Job searching while you are currently employed may seem to be challenging.  The reality is that in the eyes of prospective employers, it is best to job search while currently employed.  Having a job while looking for a job makes you that much more attractive to a potential employer.

However, what is the best way to job search, without tipping off your current employer?  Here are some of our stealthy job search tips:

1. Don't discuss your job search with your coworkers.  You never know what information may get out or how quickly it will spread.  Therefore, it is best to keep your job search private. 

• Don’t use you work phone, work computer or work email to apply to jobs. Also, make job search related phone calls away from your office. It is important to consider any equipment that is owned by your boss off-limits when it comes to your job search.   If you have to conduct any business related to your job search while you are at work, use your own cell phone.

• Scheduling interviews - We find that most firms are accommodating to schedule interviews with people who are employed.  However, most will still want them booked during the workday.  We find that lunch interviews work best – firms will be respectful of ensuring that your interview finishes in time for you to make it back to the office.  Early mornings (i.e. 8:30am/9:00am) or later in the day (4:00 – 5:30pm) will often work as well.  Scheduling during these times is less likely to tip off your current employer. 

• Be careful about what you wear – It is important not to dress differently than normal.  People will be suspicious if you dress unlike you normally do.  If you do bring a change of clothes for your interview, be sure to change outside of your office. For example, in the bathroom of a coffee shop. 

• References – Using former employers works best.  Only use a current co-worker if you can absolutely trust them not to say anything.    

• Don't mention your job search in social media. Similarly, don’t talk about your intentions or unhappiness at work on social media.  It may find its way back to your current employer – plus it just looks bad overall and future prospective employers may not look favourable upon it.

• Don’t post your resume on job boards. There is a good chance that someone may find your resume on one of these job boards, especially if your firm is actively hiring. 

• Finally, stay focused on your current job - Continue to perform at or above your current performance level. It is important to show respect and professionalism to your current employer and not check-out and do sub-par work in anticipation of your move. 

When you work with us, we will help to ensure that your job search remains confidential and stealthy. 

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to discuss further or have any questions, be sure to reach out.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

When it comes to asking for a raise, there are a few factors you need to consider.

Before I get into them though, there is one thing I need to address.  Some people will go out, get another job offer and then use that job offer as leverage to get more money from their current employer.  This is a terrible idea!

When you do force your employer’s hand like this and ultimately do accept the counter offer, all you have done is put a target on your back at work.  Your employer will also be questioning your loyalty and commitment to the firm. 

Don’t do that!  Instead take this approach when asking for a raise.

First – you need to do your research.  You need to know what the typical salary ranges are for someone of your experience and skill set.  You can research this online, connect with others in the industry, see if any industry associations have salary guides or speak to recruiters, like me.

After you have done your homework, then timing becomes important.  Don’t ask 3 weeks into your new job or a month before your performance review – as you can save the conversation for then. Definitely don’t ask during a very stressful time either (for example during a big trial or on the day of a big closing). 

Instead, you want to ask after a big accomplishment or after a length of time where you have taken on greater responsibility.

How you do it is also vital.  Don’t do it over email! Ask for a meeting with your supervisor or lawyer. 

In the meeting, be sure to communicate the successes you have accomplished, the added responsibility you have taken on and overall, why you feel you deserve a raise.  It is important to demonstrate what added value you have brought to the firm. Also, talking about your future career plans within the firm and highlighting how you see yourself growing there will also help you.  You can also explain what added responsibilities you would like to take on.       

Be sure to practice this speech in advance.  Be prepared for questions or to support your ask with further examples.  Finally, after doing all this, you still need to be prepared to hear “No”.   When this happens, you can ask for an interim performance review with clearly defined goals and salary. This puts you in line for a possible increase sooner and also lets your supervisor know that you are serious about your career.

Thanks for reading!  If you have any further questions on this topic or any others which are on your mind, feel free to contact us. 

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

When it comes to interviewing, having to meet with more than one person, can be extremely nerve-wracking. 

So many questions - Who do you look at?  What happens if they start firing multiple questions at you?  What if you forget their names?

Today, we will dive in and discuss some of the best ways to handle a panel interview. 

Before we begin, let’s look at why we are meeting with multiple people at one time?  There are a few reasons for this.  First, each person’s opinion of who you will be meeting with will be important in the decision to hire you or not.  Therefore, the impression you make to each person matters.  Second, if you get the job, you may be working with some, if not all of these people and it will be good to see how your personalities match up. Third, the firm may want to see how you handle stressful situations.   

The tips!

When it comes to panel interviews, preparation is key. First, you need to find out who will be present in the interview. You will need to do your best to find out what you can on each person and their professional background.  See if you can review their profile on the firm’s website or, take a look at their profiles on LinkedIn.  You want to become familiar with their role, responsibilities and type of work at the firm. 

