Six ways to ace a video interview
Written by Jason Elias, this article was first published in the Law Institute Journal, August 2020 As the pandemic continues, it’s wise to be prepared for interviewing via videoconferencing COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way the legal recruitment process operates. Video interviews have become the norm and require a different technique from conventional face to face interviews. Use these tips to ace your next video interview. Appearance Presenting a professional appearance is interviewing 101, but video interviews present some challenges to looking your best. For starters, you should familiarise yourself ahead of time with where exactly your webcam is going to be hitting you – knowing which parts of you will be visible will help you plan an outfit that is professional without being distracting. As tempting as it might be, resist the urge to wear pyjamas below the view of the webcam. During a video interview of my own, there was a moment when I had to get up from my kitchen table mid-interview and I was happy I’d put on appropriate pants. Surroundings If you’re being interviewed remotely, odds are you’re doing the interview from your home. Before your interview begins (preferably long before), stake out the perfect spot to set up your laptop or tablet for the interview, being conscious of what the recruiter will see in the background. Also be conscious of lighting. Having bright light behind you can leave you as a silhouette. Depending on the culture of the company you’re interviewing for, you might use this opportunity to demonstrate a little personality – a carefully placed memento from your university or picture of your pet can add a little colour without being distracting. Otherwise, keep things clean and safe. You should be the star of the show on video, not a messy kitchen or barking dogs. Videoconference tools Almost every Zoom meeting starts with “can you hear me?” Tech issues are a great way to distract from your interview. Even though you are not being recruited for an IT role, make sure you have all the tech set up properly and even dial in a few minutes early if possible to test the sound. If you are competing with others for bandwidth (have you met my kids?), arrange for them not to be online during your interview. Interviewers As with any job interview, your homework begins long before the video interview itself. You should thoroughly research the firm, its people, its strengths and its achievements so you’re prepared to discuss them during the interview. Additionally, the internet has made it simple to familiarise yourself with your interviewers before you meet them virtually. Partners and HR professionals are generally very active on LinkedIn and a quick Google search will shed some light on who you will be meeting. Make a lasting impression The previous four tips are really all about one thing: putting your best foot forward. It can be easy when interviewing virtually to forget about the personal touches that can really make you stand out. Keeping that in mind, remember non-verbal communication can make up to 80 per cent of the decision to progress your application. Make sure you are authentic and leave an impression that you are willing and able to do the job. Ask good questions It is a good idea to prepare a few questions to ask at the end of the interview when invited to do so. Try and avoid “me-me” questions about what you will get. Instead show you have listened to the interviewers and try to have them imagine you are joining them. For example: What does a typical day in this role look like? What would success look like in this job six months down the line? What do you like most about working in this organisation/ team? How would you describe the culture of the team? Jason Elias is CEO of Elias Recruitment, specialist legal recruiters in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. He is a former lawyer at Baker McKenzie and has been recruiting lawyers for more than 20 years. He was recently awarded Australian Recruitment Leader of the Year.
7 Time Management Tips For Lawyers
How do you effectively manage your time? Is there a perfect method? Your job is demanding with long hours being regularly the norm, linked to demands from clients, partners and associates alike. In order to keep up with a seeming never ending demand – time management is imperative. Prioritise your time In an ever changing market like Legal, many factors can disrupt the norm and you need to be adaptable to change in their schedule. Is your list of tasks to do today realistic? Is there room if a new case takes priority? Give more attention to billable work and allocate certain hours for administrative work. Whilst both are very important, Tips for Lawyers recommends setting times or blocks of time to do both will assist with your time management and ensure you don’t fall behind or get distracted and have time if something more urgent pops up. Keep a portion of your day flexible Having a set list of tasks to get through is a great way to start the day, however what happens when other tasks (previously unseen) pop up and you are not able to finish all those tasks. If your other tasks are on timers (billable or non-billable work), there will be spots in your day and schedule in which you can slot other personal or business tasks within. Life happens and you cannot plan for all of it, you can just be prepared. Keep energy levels optimal You cannot give 100% to every person and case if you are exhausted. It’s important to be on top of how you spend your day, what you tend to prioritise, when you start to procrastinate by looking at your day plan or looking over the past week. “Resilience is not innate, but a learnt competence” How to prevent burnout in the Legal Profession. What time works best for you to be the best version of yourself? You can’t burn the candle at both ends and expect the best results. Turn off social media A lot of us use social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook… etc.) for business related purposes as well as personal. However, it can become a huge distraction in your everyday life. Do you have set tasks that you need to get through? How to stay focused on your