surveys report that compensation is the most common motivation for people to seek a new position. Thus, it is only natural for an attorney seeking a new position to be... (442 views)
Interviewing Questions & Strategies During the course of a legal job interview, you can expect to be asked numerous questions about your background, your experience, and your personal interests, as the interviewer attempts to determine in his own mind whether or not you would be a good "fit" for his organization. Keep in mind that whenever a question is asked, the interviewer really intends to ask another -... (427 views)
How To Land Your Dream Job: Strategies For Answering Calls From Employers The best way to answer a phone call inviting you in for an interview. (406 views)
The #1 Characteristic of the Best Legal Interviewers and Attorneys Who Get Clients My early career was in the asphalt business—resurfacing and repairing driveways, parking lots and streets and doing hot-tar related work. I thought the work was a lot of fun. It was not intellectual, the people I was dealing with were straightforward and the work also paid quite well. I loved the work. (377 views)
How Lawyers Can Cope With Rejection in Interviews You have spent the weeks following your office visit in a state of anxious anticipation. Then, one day the mail brings a law firm envelope. Instead of seeing the words of welcome that you expected, it begins with the conciliatory "We certainly enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with you. Unfortunately..." Suddenly, you are aware that your job search is not over yet. (357 views)
Evaluating and Negotiating Law Job Offers Candidates often are very excited when they finally receive an offer. It feels wonderful to know that you are wanted and that the long and sometimes frustrating job search is coming to a close. In their enthusiasm, many candidates assume that the only options available are to accept or decline the offer on the table. Many shudder at the idea of negotiating for more. (339 views)
Thinking of Sending a Thank You Gift to a Law Firm After an Interview? It’s a given that you should always send a heartfelt thank you note after a legal interview, but it’s also possible to express a little too much gratitude. Sending in a flower bouquet after an interview may be a little too extreme…however, sending a thank you note via email with 24 hours after your interview is a must! (332 views)
How to Excel in Law Firm Interviews Summary: In a recent article, Harrison Barnes, a legal recruiter and founder of BCG Attorney Search and CEO of LawCrossing, explains how to ace your law firm job interview. (321 views)
Legal Job Luncheon Interview: Special Rules At some point in your interviewing career it is inevitable that you will be taken by your prospective employer to a fancy restaurant for lunch, cocktails and/or dinner. The purpose of such an interview is threefold: (1) to give all of the involved parties a treat at the expense of the United States Treasury (and hence indirectly from the United States taxpayer, namely you... (301 views)
How to Conduct Yourself at Law Job Interview It is very easy to "blow" an important interview before it is even started. Too many job candidates are so eager to "get down to business" that they forget an interview is as much a social occasion as a business one: your first task, and perhaps your only task, is to get the interviewer to like you as a person. (299 views)
Preparing for a Non-Legal Job Interview The research you have completed on the career areas you are interested in, combined with the informational interviews you have conducted with professionals in the field, will enhance your preparation and control in an interview setting. Before you meet with the non-legal employer you should complete the following steps: (283 views)
5 Tips to Make a Positive Impression in the Legal Profession: Avoid Email & Partner Phobia As Global Chair of Recruiting for Latham & Watkins, Tracy Edmonson says her law firm receives 6,000 resumes a year. So how can anyone possibly stand out? Intelligence, enthusiasm, experience, and a desire to achieve are obviously crucial selling points. But Ms. Edmonson also takes special notice when an applicant includes hobbies on a resume. (265 views)
Attorney Salaries: Getting What You’re Worth Here's the exciting part-negotiating for your salary. This can be one of the most difficult segments of your job search only if you are unprepared. The good news about entry-level paralegal positions is that, at this writing, starting salaries are anywhere from $16,000 to $25,000 per year, depending on type of firm, region of the country, specialty and your work history.... (261 views)
How To Ace a Law Firm Interview as a Law Student Every year, most law students currently in a law school have a wonderful chance of experiencing the law firm job interview process on their own in the comfort of their school. Law firms visit law schools to interview law students in short 20-minute interviews that can decide the further course of the students' careers. Some of them will be able to secure summer... (248 views)