Try to remember each of their names so that you can address them by name in the interview.  If they give you their business card, you should keep it on the table in front of you so that you can refer to it from time to time, should you forget their name.  You can place their card at the edge of your resume or folder. 

Regarding resumes, be sure to bring enough resumes for each of the interviewers as well as one for yourself.

When it comes to answering questions, you want to direct your answer initially to the person who asked the question. If your reply is longer than 20 seconds, you’ll need to engage the other interviewers as well. In a controlled, calm manner, you will want to shift your gaze and scan the other members.  When you do this, try not to jerk your eyes, face or body, as this will be distracting.

Another tip that will help you succeed during a panel interview is to control the pace of the conversation. It is important not to rush your answers. When asked a question, pause for a second to really consider what you want to say before responding. But make sure you answer briefly and concisely.  Don’t ramble. 

Also, prepare for follow up questions. It is best to prepare several examples to explain your background and experience, just in case you are asked a follow up question by one of the other interviewers. The more examples, the better, to help strengthen the claims you make about yourself. 

Hope this helped!  Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions around this or have an interview coming up and would like to discuss further, be sure to contact us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck.

Are you using examples to highlight your strengths and achievements?  

Whether you are a junior LAA or a seasoned Paralegal, the best way to highlight your skills and accomplishments in an interview is by supporting what you say about yourself with an example. 

In interviews, most people just say things about themselves – “I’m a hard worker” or “I go above and beyond for our clients”.  While it may be true, these phrases are so over used, they have now become empty statements, fluff words.  In order to have what you claim about yourself really sink in to the person you are speaking with, you need to use examples.  The example makes your claim concrete and also provides evidence on how you will act in that situation. Also, your example will be unique to you! Therefore, while the claim “hard-worker” may be overused, your example is yours!

When framing examples, we go with the commonly used Star Technique.  Frame your example in the following way.  What is the situation you were in?  What tasks were you given?  What actions did you take?  Finally, what was the result? Always highlight the result and when using these examples, talk about what you did specifically – don’t be afraid to use the word “I”.  This is your time to really shine the spotlight on yourself.

Next time you are going in to an interview, prepare 3 or 4 examples that really show-off your skills and expertise.  Use them to anchor any claim you make about yourself. 

Thanks for reading! If you have questions about this or would like to bounce your examples off us, feel free to give us a call or send us an email.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Life happens and sometimes you will schedule an interview and at the last minute something comes up and you won’t be able to attend.  Maybe your child caught a cold. Maybe a conflicting work meeting came up last minute. Or maybe your car broke down.  What do you do? 

When you know you won’t be able to attend an interview, it is important to let the interviewer know as soon as possible.  If possible, don’t wait until the last minute. You need to remember that the interviewer’s time is valuable and sometimes, there were a number of people who are adjusting their schedules to meet you.

Further, if you also want to stay on good terms with the employer in case you want to reschedule or if another job opens up with the company it’s better you notify them as early as possible.

You need to realize that cancelling an interview, despite having a valid reason, can leave a bad impression on your interviewer.  Therefore, when you need to cancel, you will want to pick up the phone and make a call to your interviewer to let them know that you will be unable to attend the interview.  Speaking with them over the phone allows you to explain why you cannot attend the interview and apologize for any inconvenience you have caused.  After you have that call, make sure to send a follow-up email so that everything is clear to everyone.

When you cancel, despite your reasoning, most interviewers will assume that you are cancelling because you are not interested in the position.  Therefore, if you want to reschedule, you need to let the interviewer know.  Saying something such as “Unfortunately, I can’t make this time due to unforeseen circumstances. Can we reschedule for a later date?” can work.  However, if you want to cancel, you should make absolutely clear that you’re canceling (as opposed to trying to switch dates and times). You can keep it short.

Don’t string the firm along.  Don’t cancel and leave them wondering.  Finally, as I mentioned before, remember to apologize!

Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, feel free to email us or give us a call.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Navigating the job market can be challenging!  There are a number of variables to consider.  Once you do make the decision to job search, it is very common to come across a recruitment agency in the legal community. 

Not everyone has worked with a recruitment agency to assist in their job search.  Since firms are often looking for a specific set of skills and experience when making a hire, they will often engage recruitment agencies to assist in their search for the right candidate. 

As this is a rather common practice, today I wanted to talk to you about some of the benefits of working with a Recruitment Agency to aide and assist with your job search.  Ultimately, working with a recruitment agency can expedite your job search and do so for free. You tap into the experience of a professional and get a second set of eyes, helping you find the best opportunity that matches what you are looking for.  A recruitment agency can lead you to opportunities you had never considered before and can help bring calmness to the craziness that the job searching process brings along.

Here are some of the benefits of working with us.

First - No Cost

If you are looking for a job, there is no cost to you.  Whether you find a job through your recruiter or not, you’ll never be charged.  We are engaged by law firms and our service cost is covered by the firm. 

