The 5 most-clicked links in SmartBrief on Workforce this past week:
- Pink-slip personalities
- How to find a new job faster
- What’s this year’s best job? Go figure …
- Reviewing sick leave policies
- The word(s) on job hunting
Image credit, iStock (read more…)
I asked Kate Neville, a career consultant who serves attorneys considering a professional transition, to share her advice on hiring a lawyer for a nonlegal job. She shared her advice in today’s and Tuesday’s posts.
What are the common problems that tend to crop up among former lawyers in new fields?
- Being stereotyped as confrontational and stiff.
- Frustration with being referred to as a “recovering lawyer.”
- Lack of management training.
- Need for business development/fundraising skills.
- Expectation of shorter hours and more work-life balance (this may not be accurate in new field or position.)
- Lack of a professional community with shared experience.
- Lawyer jokes.
You’re hiring a manager. You don’t need a lawyer to do the job you’re hiring for, but one has applied. What should you ask in the interview?
- Why are you interested in this position?
- What don’t you like about the practice of law?
- What are you looking for in a change of professional direction?
Nearly 115 SmartBrief on Workforce readers weighed in on last week’s SmartPulse question: What tools are you using to improve workplace morale?
- Involving employees – 29%
- Increased disclosure – 19%
- Recognition programs – 19%
- None – 18%
- Alternatives to layoffs – 12%
- Other – 3%
There’s no doubt that stress is taking its toll in today’s workplaces. Good managers are looking for ways to keep their people engaged and productive, despite all the glum news. Fortunately, as you’ve discovered, the best methods are also the cheapest: open communication and simple recognition. Games and goofy team-building exercises rarely help in the long run. But if you involve your employees in the hard decisions, they may come up with just the solution that helps you avoid painful layoffs.
If you’re looking for ideas for improving morale, check out this report by Tammy Smith, courtesy of Career Fitness Coach blogger Malcolm Munro. (read more…)
I asked Kate Neville, a career consultant who serves attorneys who are considering a professional transition, to share her advice on hiring a lawyer for a nonlegal job. She shares her advice in today’s post and a followup on Thursday. Learn more about her at NevilleCareerConsulting.com.
What are the common advantages and disadvantages to hiring lawyers for non-legal jobs?
People go to law school for all kinds of reasons. Some are attracted to roles portrayed on shows such as Ally McBeal or LA Law, which of course do not show the hours required researching the law, reviewing materials, and drafting documents. Others go because they are good at school and aren’t sure what else to do, often based on the premise that a law degree will “keep their options open.” It is difficult to know what practicing law is like until doing it as a member of the workforce, and while in school few law students take the initiative to research the range of career paths attorneys ultimately pursue, particularly as their financial debt mounts. (read more…)
Today’s guest post is written by a well-qualified, slightly perplexed 20-something job seeker. He has asked to remain anonymous.
A buyers’ market for workers right now means you can be choosy, but it can also make finding the perfect candidate that much harder. Careless errors brought on by interview fatigue can keep you from landing the best and the brightest. Don’t let these mistakes prevent you from finding your dream applicant.
Don’t become disorganized.
Last week I called “Lisa” to ask if she’d made a decision yet. She told me she’s getting more resumes now than at any more point in the last 25 years and so she was having a hard time winnowing the field. She put me on hold for five minutes to search for my file, only to come back and tell me I hadn’t made it into the top applicant pool. Five hours later she e-mailed me to apologize. (read more…)
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