Interview

What are Interviewers Thinking? A Quick Explanation

  • On August 21, 2016
Interviewers generally ask candidates the same questions. What are they thinking? Here’s the thought process behind these basic questions.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Interviewers want to know you will stay awhile. I have seen candidates answer that the role would be a good stepping stone. That would be an answer to stay away […]
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Career Management, Interview, Networking

What Does Senior Management Want?

  • On August 16, 2016
Understanding what senior management wants is key to moving ahead. I like this New York Times interview with Liz Rodbell, the president of a major retailer, because she shares these insights:  Show appreciation. An early leadership lesson she learned was to thank people: “The behavior seems so simple, but it’s the importance of saying ‘thank you,’ and taking the […]
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Interview

Why Does it Take So Long to Hear Back after Interviews?

  • On April 24, 2016
Job seekers often ask me what employers are doing after the interviews wrap up. If you don’t hear within a week, don’t panic. Here are 4 things that could be going on:  The company is still gathering feedback. At mature companies, all interviewers have forms they need to fill out and turn in, and HR […]
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Interview, Job Search

4 Ways to Avoid Speaking Badly about an Employer

  • On April 3, 2016
​We all know we can’t speak ill of an employer in an interview. But what should you do if an interviewer keeps asking hard questions? Here are 4 ways to get your message without breaking the cardinal rule: Point to change in senior management or change within the legal organization. The employer will get the […]
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Interview, Job Search

What 3 Traits Land You the Job?

  • On March 13, 2016
By the time you make it to an in-person interview, interviewers assume you have the basic qualifications to do the job. How do they next choose who gets the job from that pool? Harvard Business School Professor Amy Cuddy writes in her latest book Presence that the main 3 traits of winners of pitches and job interviews […]
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Interview

​​Interview Questions Never to Ask

  • On March 6, 2016
Spring is peak interview season, so shape up your interviewing skills! Think from the vantage point of interviewers – who are looking to fill an urgent need – and avoid these questions: Never ask a question that you can easily find the answer to. It shows laziness and lack of interest. For public companies, their […]
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Interview, Networking

Key First Impressions

  • On January 24, 2016
People form their first impressions of you in seconds. Professor Amy Cuddy (of the power pose fame) found that the first two traits assessed upon meeting are warmth/trustworthiness and then competence. The order of these traits matters. People must first like you; otherwise they won’t bother to find out how good you are. Remember this when you are interviewing or wooing […]
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Interview

3 Interview Essentials, No Matter the Role or Your Experience

  • On January 17, 2016
All lawyers have the basic skills to interview well. You are used to anticipating questions, assessing risk, and working hard. Now apply them to yourself – these top 3 work for lawyers of any level for any role:  Assess yourself objectively like a case you are working up. There are good facts to emphasize and […]
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Interview

​​How to Answer Hypotheticals

  • On December 6, 2015
Now that you what interviewers are evaluating you on when they ask you about hypos (your subject matter expertise, analytical reasoning, and presentation skills), here are 5 ways to excel in answering the hypo:  Lay out your reasoning systematically. Even if your answer doesn’t end up to be absolutely correct (or if there is no clear-cut […]
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Interview

3 Things Interviewers Are Evaluating You On in Hypotheticals

  • On November 29, 2015
Interviewers frequently ask hypotheticals on how you would handle a particular situation. To ace this part of the interview, you need to know where the interviewers are coming from. They are evaluating:  our mastery of the subject matter. Sometimes interviewers ask you to explain something from your current job, for example. In that case, make […]
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