Second - Access to a Variety of Job Opportunities

We work with multiple law firms on a number of requisitions and can discuss multiple opportunities with you. We work on both a mix of active job postings but are also aware of deeper opportunities such as those that will be coming up with firms down the road or in situations where firms choose not to advertise the position – i.e. if there is a need for a confidential search. 

Further, we are here to assist people in finding the right long term fit for them. If someone does apply to a position we are working on, but they are not the right fit, we will redirect them to a position that is more suitable.  The reason that employers pay recruiters is that they want to find talent that fits into their team and corporate culture. Job seekers who are a better fit are more likely to stick around long term.

And this is very important!  Our goal is to be able to discuss with you a number of opportunities so that you can find the job that is the best long term fit for you.  There is no benefit to anyone if you take a job you are miserable in or which is not the best fit for you.  We are an extension of your job search. We want to present you with opportunities you’re excited about. During this process it is important to be honest with us. 

Third - Manage the interview process

We manage the interview process and can prepare you for what to expect in an upcoming interview.  We coordinate interview times and can ensure that all your questions are answered before moving towards the offer stage. This can include hunting down the answers for you to some of the questions you forgot to ask or are unsure of, or it may be scheduling an additional meeting between you and the firm.  

Fourth - Assist with discussions regarding the Job Offer

Sometimes people feel that the job offer will not happen, because the start date their employer prefers is not doable, although this is not the case.  We can assist you through these obstacles or provide clarification on some of the points made in the offer. 

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about working with a recruitment agency or how we can best assist you, feel free to email or call us.

Happy job hunting and Good Luck!

When the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?”, this is your time to shine.  This is your time to show that you did your homework on the firm.  That you are serious about your career.  That making a move isn’t something that you take lightly and that you want to make a move that will have the best long-term affect for you.

Let’s get started!  Here are some of the questions you should be asking:

1. Tell me about the firm or practice group’s culture.
   • You want to make sure you are you a good fit for this particular firm.  You need to make sure you are comfortable with the culture and the dynamic of the firm.

• Can you tell me more about my team?
  • Getting on with your colleagues is crucial to your job satisfaction – Most workers say having friends at work is one of the most important elements to a happy working life.

• How is work distributed/how will I receive assignments, projects or files?
  • You need to know how the work will flow, where your instructions will come from and who to speak with should you have any questions.

• How will my work be evaluated? What kind of feedback can I expect to receive?
  • It’s crucial to have a deep understanding of how a firm measures success.

• What training opportunities are available?
  • This question is important to ask, as it shows you are interested in acquiring new skills, which will be of benefit to you and to the firm. Having access to adequate training resources is crucial to your professional growth, no matter what stage of your career you’re at.

• What makes this firm unique from other similar firms?
  • This is a great opportunity to let the firm highlight everything they are proud of.

• What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the firm right now?
  • The follow-up is to then use this information to demonstrate how well suited you are to help them resolve their challenges.

Ultimately you want to ask questions that are going to provide you with enough answers so when you leave the interview, you will know whether you are interested in proceeding with the firm and their process (assuming they choose to as well).

It is important to do research so that questions don’t seem too scripted, but rather reflect a genuine interest in the specific firm. It is important to customize the above questions so that they are relevant to the job for which you are interviewing and reflect your own speaking style.

Thanks for reading!  If you have an interview coming up and you want to run your questions by us, feel free to send us an email or give us a call.

Happy Job hunting and Good Luck!

Starting a new job can be hard and going through the on-boarding process at any firm isn’t always going to be easy. We experience all kinds of emotions as we go through the growing pains of learning new processes, meeting new people and ultimately doing things a new way. We bring many expectations and hopes to a new job, some that are realistic and inevitably, some that are not. We want to have a real impact quickly, in order to prove ourselves, yet we don’t know what our lawyers or supervisors expect of us.

There is an assessment and trying out phase. Given this, sometimes, the work we are doing during the on-boarding and probationary period is not necessarily the work we envisioned ourselves doing, or that we were told we would be doing during the interview stage. During this time, the work may seem slow, too administrative, and not busy.

Our lawyers and supervisors have their own expectations. During your probationary period and on-boarding, it is important to remember that your firm is investing time, effort and money in you, because they believe in you. They want you to succeed. They are feeding you work at a pace they feel is best to successfully amalgamate you into the firm and the way they do things!

While we may not necessarily agree with the pace or how things are done, it is important to have confidence in their process. If things are not going how you envisioned, instead of immediately believing you need to find a new job or instead of complaining, you need to be patient.

This is especially true if you like the work environment, the firm culture and if you get along well with everyone. If the pace or volume of work is the only thing that seems to be off to you, then patience is key.

