Interview, Presentation

#1 Way to Be Persuasive (& It’s Easy!)

  • On November 17, 2019
Lawyers love words but often mess up the delivery by speaking too fast or in a drone. I always tell lawyers to vary their speed and volume for the best effect when in important face-to-face meetings like interviews. And now I love it when science backs me up — changing up your cadence and volume indeed […]
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Change

How to Leverage Legal Experience into a Career in Business!

  • On November 10, 2019
I recently spoke at NAPABA on how to leverage your legal experience into a business career. The panelists and I were all former lawyers who have moved into the business world (clean tech transportation, venture capital, author/coach/podcaster, recruiting). Five key takeaways from our talk: An easy transition is to join your client on the business […]
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Interview

Awkward Pauses in Interviews

  • On November 1, 2019
This recent post on how to handle awkward pauses in interviews made me laugh, but the struggle is real. What should you do when your interviewer is weird and has super long pauses? I agree with the response of the columnist, an HR advisor: Sometimes interviewers are just awkward people. Or they could be giving you […]
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Interview

Is it Better to Interview Early or Late in the Process?

  • On October 27, 2019
If the employer gives you the choice, should you interview early or late in the process? The Wall Street Journal notes that interviewers get fatigued by the end but also that they remember better the candidates they saw last. The column concludes if you think interviewers will get tired out by the end, then go early, […]
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Career Management, Career Tips, Timing

Are Gaps Between Jobs a Big Deal?

  • On October 20, 2019
The hot job market and the increasing societal acceptance of sabbaticals make gaps between legal jobs not as big a deal as in the past. The WSJ recently reported that nowadays you can step out of the workforce for up to two years, whereas ten years ago a gap of six months could be “deadly.” […]
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Career Management, Career Tips, Mentors

Ask for Advice, Not Feedback, to Get Ahead

  • On October 13, 2019
Careers take long and winding roads. To figure out what to do and how to improve yourself means getting the input of others. How do you best do that? This Harvard Business Review article says to use the word “advice” rather than “feedback” when you ask for help! Multiple studies have found asking for “feedback” […]
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Interview

First Round Interviews Are Usually Phone Screens (not In-Person)

  • On September 28, 2019
I agree with this recent Forbes post that first round interviews are now phone calls, either with the hiring manager or with HR, instead of an in-person. Employers prefer phone interviews because they can fit candidates into their schedules and cull them faster. The hard part for candidates is showing enthusiasm over the phone and gauging […]
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Interview, Uncategorized

What Behavioral Questions Do Top Companies Ask?

  • On September 15, 2019
I like this recent Inc. article listing common behavioral questions asked by top companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Dropbox. I recommend reviewing the questions and my guidelines below on how to respond so you can comprehensively prepare for any interview, even if it’s not with one of these companies because smaller companies often follow […]
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