We have been in quarantine for a while now, and I am very much missing my hairdresser right now. My roots and highlight appointment are needed right now. Obviously, this is all for a good cause. I’m hoping that we can all continue to stay disciplined while working from home and that we can work together to flatten this curve.

At the same time, I am also missing my family, friends and my coworkers, and I’m sure a lot of you are in the same boat. So, today I wanted to talk a bit about some tips that can help us in our emotional state of social isolation while working from home.

I don’t know about you, but lately, my days are filled with feelings of frustration, headaches, anxiety, and tired eyes more than ever, from starring at the computer screen all day. I’m finding that there are few things though, that are helping me get through this time, and are helping me to stay sane during these weeks.

1. Picking up the phone. Instead of sending lengthy, wordy emails to communicate and get your point across, pick up the phone and call who you need to call. Call your co-worker or call your client, and have a friendly chat. You’d be surprised how much better hearing someone else’s voice makes you feel, rather than reading their words over a computer screen. Especially during this time of isolation. Ask them how their day is, how their family is, make a few jokes and take the time to laugh. Not to mention, by making a phone call, you will save a ton of time, and useless emails back and forth, just to get a few simple points across.
2. Get some fresh air. It’s as simple as opening up a window while you work. The more fresh air you get, the more oxygen you will breathe, which increases the amount of serotonin we inhale (our happy hormone). Taking a break every few hours to go for a short walk outside, is even better. 
3. The third tip I have for you is to sing! As silly as this sounds, singing releases endorphins, the feel-good chemical in the brain. Because singing requires deep breathing, it draws more oxygen into the blood and causes better circulation. So, this is a natural stress-reducer! So turn up some tunes and belt out your favourite song.
4. Video calls- I’m sure the majority of our offices are already on the video call trend right now, whether it’s via Skype, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. I’ve actually already seen a few amazing offices hold virtual bingo or trivia nights, and we ourselves have had a virtual happy hour, where we enjoyed drinks, snacks and played virtual Pictionary! These types of fun activities brighten everyone’s day, as we feel purposeful when getting ready in the morning, brushing our hair, or pulling out our favourite wine glass for the video call!

I hope that these tips help you to stay sane and smile during this difficult time. Remember that all things are temporary, and this too shall pass.

Stay safe Forge Followers!

There are a lot of people looking for work right now.  And unfortunately, while almost every company is not hiring at the moment, there are things you should definitely be doing should you be in the job search phase.

 Network Socially

• Engage and take part in online events – be active on LinkedIn and leave thoughtful comments where you can.  This will ultimately help you elevate your own personal brand within your specific community.  There are a few people I see post regularly on and approach this really well. 

Keep in Touch

• Maybe you had an interview just before the pandemic broke out.  Keep in touch. 

Take advantage of the slow time to learn as much as you can or learn something new

• Are there skills that you wanted to learn or know that if you improved on them, it would give you the opportunity to hit the ground running when you get back to work?
• For example, did you join a new firm just before the pandemic and were in the middle of learning a new software.  If so, can you take some online training courses given that things are slow so that you can improve your knowledge of the software?
• Webinars – Great place to come together with like-minded people.  Sometimes I find the best learning comes from the question other people ask during the webinar. 

Gain market information

• This is a great time to learn as much information about the landscape you are working in.  What are other firms and companies like?  I find most people are willing to talk at the moment. If you are considering joining a firm, why not connect with on LinkedIn from that firm and gain some insight into that firm’s culture. 
• No one knows for sure what the legal landscape or any job landscape will look like on the other side of this.  But there are hints.  For example, there are going to be certain practice areas and sectors that do quite well coming out of this.  There are going to be others that won’t.  Maybe now is a good time to consider changing areas of law or if you are just starting your legal career and looking for work, see if you can get out in front of the trend.  Again, think what the legal job market look will like coming out of this and how can I position myself to benefit from that.