creative tasks – and off social media suggests that putting a timer on your browser when you do decide to allocate time to social media such as twitter and facebook so you do not exceed this and engage in time wasting techniques. Try not to task switch and stick to what you have to do first. Take breaks You are not a machine. Even though you are sitting down for 8 hours with no breaks does not mean you will get more qualitative work done than someone who has 3 small breaks within those 8 hours. It is very important for our health and mindset to ensure that your head is at its peak performance. One of the best breaks would be a coffee amongst peers finds The Well Being Thesis as it allows you to relate your experience and shows a positive association afterwards. Are you engaging in time wasting activities? Set a task and stick to it. Very few people enjoy being micromanaged and therefore if you say you are going to be available at a certain time or call someone on a particular day, hold yourself accountable! Try not to procrastinate or task switch. Psychology today found that even if you spend 1/10th of a second switching tasks that amounts to a loss of up to 40% productivity, especially if you are trying to tackle a large amount of tasks simultaneously. Be open to new ideas and change Some people can be really productive when they work from home. Others cannot. Whilst staying home does make it easier to take breaks away from what may be perceived as prying eyes, what percentage of your time are you spending productive? Conversely Marylène Gagné Ph.D. from Psychology Today states that over two thirds of the employees they surveyed maintained that they had retained the same sense of productivity if not more by not having to commute to and from work. Was this helpful?
Don’t burn your bridges
So you’ve decided it’s time to move on and have secured a great new offer. Here are a few handy tips to ensure you leave your job on good terms. Stay engaged Don’t check out too early. As long as you are being paid you owe it to your firm and your clients to do your best until you walk out the door. Organise a plan to transfer your responsibilities so your partner/ manager and colleagues are not left with a mountain of unfinished work. Make sure there are no ‘time bombs’ sitting in your files that will adversely affect your colleagues down the track. Write a resignation letter Think of your resignation letter as a thank you note. It’s an opportunity to express your gratitude to your manager for working at the company and for the help they may have provided. It should also include your last day on the job. Where possible, resign in person to provide closure. Make sure you resign with adequate notice, particularly if your job is complex. If you would like some guidance, here is a template for a resignation letter from Seek. Remember the legal world is very small. Get your story straight Once you’ve met with your partner/ manager, ensure you’re both on the same page regarding the reasons for your departure. It’s vital to keep your approach positive – you want to leave the door open for future employment or at least a good job reference. Confirm with your manager how he or she would like your colleagues to be told. It may be worth suggesting that you tell colleagues individually and write a short email for your partner/manager to distribute. Return any property Make sure you don’t leave with any keys, equipment or furniture (I know you loved that office iPhone). Leave with a good conscience and make sure to pass on your contact details to colleagues. If there is an alumni organisation make sure you sign up and if there is an exit interview – try and provide positive feedback and constructive criticisms. Try and refrain from ‘going postal’ irrespective of the reasons you are leaving. Remember you are likely to bump into former colleagues at other firms, in court or they may even be your next client. It is a small industry and people have long memories. Try and move on without burning bridges. Be VERY wary of counter-offers Once you have signalled your intention to leave your potential employer, even if you accept a counter-offer to stay things will never be the same. Anecdotally, most people who accept a counteroffer still leave their employer within the next 12 months. The fundamental reasons that they were looking to change employers has not changed.
How to negotiate your legal salary
Much like interviews, successful salary negotiation happens BEFORE any conversation. Being well prepared will make you a lot more successful. 1- Know industry ranges so that you know what is realistic for any given role. Glassdoor, while not legally specific, may have some useful information of actual salaries. 2- Always remember that it is a collaboration – not a fight. 3- Speak with your recruiter about what is realistic. 4- Hold off on discussing money until they’ve made a decision to hire you. Potential employers will always be looking to lock you down to a specific range early, and you will have more leverage when they’ve decided that you are the person they are most interested in. 5- Quantify your value – know the specifics around your billable hours, charge rates, along with major new clients that you might have won, or initiatives that might have saved your firm significant amounts. 6- Scarcity and competition are your friend – make it clear that you are in demand and have some other opportunities. This helps the company bring their best offer to the table. 7- Negotiate outside of just salary – many companies might have some limitations around salary banding, but might be able to help with additional working hour flexibility, training allowances, position title, travel allowances, education allowances, additional annual leave, etc. 8- Work with your recruiter – a good recruiter as an intermediary can really help you succeed here. They’re able to have more difficult conversations tactfully on your behalf. It makes things cleaner having an independent third party but obviously they are keen to get the deal done. 9- Don’t haggle for the sake of it. I have seen too many people miss out on dream jobs for trivial amounts of a few dollars a day, particularly taking out tax and superannuation.
