#1 Way to Be Persuasive (& It’s Easy!)

Lawyers love words but often mess up the delivery by speaking too fast or in a drone. I always tell lawyers to vary their speed and volume for the best effect when in important face-to-face meetings like interviews. And now I love it when science backs me up — changing up your cadence and volume indeed […]
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Awkward Pauses in Interviews

This recent post on how to handle awkward pauses in interviews made me laugh, but the struggle is real. What should you do when your interviewer is weird and has super long pauses? I agree with the response of the columnist, an HR advisor: Sometimes interviewers are just awkward people. Or they could be giving you […]
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Is it Better to Interview Early or Late in the Process?

If the employer gives you the choice, should you interview early or late in the process? The Wall Street Journal notes that interviewers get fatigued by the end but also that they remember better the candidates they saw last. The column concludes if you think interviewers will get tired out by the end, then go early, […]
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First Round Interviews Are Usually Phone Screens (not In-Person)

I agree with this recent Forbes post that first round interviews are now phone calls, either with the hiring manager or with HR, instead of an in-person. Employers prefer phone interviews because they can fit candidates into their schedules and cull them faster. The hard part for candidates is showing enthusiasm over the phone and gauging […]
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What Behavioral Questions Do Top Companies Ask?

I like this recent Inc. article listing common behavioral questions asked by top companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Dropbox. I recommend reviewing the questions and my guidelines below on how to respond so you can comprehensively prepare for any interview, even if it’s not with one of these companies because smaller companies often follow […]
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Interviewing When Overqualified

I recently posted on ageism.  A related phenomenon is when employers reject applicants for being “overqualified.” Studies show, when presented with two good candidates, managers often prefer the one with less experience. The Wall Street Journal explains why. Hiring managers assume the candidate with the more impressive resume won’t be as committed to the company, stay […]
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5 Ways to Combat Ageism in an Interview!

Most companies want to hire attorneys in the five to ten year range because that’s the most common entry level position. But what to do if you are beyond that range and encounter ageism? I like this recent Harvard Business Review article on how to respond to this bias in an interview. My top takeaways: […]
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Surviving Ultralong Interview Processes

Most companies have long, painful interview processes. A super quick search from job posting to offer still takes about four weeks, and can easily be double or triple that. I completely agree with this article on how to manage successfully a long interview process. Ask what the interview process is like. The typical process starts […]
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Why Employers Go Silent in Interview Process

As in dating, ghosting also occurs in the interview process. Employers who initially seem interested then disappear, often for the reasons listed below (as detailed in this excellent article): The most benign reason is the employer is still sorting through resumes, hasn’t figured out whom to hire yet, and doesn’t want to give feedback until […]
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