These are just a few of our tips to help you stay focused if you are job searching during this pandemic.  Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions about this or any other job searching, or interview topics be sure to contact us!

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

A lot of us have been forced to learn the ins and outs of video calling over the past couple of weeks!  Whether it be video interviews, video meetings or online video sessions, there are a few things you need to be aware of. 

As some of you may know, we here at Forge Recruitment operate remotely.  So, we do a lot of team meetings, interviews and workshops via video.  Here are some of the important things we think you should keep in mind before your video call.   

First, make sure that you test your equipment in advance.  There is nothing worse than having a video interview scheduled and having your laptop’s camera or sound not working.  Be sure to test all of your equipment in advance.  Make a practice call to a friend if you need to. 

While you're making sure that your video equipment works prepare a back-up plan just in case.  For example, if your computer fails you, can you make your video call on your phone?  Download the video app you are using to your phone and sign in to your account just in case. 

Second, make sure you find the right place for your call.  A quiet, well-lit spot will be the best.  You also want to ensure that you are in a room or place where you will not be distracted.  Further, you want to ensure that you don’t have anything distracting or even controversial behind you.  Be aware of your surroundings when preparing for a video call. 

Third, you will want to dress appropriately.  If you are doing a video interview, dress just as you would for an in-person interview.  Take it seriously and dress professionally. 

Fourth, during the video call, make sure your face is in the center of the camera.  You will want to look the person in the eyes, but depending on your camera lay-out, this may mean looking at your computer’s camera – so be aware.  Be sure to speak clearly, don’t shout, and don’t interrupt the other person.

A few additional points:

• Be ready for the call a few minutes before your scheduled call time.  Don’t be late. 
• During your video call or video meeting, it can be really tempting to give in to distractions.  For example, you may be tempted to look at your phone, check your emails, open the door to let your dog out or respond to a family member as they enter the room.  If you are doing a video interview, remember to treat it exactly as you would with an in-person interview.  Would you do any of these things if you were in the same room as the interviewer? Probably not. So, don’t do it when doing a video interview.
• If you are in a video meeting, doing these things may not be a big deal, but you are still distracting the other people on the call.  Don’t be a distraction. 
• Also, during a video meeting, the other attendees have their cameras on, meaning you can see them and see what they are doing.  Therefore, your camera should be on as well.  If you set your profile up to just have the photo or a still picture of you, the other attendees will assume that you are not paying attention or figure you are doing something else – it just looks bad. 
• Finally – and a big point here.  Remember, that just because you think the video call may be over, the other attendee’s camera and microphone may be on.  Be careful what you say and do at the end of the call.  The last thing you want to do is finish the interview, think you have hung up on your call, only to have the interviewer hear you yell at your cat for breaking a vase.

These are some of our video interview and meeting tips.  I hope you found this helpful.  Thanks for reading! If you have any questions around this or any other job searching or interview topics, be sure to contact us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Many of us are currently adjusting to working from home.  And while the thought of working from home can seem highly appealing, it definitely comes with its challenges. 

I know when I started Forge Recruitment a few years ago, I remember having to make the adjustment of moving from an office to working from home.  It definitely took some time to get used to it! Now, our entire team operates remotely and it seems second nature to us. 

With this, today I wanted to cover some of the things you can do to ensure that you will successfully adjust to working from home.    

Set up a designated workspace

• You will want to set-up a designated area for you to work.  This is important for a couple of reasons. 
• One, it will limit your distractions.  You will want an area where you can focus and are away from any distractions. For example, working at your kitchen table where you have family coming in, cooking, grabbing snacks, will not be ideal. 
  • One study found that if we are focusing on a task and we are distracted, it will take us approximately 25 minutes for us to regain the same mental progress that we had prior to the distraction.  
• Second, having a designated workspace will help your brain separate work from personal.  For example, if you have a habit of doing work in your bed, at night, when you go to try and sleep, it will be hard for your brain to shut off, as it subconsciously associates your bed and bedroom with work. 