Deciding on which legal job to accept
Now that you have some more information about the job, the organisation and the people, you are in a strong position to reflect on whether this opportunity is a good match for you. The next step is to ask yourself some questions to see how closely the role aligns to your strengths, interests and personal values. Do the day-to-day tasks sound like something I could do and enjoy? Is there enough challenge in the daily role to keep me interested? Could I contribute something and learn new skills in this role? Does the work environment sound like it will suit my style? Does the organisation value the same things that I do? Have I enjoyed interacting with the people I met at interview? Does the team sound well-structured and cohesive? Could I learn something from my team members or manager? Asking yourself these questions is especially useful if you are trying to decide between a couple of different opportunities, as it will give you a point of comparison. And remember – as wonderful as it is to receive a job offer, this is your career and you have something valuable to offer, so ask questions and think carefully so that you can choose wisely. Often a recruitment agent can provide useful feedback on what it is like to work in each environment. Obviously some will have a vested interest if there are offers that are not from them, which is why it is good to stick with one recruiter.
Interview questions to ask your potential employer at the end of the interview
1. What does a typical day in this role look like? Ultimately you want to be able to imagine yourself doing the job, to have a clear picture of the different tasks you will do day-to-day, who you will interact with, what systems or tools you might use, what challenges are likely to come up, and what knowledge and skills you will use regularly. This will help you assess whether your interests and strengths will be well matched to this job. Examples of questions that work well here are: • Can you please give me an idea of the variety of tasks I could expect on a daily basis? • What matters would I be working on in the role? • How much of my time would be spent on autonomous tasks versus team activities? • What would success look like in this job – six months down the line? 2. What is it like to work in this organisation? As well as understanding the accountabilities and tasks of the job itself, you will want to know what the work environment is like. People often refer to this as company culture, and it can be influenced by many factors such as how the company is structured, whether it is big or small, the physical workspace, and how different divisions and people interact with each other. Companies will often talk about the positives of their culture and values on their website, and the interview is a great way to find out how this resonates in the day-to-day. Try questions like: • What do you think employees like best about working here? • How do employees find out about important information from the leadership team? • How would you describe the work environment? • How do you think the company culture differs here, in comparison to other law firms? • How does the organisation support employees with their professional development? 3. What is it like to work in this team? A big part of any job is the interactions you have with your immediate team, including your manager. Usually you will have a chance throughout the interview process to meet the partners or senior associates, and sometimes you will also meet other team members. See this as a chance to observe their style as they interact with you, and to ask one or two questions about how they like to work. Remember that each team has their challenges, so rather than looking for perfection, reflect on whether you will get something positive from working with this team, whether it be a challenge, fun, cohesion or new skills. You may like to ask questions such as: • Are you able to give me an idea of the different roles within the team and how they work together? • How regularly does the team meet and what are the meetings like? • What sort of background and skill sets already exist within the team? • How would you describe your management style with the team?
