Market

The State of In-House Hiring: A View from the Trenches

  • On October 16, 2022
The US economy is full of question marks (e.g., Wall Street Braces for an Earnings Season of Mixed Signals per NYT), and the IMF warns of a global slowdown, citing inflation and rising interest rates, war in Ukraine, slowdown in China, COVID, etc. How do these conditions affect legal hiring in-house? This is what I’m […]
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Compensation, Offer

New California Pay Transparency Law

  • On October 9, 2022
Effective January 2023, California employers with 15 or more employees must disclose pay ranges in job postings for applicants and also to employees upon request. (See SB 1162 signed September 27, 2022.) California joins the ranks of Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, Rhode Island and Washington, all states with some form of pay transparency law. New […]
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Interview, Networking, Presentation

How to Self-Promote (Lawyer’s Edition)

  • On October 2, 2022
The Wall Street Journal recently discussed the  “best way to brag about your accomplishments.”  Lawyers need this key ability for interviewing, landing clients, and establishing expertise when giving advice, but it’s rarely done well. So how do you talk about yourself effectively without annoying people? WSJ reports the best way to self-promote is to share credit for […]
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Interview, Job Search, Networking

Job Search Tips for Introverts (Who Make Up the Majority of Lawyers!)

  • On September 11, 2022
Introverts are people who gain energy from time alone and are drained by too much social interaction. The majority of lawyers are introverts according to the ABA. So this advice from LinkedIn on job searching for introverts should be especially helpful and conforms with my advice: Don’t fake being an extrovert. Being authentic connects you with people, and […]
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Uncategorized

Why Companies Don’t Hire the Most Experienced Candidate Applying?

  • On September 4, 2022
I am often asked why an employer wouldn’t want to hire the most experienced candidate interested in a job. The most common reasons I get: The hire would upset internal hierarchy. Existing team members may feel like they will lose out on promotion opportunities or interesting projects. Experienced candidates want to be paid more than […]
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Career Management, Mentors, Networking, New Job

The Importance of Work Friends

  • On August 28, 2022
As new grads enter the workforce, they should know the importance of bonding with workmates. What can they gain? The New York Times recently quoted a few things a professional woman learned at her first job decades ago: How to take feedback from a boss without compromising on her ideas. How to have fun at […]
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Interview

If Interviews Went Well, Why Didn’t I Get the Job?

  • On August 21, 2022
It’s super frustrating to prep for interviews, have them go well, and then hear nothing! Why didn’t you get the job? You may meet the qualifications and experience, but a lot goes in the sausage-making of how employers hire. Here are some factors that could explain the result other than they went with someone with […]
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LinkedIn

$1500 Headshots: Yes or No?

  • On August 14, 2022
The Wall Street Journal just reported people are paying $1500 and more for LinkedIn headshots that include coaching on facial expressions! A booked-up photographer tells people to squint a little (the “squinch”), for example. The idea is to have employers linger longer on your profile, which is a good thing. Plus, LinkedIn finds bios with […]
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