During this time, it is best to take time to really understand and learn your job. Overtime, you can make suggestions and changes as situations arise, and as your input and expertise is called upon. You can ask for more work, to be more involved, and for more complex files.

Thanks for reading! We hope this helped. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic, be sure to give us a call or send us an email.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

While we always encourage pursuing one’s dreams and swinging for the fences, we also know that when it comes to your job search, having unrealistic expectations can lead you down the wrong path.  We find that too many times, candidates cause themselves disappointment and misery because they have unrealistic expectations when applying for jobs. Yes, it’s true you need to aim high, but aiming too high can just lead to a longer time of being unemployed or searching for a new job.

Many people we work with will have a number of reasonable criteria they will be looking for when considering changing jobs.  These include added responsibility, career growth opportunities, a collaborative work environment and a reasonable raise.  However, sometimes we come across those who have a lengthy list of requirements and want each of them met when they move to a new employer.

The reality is, if you are seriously considering changing jobs, having lengthy demands will do nothing but prolong your job search. With this in mind, here are our tips for managing your job search expectations.

1. It is unrealistic to think that you will apply for one job, secure an interview and be offered the position. The hiring process takes time, and this is why it is important to pursue several job opportunities at one time.  Further, seeing multiple opportunities allows you to see what actually exists in the market and will force you to realize how likely you are to get everything you are asking for.

2. Know the market.  Know the salary for your years of experience and area of law. If you work in private practice, don’t compare your salary and benefits to someone who works in-house.  Expecting the same type of compensation will only leave you disappointed.  Know what firms are looking for and what is in demand.  

3. Come to terms with what you can do without. Rank which of your criteria you need to have in a new job and which things would be nice to have – but you are ultimately comfortable living without. 

4. Apply to jobs which you have relevant experience for. Having 2 years of experience and only wanting to apply to Supervisory positions within national law firms, will leave you job searching for a very long time and will most likely only end in frustration.

Replacing unrealistic job search expectations with realistic ones, will give you your best shot at a successful job search. This means that you need to realize finding a job takes time, and that sometimes you will need to be flexible about some of your search requirements. Finally, remember that persistence is essential, and you’ll need to be consistent about following up on inquiries and interview outcomes.

Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions or would like to discuss what the job market presently looks like and how realistic your job search is, feel free to call or email us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

Have you ever left an interview feeling like the conversation was great, but you didn’t get to really sell yourself? You talked about the weather, current events, how your children play in the same sports league.  The rapport was fantastic! But you still felt unsure about whether or not you left the interviewer with the impression that you could do the job?

While rapport is important, giving the interview substance and highlighting what you can do is important.  When we conduct interview preparations with our candidates, one of the aspects we stress is the importance of being detailed when describing the duties and responsibilities in your current role. 

Many interviews, especially when meeting directly with the prospective lawyer you will be working with, tend to be very conversational.  Because of this, you may not be asked specific questions about your role. And while the conversation might be fluid and great, it is still your responsibility to highlight your skills and experience. 

You need to highlight what you do, the actions you take on a file, your duties and responsibilities to assist your lawyer, and client interactions, if any.  Lead with and emphasize your responsibilities that match with the position you are interviewing for.  

For example, let’s say you are a Legal Administrative Assistant working in a small law firm.  In addition to your LAA responsibilities, your role includes handling office management, reception and accounting responsibilities. 

You are searching for a strict LAA role as you want to grow your LAA career and are not keen to continue doing the other functions which you presently do (reception, accounting, office management). 

Now, if you are interviewing for a LAA position at a mid-sized or larger law firm, where the accounting, reception and office management roles are currently handled by other people, you would not want to lead with and weight most of your discussion towards your Office Manager functions.    

While it is an important skills and great experience, you will do one of two things by speaking mainly about your office management experience.  One, you will not devote enough speaking time to your LAA work and therefore, the lawyer may not know your capabilities around running a file.  Two, the interviewer may get the impression that what you really want is an Office Manager role.  

You lead with your LAA work and while discussing your role, you highlight everything you do that is specific to your LAA role – specific to how you support and manage a file.  This can be opening and closing files, client intake, scheduling meetings and trials, searches, dictation, etc. 

On this, we also work with people, who are of the school of thought that because their responsibilities are listed on their resume, then that is enough.  This is not enough. Assume the person you are meeting with hasn’t read your resume (they will have, but assume they haven’t).  Assume they know nothing about what it is you do or how you do it.  Plus, you talking about your role will strengthen what they have already read, more likely to engrain it in their mind. 

Be detailed, be descriptive, keep it relevant, but do keep it concise. 

After you describe your role, then you insert the examples, which we addressed in a previous article, “Are You Using Examples?”

So the next time you go into an interview, be detailed about what it is you currently do and align it to what is expected in the  role that you are interviewing for.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions on this, feel free to contact our office and discuss with one of our consultants.  

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!