Follow a schedule

• It is important to set up regular work hours to keep focused.  I know when I started working from home, I kept the exact same hours as I had when I worked in an office.  Further, it is important that once you have your schedule, you stick to it. Start your day on time every day. 
• With this, it is easy to fall into the trap of scheduling personal tasks during the workday.  However, it is best to keep your professional work and personal work separate.  Schedule your personal tasks outside of work hours or on breaks. 

Plan your day

• Have a plan and know what tasks you need to get done in the day. It is very easy to go down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos.  Don’t let yourself do this.  Know what you need to do and work on completing each task.   

Stay connected with your team

• Have set check-ins with your team and colleagues, especially if you are working together towards completing a task. Keep your communication lines open and coordinate with them what you need to coordinate.  This will help fill the social void, but it is also good to know that your team is there to help you with any challenges or issues you may face. 

Take breaks

• Take breaks regularly.  You need to give yourself a chance to recharge.  It may be tempting to sit and force yourself to focus all day for as long as you can, but in the long run, this will just lead you to burn out.  Stand up and get some air.

Thanks for reading!  I hope you found some of these tips helpful!  If you have any questions about this or any other job searching or interviewing tips, please do let me know.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Have you ever been in an interview and asked by the interviewer, “How do you handle stress?”.  If you have, how did you answer it?  Did you stumble? Were you happy with your answer?  If not, not to worry!  Today we’ll be talking about the best way to answer the “How do you handle stress?” interview question!

First, understand why you are being asked the question.  When asking this question, the interviewer wants to know a few things.  One, they want to see what you consider to be stressful. Two, they want to see how you react in stressful situations.  Three, if the role you are interviewing for has a higher than normal level of stress, they want to know if you will be able to succeed in the role. 

So, let’s look at the best way to answer the question.  When answering the question, you will want to provide an example that shows you handling and succeeding in a stressful situation. Keep this example work related. Focus on how you managed the stressful situation.   Don’t focus on the emotions you were feeling in the situation.  Rather, address what the situation was and what steps you took to overcome it.  Be sure to highlight the successful result.   For example, you can talk about juggling competing priorities within a specific deadline.  How did you decide what you did first, second, third?  What was the result?

A few additional tips.  When talking about how you handle stressful situations, be sure not to provide an example where you were the one that created the stressful situation.  For example, if you forgot to mail something out or follow up with a client on an important matter. Don’t say you never experience stress – it sounds fake. And, don’t emphasize the level of stress you felt – acknowledge that you felt stressed and then focus on how you addressed it.

So, these are our tips on how to best answer the stress question during an interview.  Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions around this or any other interview or job searching topics, be sure to contact us. 

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Over the past week, we have had a couple of law firms tell us about their frustrations of having someone accept a position at their firm, only to rescind their acceptance a week prior to starting. 

I can understand the firm’s frustration.  There is a lot of preparation that happens before a new hire joins a firm. Computers are set up, training is coordinated, internal conversations take place, schedules are re-arranged, etc.  Not to mention, after you have accepted your offer, your new firm has stopped considering other applicants.  That means that if you then rescind your offer, the firm has lost out on not only time and money, but also all the other candidates they were considering as those ones have most likely moved on and are off the market. 

But, at the same time, I can understand things from the Candidate’s perspective.  Life happens, people change their minds, and new opportunities arise and ultimately you the candidate, needs to make the best long-term decision for yourself. 

However, the legal community is small, people change firms and you do not want to burn a bridge and have it follow you.  So, how you rescind your offer is important!  If the situation arises, you should:

1. Let the firm know as soon as you have made up your mind. Don’t wait until the last minute. 
2. Give the firm the courtesy of knowing why you are rescinding the offer.  Now, you don’t need to get into the specifics of your “Why”, but you should give a reason.  They have just invested time and money preparing for your start.  The firm’s initial reaction will be to see if there is anything they can do to change your mind.  Further, the firm will wonder if it was something about them that caused the change of mind.  Is there anything they need to change moving forward, so this doesn’t happen again? They just need some closure. 