7 Different Ways to Make a Closing Statement in Your Next Law Firm Interview At the end of the legal interview, you have the opportunity to make a closing statement. Those are the last words you will utter before you leave the office, so make them count. Since there is no definitive way to close an interview, below are some options for you to consider. (232 views)
3 Ways Attorneys Can Turn Job Hopping from a Negative to a Positve There are two sides to the job hopping story for attorneys. It’s understandable why an employer might be a little skeptical of candidates who have many jobs in a small time frame — is he unreliable, restless or flaky? (199 views)
Networking Tips for Attending Meetings: A Comprehensive Guide Some words and phrases for an informational interview, with tips for asking the right questions to find the advice you need. (198 views)
Pros and Cons of Virtual Interview If you're a law student or prospective attorney, chances are you'll be interviewing for jobs soon. And if that's the case, you should know all about video conferencing interviews and how to prepare for them. This article will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of video conferencing interviews, tips for successful interviews, and career advice for... (190 views)
The Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and Interviews Several years ago, when I was looking for a position in Los Angeles, I interviewed with numerous law firms. During virtually every one of these interviews, I ran into an attorney who knew not one, not two, not three, but numerous, numerous attorneys in my current firm. (159 views)
The First Impression of a Legal Professional The following topics-attitude, clothing, speech, and the general "initial impression" constitute basic elements of the concept, appearance. (159 views)
Interviewing—Part I: Preparation Redux Last week, we discussed how to prepare for a legal interview so that you can project the best first impression under any circumstances. Once you walk through the door, though, the journey is far from over. There is always the potential for something to be thrown by the wayside or forgotten by complete accident that could make or break your interview experience with an... (148 views)
Tips on how to make a good impression at the job interview They're kind of like first dates. You try to look your best. You try to make the perfect first impression. And you try so hard to say all the right things. (127 views)
Avoid These Topics During a Job Interview: A Guide for Candidates Job interviews are essential in the hiring process, and candidates often spend a lot of time preparing for them. While it is important to be ready for the interview questions, it is equally important to be aware of the topics that should not be discussed. Some topics can create an uncomfortable situation for the interviewee and may even harm their chances of getting the... (127 views)
Opening Lines of a Law Job Interview and Accepting the Offer Adopting your host mentality, approach someone who is standing alone and say: "I don't believe we have met. My name is...’’ (use your 10-15 second introduction). (125 views)
Law Job Interviews for Women and Employment Barriers They Face Job interviews can be unpleasant because, despite the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's guidelines about what employers may ask consistent with anti-discrimination laws, some judges and lawyers continue to ask women questions about their marital status and plans for having children. Remarks such as, "You're so pretty; I don't care about your grades" and requests... (111 views)
The Key Rule for Success in a Legal Job Interview More than any other rule, there is one rule you must keep foremost in your mind during a legal job interview. It is the key to success; disobeying or flaunting this rule is, in my opinion, the single biggest cause of being "screened out" in a legal job interview. It is a simple rule to remember, and yet is difficult to apply in practice, both because it runs counter to a... (111 views)
5 Steps for Law Students & Attorneys To Ace an Informational Interview You know how to network and are familiar with the traditional job interview, so the informational interview, which combines aspects of both, should be a snap. “It’s less intimidating than networking, and less high-pressure than an interview,” says Lissy Carr, expert on informational interviews and founder of So Whaddya Do. (110 views)
Preparation for an On-Campus Interview with a Law Firm The first step you have to take for attending interviews on campus is to know how to write a cover letter and resume. Research law firms by speaking to practicing attorneys, using resources such as firm literature, and reading up on associate satisfaction. This research will help prepare for your interviews. (107 views)
Questions for Law Firm Positions Are you attending an interview for a position in a law firm? If so your pre-interview preparation must be thorough and you should concentrate on asking the right questions that will help you stand out of crowd of contestants. The right questions are: What is the firm's client base and how (if at all) has it changed over the past ten years? What changes in the client base... (92 views)
Tips for a Law Job Interview and Thank You Notes When you suspect an interviewer has lured you into a dangerous area, you have several response options: (89 views)