Career Management

Lessons Learned over 20 Years from Google Veteran

  • On December 12, 2021
Imagine you started your career at a small private company that grew into a global tech giant over 20 years. Think of the lessons learned! I enjoyed this post by Alana Karen who spent 20 years at Google and listed her top takeaways here. Her best points: Careers are long: 30-50 years! Know “your reputation […]
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Presentation

5 Easy (Truly!) Tips for Better Communication

  • On November 28, 2021
Below are five ways to communicate better starting now. These apply to many scenarios from counseling a client to interviewing for a job. One tip that goes without saying is to actively listen. And five easier things to do: Use the word “and” instead of “but.” The word “but” causes people to stop listening because […]
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Career Management

Checklist for Burnout

  • On November 21, 2021
These COVID years feel like dog years. Tech and big law have grown during the pandemic and have pushed their lawyers to do more (while working remotely and taking care of others at the same time). I found helpful this checklist by Fortune on the five most common warning signs of burnout. Remember to take […]
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Departure

Checklist on Whether to Stay or Go

  • On November 14, 2021
Here’s a great checklist of whether to leave your job. I am a lawyer and a child of immigrants, so yes I am risk-averse. I stuck it out with big law, public companies, and then a boutique for 15 years before going off on my own (which was life-changing!). I wish I had this checklist […]
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Interview

3 Things to Do When You Didn’t Get the Job

  • On November 7, 2021
Yes, it stings when you prepped for an interview and get turned down. But we lawyers know how to persevere! Here are three things to do: This is the easiest to do and helpful for your job search: look up who got the job. Chances are you are interested in similar jobs at similar companies. […]
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Interview

Essential Interview Question Not to Mess up (& That You Can Prepare For)

  • On October 31, 2021
Interviews cover a wide variety of subjects, from behavioral questions to your relevant experience. One make-or-break question is why you want to work at that company. I like this post by First Round Capital on not only good interview questions for the company but also good answers from the interviewee. First Round addresses “Why do […]
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Interview

Key Questions to Ask Before, During & After Interviews

  • On October 22, 2021
Legal interviews have so many rounds and ask so many questions of the interviewee. You should be asking questions too! This article by The Ladders gives great guidance on what to ask (and how to ask) before, during, and after interviews. Before the interview, prepare a list of questions for the interviewer. During the interview, […]
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Change, Departure, Move

Top 5 Reasons Lawyers Are Quitting in The Great Resignation

  • On October 17, 2021
The Great Resignation is going on, and I’ve got a bird’s eye view. The top reasons I see Bay Area lawyers quitting are: Better opportunities. I’ve been recruiting in-house lawyers 15 years, and I have never seen it so hot. Lawyers are constantly presented with interesting work that could give them a better career trajectory. (See here for why […]
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Compensation, Interview, Offer

How to Answer “What is Your Desired Salary?”

  • On October 10, 2021
Now that California employers cannot ask you how much you make during the recruiting process, they will likely ask you what kind of compensation you are looking for. (They are asking up front because they usually have a set budget, don’t want to overpay, and don’t want to go through the whole process to find […]
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