While we are on this topic, we also have candidates sometimes ask us why their new employer wants to know if they have handed in their resignation yet.  They tell us, that they have signed the offer letter, indicating they are coming on board, why does it matter when they resign. 

The firm wants to know you are fully committed to making the move.  Yes, you have signed the offer, but you still need to successfully resign. When you are leaving one job for another, a two-step process is involved.  The firm will want to know this for a) peace of mind, but b) they will also want to know that you are fully committed before investing the time and money in preparing for your start.   

So, if you do need to rescind your acceptance, make sure that at the very least you take these 2 steps. 

Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions about this or any other job or interview topics, be sure to contact us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Have you ever started a new job and right off the bat felt overwhelmed with how much there was to learn and do? 

Given the competitive landscape of the business world, it is very common for people to start off in a new job and feel that they are in a sink or swim environment.  The work can come fast and furious.  On top of learning your new firm’s software, their procedures, your colleague’s names and how they like to work. 

When you do encounter these sink or swim environments and you most likely will, the question is how do you succeed and thrive in them. 

When you start in a new job that is like this, it is easy to second guess your decision about accepting the job.  But, it’s important to remember that growing pains are common in a new role, and given how competitive the job market is, instead of doubting yourself, it’s best to do everything you can do to not only succeed in this new environment but thrive!

So, here are some things you can do to ensure you thrive during this time:

Dive in

You need to take the initiative and jump right in.  Be a sponge and soak up as much as you can.  Also, putting in a little extra time and effort, in the beginning, will help shorten the learning curve. Further, don’t question how the firm does everything.  First, learn their processes.  Down the road when you are settled and more embedded in the firm, you can offer up suggestions.  But for now, jump in, take initiative and do what you can. 

Ask Questions

Ask for help if you are having a hard time understanding something or struggling to find something or unsure how something is done.  Just make sure you are not asking the same question over and over.  Ask a question, make note of the answer and then put it into practice. Build on it from there.  Remember, the people who hired you, want you to succeed.  So they will want you to have the knowledge you need to do so.  So ask!

Make Friends

Make connections with as many of your teammates as you can.  Introduce yourself, have lunch with them or invite them to have lunch with you in the beginning.  You want to have as many connections in the new firm as possible so that you can turn to different people when you have questions.  You will limit the risk of peppering one person with all of your questions. 

Things are going to be tough in any new job!  But it’s important that your patient, dive in and learn as much as you can in those first few months so that you can build a strong foundation. 

Thanks for reading!  If you have recently started a new job and have questions about how you can better thrive in the sink or swim environment, feel free to contact us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Talking about your strengths during a job interview seems like an easy thing to do.  Of course, you know all of the things you are good at! Obviously. 

But, are you answering the question properly? 

With this, today we will go over our tips on the best way to approach the Strength question in an interview. 

Often, we hear things like “I’m a hard-worker” or “I’m dedicated”.  These are buzz words that are often overused and only saying that about yourself will be too vague.   

Rather, when you are in an interview and asked to talk about your greatest strength or to talk about one thing you do really well, you need to be addressing a strength of yours that matches up with what is required for in the job you are interviewing for.  For example, if you are interviewing for a busy, high-volume, fast-paced litigation legal assistant role, answering this question with, “I get along with everybody” is not the best answer.  Rather, you would want to focus on multi-tasking skills, working with a sense of urgency and being highly efficient. 

Once you have a strength that aligns with the job, you need to get specific.  You will want to focus your strength and anchor it to a specific example.  If you have not yet seen our video on using examples, you can watch it to get a better understanding of how to best frame your example.  But essentially, your example is unique to you and will help illustrate your strength in action.  The example will provide as evidence to your claim.