Common Questions you may be asked during legal job interviews
There are many questions you may be asked during a legal interview. Here are some common ones to help you prepare. Questions about your experience What were your accountabilities/responsibilities in your prior positions? What did you particularly enjoy/dislike about that role? Why did you leave your prior employment? During law studies, what extracurricular activities did you participate in? Do you think your University grades scores are a good indicator of your academic ability? Do you think they are an appropriate indication of your ability to do well in this job? Questions about your personality Tell me a little about yourself, particularly something that won’t be on your resume. How would certainly your friends and/or past colleagues describe you? Exactly how would you describe yourself as a person? What are your outside interests /hobbies? Why did you choose to practise law/ why did you go to law school? Questions about your strengths and weaknesses Tell me about your greatest success at any of the firm’s you have worked for? What are your strengths/weaknesses? Are you a team player or do you prefer to work alone? For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Five wауѕ to асе уоur next ZOOM/ѕkуре interview
Advаnсеѕ іn communications tесhnоlоgу have mаdе the video іntеrvіеw аn іnсrеаѕіnglу соmmоn раrt of thе hіrіng process. Tоdау’ѕ guest expert will оffеr tірѕ to bе ѕuссеѕѕful at уоur nеxt video interview.For саndіdаtеѕ аnd rесruіtеrѕ alike, video interviews саn bе incredibly bеnеfісіаl; саndіdаtеѕ are nо longer bound by geography, rесruіtеrѕ саn lоwеr thеіr hіrіng соѕtѕ аnd bоth parties gеt tо engage оnе аnоthеr іn a muсh mоrе personal experience thаn the trаdіtіоnаl phone іntеrvіеw. It’ѕ vіtаl that prospective еmрlоуееѕ trеаt vіdео jоb interviews with thе ѕаmе саrе and рrераrаtіоn thеу wоuld fоr a fасе-tо-fасе jоb іntеrvіеw. However, there are also ѕоmе unіԛuе соnѕіdеrаtіоnѕ whеn being іntеrvіеwеd оvеr a wеb оr vіdео соnfеrеnсіng tооl. Uѕе thеѕе five tірѕ to асе your next vіdео interview: 1- Knоw Yоur Aрреаrаnсе Prеѕеntіng a professional appearance іѕ Intеrvіеwіng 101, but video interviews present some unіԛuе challenges tо looking your bеѕt. Fоr ѕtаrtеrѕ, уоu ѕhоuld familiarize уоurѕеlf аhеаd оf tіmе with where exactly your webcam іѕ gоіng to bе hіttіng уоu: knоwіng whісh раrtѕ оf you wіll bе vіѕіblе wіll help уоu рlаn аn outfit thаt іѕ рrоfеѕѕіоnаl wіthоut bеіng dіѕtrасtіng. Aѕ tempting аѕ it mіght bе, rеѕіѕt thе urgе tо rock pajamas (or lеѕѕ) bеlоw the view of the wеbсаm — during a vіdео іntеrvіеw of mу own, there was a moment whеrе I hаd tо get up frоm my kіtсhеn tаblе mid-interview аnd I wаѕ ԛuіtе hарру thаt I’d gone to the trouble tо рut оn pants. 2-Knоw Yоur Surrоundіngѕ If you’re bеіng interviewed rеmоtеlу, оddѕ are уоu’rе doing thе іntеrvіеw from your house оr apartment. Bеfоrе your interview bеgіnѕ (рrеfеrаblу long bеfоrе), ѕtаkе оut thе perfect ѕроt tо ѕеt up your laptop or tablet fоr thе interview, bеіng conscious of whаt the recruiter wіll see іn the background. Depending оn the сulturе of the соmраnу уоu’rе іntеrvіеwіng fоr, уоu might uѕе thіѕ орроrtunіtу tо dеmоnѕtrаtе a little personality: a carefully рlасеd mеmеntо frоm уоur unіvеrѕіtу оr рісturе of your реt саn add a lіttlе color wіthоut bеіng distracting. Othеrwіѕе, keep things clean аnd safe — уоu should be thе star of thе show оn vіdео, not a dirty wall оr mеѕѕу араrtmеnt. 3-Know thе Video Cоnfеrеnсе Tооl Onе оf thе bіggеѕt mіѕtаkеѕ I соnѕіѕtеntlу see remote іntеrvіеwееѕ mаkе іѕ to wаіt untіl thе lаѕt mіnutе tо trу the vіdео conferencing tool fоr thе fіrѕt tіmе. Aѕ intuitive аnd simple аѕ vіrtuаl meetings have become, thеу still might be unfаmіlіаr ріесеѕ оf tесhnоlоgу to you! Sign up for a free trіаl, watch tutоrіаl videos оr do whаtеvеr уоu hаvе to dо tо familiarize yourself with thе tооl. It’ll іmрrеѕѕ your rесruіtеr аnd mаkе for аn оvеrаll ѕmооthеr еxреrіеnсе. Learn it. Know іt. Love it. 4-Know Yоur Audience Juѕt like a traditional interview, уоur hоmеwоrk begins lоng before the video interview іtѕеlf. You ѕhоuld thоrоughlу research thе соmраnу, іtѕ іnduѕtrу, іtѕ products аnd іtѕ achievements so you’re рrераrеd tо dіѕсuѕѕ thеm during уоur іntеrvіеw. Addіtіоnаllу, the іntеrnеt has mаdе it іnсrеdіblу ѕіmрlе tо fаmіlіаrіzе