Interview

What is the Hiring Manager Thinking?

  • On August 22, 2025
I know the hiring process seems like a black box, but hiring managers are actually predictable. Here’s a breakdown of what’s going through their mind at each stage: Are you a good fit on paper? Often managers want to see certain schools and training at specific places. Almost all want to see relevant experience, e.g., […]
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Market

Feel stuck in the Bay Area legal market? Here’s what you need to know.

  • On August 20, 2025
Feel stuck in the Bay Area legal market? Here’s what you need to know. You are not alone in feeling like the market is paralyzed. WSJ reports “Americans are stuck in place.” (https://www.wsj.com/economy/american-job-housing-economic-dynamism-d56ef8fc?mod=hp_lead_pos7) Entry level jobs are hard to come by. Those gainfully employed aren’t changing jobs. And housing is getting even more difficult. (In […]
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Uncategorized

Law school rankings for big law job prospects

  • On August 10, 2025
Because law school is such an expensive investment, it makes sense to consider job prospects at graduation. US News recently ranked the top law schools by percentage going to big law (the easiest way to kill debt). It’s worth reviewing with a grain of salt. https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/most-grads-at-big-law-firms-rankings The top California schools according to US News in […]
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Market

Which industries pay lawyers best? Tech of course!

  • On August 2, 2025
Which industries pay the best? Tech. The top 5 best paid legal heads are all at tech companies. At #1, Alphabet paid Kent Walker $30.2M (compared to $27.3M in 2023). Broadcom is second, paying Mark Brazeal $29M (compared to $15.5M in 2023). (See https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2025/07/28/2025-gc-pay-report-at-top-of-rankings-techs-rising-fortunes-crowd-out-other-industries/) Of 544 legal heads tracked by Corporate Counsel, the majority (56%) […]
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Resume

Honing Your Resume (Hint: Don’t Copy a Bad Job Description)

  • On July 26, 2025
You know how job descriptions are often a huge list of bullet points? Unfortunately your resume can’t be as well. So how are you supposed to tailor your resume to the job then? Determine the top skills and requirements of the target job. For example, think about the critical functions of the job and the […]
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Resume

One Page Resume: Yes or No? And Other Resume Rules

  • On July 20, 2025
WSJ says “it’s time to rethink the one-page resume” because AI bots are screening for keywords, and you need to have enough content to pass that screen. Five points to consider: Junior lawyers, fewer than five years out of school, should still stick to one-page resumes. The WSJ article states, “Don’t be the pretentious rookie […]
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Interview

What NOT to Ask in a First Round Interview

  • On July 13, 2025
Sometimes career gurus will give tips that I vehemently disagree with, like asking this question to “instantly impress” the hiring manager: “I want to make sure I align myself with what success looks like here. What are the top three traits your best performers display, day in and day out, at this company?”  The same […]
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Job Search, Networking

Running a Job Search in a Tough Market?

  • On June 14, 2025
How do you job search in this tough market? The top takeaway from Harvard researchers is networking skills. Here’s proof: It’s not the number of applications but the number of conversations that’s important. “After a decade of interviewing and studying more than 1,000 workers – from corporate executives to Chipotle kitchen managers – Harvard researchers […]
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Interview, Presentation

How to Answer Tough Interview Questions

  • On June 7, 2025
Everyone has holes in their resumes that interviewers might call out. You may think there’s nothing you can do about it, e.g., they want firm training and you went straight in-house, or they may prefer long tenure, and you’ve left a couple jobs in a row. However, you can prepare solid answers that put the […]
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Market, Offer

Can you actually negotiate a “best and final” offer in this market?

  • On June 1, 2025
WSJ recently addressed whether candidates can actually negotiate offers described as “best and final.” The answer is surprisingly yes, even in this market where the employer holds the power. What’s the state of the market? Fewer people are negotiating offers now. ZipRecruiter reported 31% of recent job changers negotiated their offers this past quarter, down […]
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