Have you been thinking about the beach all summer?  That vacation you have coming up next week? Simply just excited about putting your feet up for the summer, relaxing, recharging and leaving your job search until September?  Maybe that’s not the best idea!

The past couple of weeks when speaking to those considering changing jobs, we often hear them say ‘Oh, I know now is not the best time to look…”. 

There is a sense among most people that the job market slows down during the summer months.  That firms stop hiring and leave any and all vacancies to be filled until September.  Well, the reality is law firms and companies are still hiring and they’re are hiring a lot.  What makes things seem like they slow down is that during the summer months hiring processes do tend to take longer as hiring managers and Partners take vacation. But the jobs are still there!

Given this misconception, today I wanted to talk to you about some of the reasons why job searching during the summer months has its benefits:

1. There is less competition – Obviously, a lot of people do take their vacations during the summer months.  They head to the cottage, take a flight somewhere, if they have children, their children will be out of school, so they are most likely to plan a trip during this time.  With this, people who may otherwise be job searching and interviewing, are now focusing on their travel plans, ultimately reducing the amount of competition you would be facing had these people not had any trips or vacations planned.  This ultimately will make things much easier for you.   

• You will have an easier time asking for time off for interviews – During the summer months, your office may be slower, managers and supervisors may take time off, there are more social events and possibly, your office has summer hours.  With all of this, if you need to slip out of the office in the middle of the day for an interview, you will be more likely to do so, without it causing much concern or raising any flags.

• Summer is an easier time to transition into a new job - Summertime is typically a less hectic time to transition to a new job. As a new employee, you can get better acquainted with your new firm when there are less people in the office and things are a bit slower.  For example, if your role is to support 2 lawyers, but one is on vacation, you can ease into your new role, supporting the one at first.  This gives you time to learn your new firm’s process and software.  We see this happen quite often during the summer. 

Further, your new firm may have more social functions during the summer which will allow you to get better acquainted with your new team!

Thanks for reading!  If you have any questions around this or any other topic, be sure to call or email us.

Happy Job Searching and Good Luck!

We speak about counteroffers regularly! In this job market, they tend to happen frequently when people go to resign. This week, I am not here to talk about how to prepare for them or the reasons why you should not accept one. Rather, this week, I want to talk to you about what happens when you do accept one, and then embark on your job search within that same year.

And unfortunately, we see this way too frequently. People accept a counteroffer, and then within a short period of time, they are back on the job market, searching for a new role. However, there is one big difference this go around- the salary they are seeking is highly inflated!

Here’s why – the first time you begin your job search and are given an offer, you are typically offered a salary, which is higher than the salary you are currently on. Let’s say for example, you have 2 years of experience and are earning 45k, and you get a job offer for 50k.

Now, you go to resign, and your current firm matches that salary. You accept the counteroffer of $50,000.

In that moment, with your specific years of experience, 2 in this example, your salary is typically at the top range for someone of your years of experience.

Now, 6 months later, when you realize that you are still not satisfied in your job, you begin job searching AGAIN. You now have 2 and a half years of experience under your belt and your seeking a salary of 55k. Not only do you want something which addresses all your TRUE job motivators, but now you also want more money. This will put you well above the market rate for someone of your years of experience, ultimately pricing yourself out of the market.

What this also does is drastically limit which firms you can go to. Firms which could have offered you ALL the things which would have satisfied your career motivators, now can no longer afford to bring you on board. Your other option in some cases, is accepting the job at a new firm, although making a lateral move, with no change in your current salary.

Therefore, if you have accepted a counteroffer and are back job searching within the year, it is important to be aware of appropriate salary ranges for someone with your years of experience. Assuming you are serious about changing jobs this time around, you may need to be prepared to flex on your salary requirements.

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

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

It is very common to go into an interview and have the first question you are asked to be, “Tell me about yourself.”  On the surface this appears to be an easy question to answer.  A nice icebreaker to begin the interview.  The reality is that often, this question leads you down a winding path, often resulting in you rambling for several minutes without you ever really being able to highlight any of your skills or suitability for the job. 

You need to know that often, interviewers ask this question in part, to determine if you're a good fit for the job and firm culture.

Often, in response to this question, candidates will divulge their entire life story.  Where they grew up, what clubs and extra-curriculars they partake in, sometimes even their views on controversial topics.  While having a social life outside of work is important and firms do like hearing full-bodied responses, the best way to answer this question is by giving a response which centers around your career – this does make sense, given that you are interviewing for a job. 

Your answer should address several points.  First, you want to speak about your present job situation – this will be a brief overview of where you are now in your career.  Then, you want to highlight a few points about your past – how you got to this point in your career.  Finally, you want to address your future goals for your career.  Ideally, you will want to tie these future goals into the opportunity that the firm you are interviewing with can offer. 

After you have addressed your professional path, you can intertwine some personal aspects about yourself – i.e. any volunteer work, athletic associations, hobbies, etc. 

Be sure not to overwhelm the interviewer and keep your response as clean and concise as possible.  Finally, avoid oversharing, especially when it comes to personal information.  

Ultimately, your answer to this question should be tied to the job and allow you to demonstrate your skills, qualities and overall expertise that will be valuable in the role.

Thanks for reading!  If you have an interview coming up and would like some additional tips, be sure to call or email us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

From time to time we speak with legal support professionals who are thinking of changing the area of law they work in.  They may be working in a solicitor practice and thinking of moving to a barrister practice - going from Commercial Litigation to Commercial Real Estate for example. 

While changing the area of law you work in can definitely assist in developing your career, especially if you move to an area that is in demand, today I wanted to highlight some of the benefits of specializing and developing your niche within one area of law.   

• You become an authority figure – When you specialize in one area of law, you are more likely to develop a sense of trust in the eyes of employers.

• Greater responsibility – Similarly, as you become more trusted and more knowledgeable in a certain area of law, firms will see you as more independent and capable of taking on more work.  This includes more complex work.  This in turn allows you to keep growing your skills and becoming even more knowledgeable. 

• There is increased opportunity for advancement – As your skills grow and you become more experienced, you will be able to move up the ranks and take or more senior level positions or even supervisory roles. 

• You become in high demand – As you become more specialized in an area of law, people will begin to want you more and more. They will want you to work for their firm and job opportunities will become more abundant and fruitful. 

• Higher compensation – As you become more skilled, independent, capable of handling more complex work and in demand, you will find that you will be offered higher pay with other incentives and remunerations.

• Job security – Ultimately the stronger your skills are in a certain area, the more difficult it will be for your firm to replace you.  Further, you will have other opportunities to fall back on. 

When you are thinking about changing areas of law, it is best to think about what your motivators are for doing so.  Knowing which areas of law are in demand and best to specialize in is also important to know. 

Thanks for reading!  If you would like to discuss further or weigh your career options, be sure to contact us. 

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!

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!

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!