уоurѕеlf wіth уоur іntеrvіеwеr bеfоrе you mееt them vіrtuаllу — HR рrоfеѕѕіоnаlѕ are gеnеrаllу vеrу active оn LinkedIn and a ԛuісk Gооglе ѕеаrсh wіll ѕhеd ѕоmе light on whо you’re meeting. A video соnfеrеnсіng ѕоlutіоn lіkе iMeet® wіll even lеt уоu іnvеѕtіgаtе уоur interviewer durіng уоur meeting wіth buіlt-іn іntеgrаtіоn with Fасеbооk, Twitter, LіnkеdIn аnd mоrе. 5-Know How tо Make a Lasting Impression Thе рrеvіоuѕ fоur tірѕ аrе rеаllу аll аbоut one thіng: рuttіng уоur best fооt fоrwаrd. It саn bе easy when interviewing vіrtuаllу to fоrgеt аbоut the personal tоuсhеѕ thаt саn rеаllу make you ѕtаnd out. Keeping that іn mind, dоn’t forget thе lіttlе thіngѕ! Shоw uр early, еvеn tо a vіrtuаl interview — rесruіtеrѕ wіll rеmеmbеr whether уоu wеrе waiting for them оr they had to wаіt for уоu. Don’t оvеrlооk how powerful a ѕhоrt, рrоfеѕѕіоnаl “Thank Yоu” email can bе аftеr уоur іntеrvіеw (bоnuѕ роіntѕ іf you саn nаturаllу work іn a specific nоtе оr twо frоm the interview іtѕеlf). And rеаllу, juѕt be yourself: сlоud-bаѕеd, HD vіdео соnfеrеnсіng іѕ still technology, but tесhnоlоgу wіth a personal tоuсh that truly allows you tо ѕhоw уоurѕеlf оff.
Four easy mistakes candidates make – and how to avoid them
As recruiters, we hear, see and are sometimes surprised by some of the easily avoided yet common mistakes we see in the recruitment process. Here are some tips to help you along the recruitment process. Overdoing a cover letter There are circumstances that do require cover letters. Cover letters are not the place to rewrite your CV or attempt to write an award-winning novel. The cover letter needs to be concise and to the point (1-2 pages); address the selection criteria and make sure to double check your spelling. Most will receive less than 30 seconds attention so make sure the important information is upfront so the decision maker keeps reading. Dropping the name of well-regarded firms or partners you have worked for is a great way. Not properly explaining job changes The best way to raise red flags to a decision-maker is by having lots of moves in a short period. The inference is that you won’t stay terribly long in this role if they hire you. We understand sometimes there are reasons beyond your control why you move jobs. Sometimes it is a good idea to have reasons for leaving at the end of role eg followed partner to a new firm, firm merged with another firm, offered inhouse role with a client. If it is a fixed term contract or project then be sure to say so. The follow up protocol A phone call can be a good idea but it’s not something that should be done directly after you push the send button on your application email. Recruiters and Human Resource Managers are often busy and may have a large number of applications to process. Normally when a job is first opened they are knee deep in the search and screening process. Generally online applications reduce substantially after 5-6 days so rather than calling on day 1, we suggest leaving the follow up phone call to 7-10 days after the applications were sent or opened. Repeat applications The ‘serial applier’ is not a good look when trying to establish a foot in the door with a prospective employer. Most organisations have advanced applicant tracking software that keeps an eye on applications and even stores CVs, including previous versions and also the number of applications made. While there are many candidates with multi skills we suggest it is not a good look to have made applications for the family law, M&A and personal injury law roles with the one firm. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Research potential employers before applying for a job.
Extensively Research the Company. Your biggest advantage is information, and almost everything you need to know about a company can be found online. Here are the questions to answer about the company you’re applying for: • What does the firm/company do? • What is their culture like? • What kind of people do they typically hire? • Do I know anyone who works there? • Do I have any connections there? Use the following resources to get your answers: • The company website • LinkedIn • Google news • Youtube • Google Finance • Glassdoor.com • Twitter.com • Facebook.com • Instagram.com Be armed with as much data as possible. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]