Now, do you think of these strengths on the spot?  You can, but I suggest you prepare before your interview.  The best way to approach this is to sit down before your interview and write a list of your skills that match the job description or are needed in the job.  Then narrow down the list to your top 3-5 skills.  For each skill, write a brief example of you putting that skill into action. 

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to discuss further how to best answer the strengths question in an interview, feel free to contact us!

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Linkedin! You regularly hear us talk about the importance of utilizing LinkedIn to assist with your job search.  Therefore, today we will look at some of the things you need to do to have a strong LinkedIn profile. 

1. Choose a Great Photo - The photo should be a recent headshot and look professional. Make sure your face is centered in the image and wear work-appropriate clothing.  While the photo can show your personality, remember that to best take full advantage of LinkedIn, you will want to be connecting with other professionals within your network.  They will see this photo and if they have never met you before, this will be their first impression of you. 

• Headline – this is the text that appears just below your photo and name.  This can either describe what you do in a unique way or simply be your job title.  Either way, keep it related to your profession.   

• Summary - You should include all the same information as your current resume or curriculum vitae. This information will include your past and present employment, education, volunteer experience, and skills. Use your profile like a resume and provide prospective employers with detailed information about your skills and experience.

• Update your Skills – the skills section falls below your experience, education and volunteer section.  The Skills section allows you to list skills about yourself that others can endorse you for.  I encourage you to list skills that are relevant to your job.  This will help you come up in searches when recruiters and hiring managers are searching LinkedIn for qualified applicants. 

• Add Connections and grow your network – grow your network.  Connect with other professionals within your industry.  It does not only need to be your friends and family.  Remember, this is a professional networking tool.  Connect with other professionals in your field.  If you connect with someone you have never met before, send them a message with the connection request letting them know why you want to connect. 

• Join Groups – joining industry and work-related groups is a great way to grow your network and stay up to date on relevant market information. 

• Be Engaged - like share and comment on relevant posts, especially those within your industry.  When you do leave comments, be sure they are thoughtful and add to the conversation. 

These are just some of our tips to help you get started with building a strong LinkedIn profile.  If you have any questions around LinkedIn or would like to discuss with us further, feel free to contact us!

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

The beginning of a new year tends to see a lot of job movement! December was a busy month, people had planned vacations, company holiday parties were going on, and some people were waiting for their year-end bonuses.  Others come back from the holidays and make it their New Year's resolution to find a new job.  Whatever the reason, the reality is that there will be a lot of hiring and job movement going on to start the year which means a lot of opportunities will be available if you are looking to make a change. 

With this, here are some of our tips to ensure that you are starting your job search off on the right foot to start the new year!

1. Reflect and get a better understanding of what you want and don’t want in a new job.  Don’t get caught up in all of the excitement of a new year and want to change jobs for the sake of changing jobs.  Take a step back and think about what you want and where you want your career to go.  Figure out what steps you need to take to get there. What moves make sense?  Will you need to make any sacrifices to get there (i.e. taking a pay cut or flexing on the size of the company or location)?
2. Stay on top of what is happening in the market.  Explore job boards and speak with industry professionals to know what skills and jobs are in demand.  What do current salaries and opportunities look like?  How does this affect what you are looking to do?  You need to stay plugged in and keep your figure on the pulse. 
3. Focus more on networking.  Get involved in industry associations and make an effort to get out to as many events as you can. If you cannot get out to events, look at networking on social media.  Look at LinkedIn.  Don’t just have an account and think you are done with it.  Connect with others in your industry, join industry groups and engage with relevant content. The aim is to meet and build relationships with new people in your industry.  Follow companies within your industry and look them up regularly to see if they are hiring.
4. Update your Resume and LinkedIn profile.  The job market will move quickly at the start of the year.  Therefore, when you see something you like, you need to be able to move quickly and apply.  Further, you will want your LinkedIn up to date so that people looking to fill positions that match your skillset can reach out to you. 

Thanks for reading! 

If you have any questions around this or any other job searching or interview topic, be sure to contact us!

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!