Reinventing The Law Business: You Lost Your Job In A Law Firm – What Do You Do Now? (Part 3)
Managing partner Bruce Stachenfeld concludes his series of columns about how to bounce back from being laid off.
Bruce Stachenfeld
This three-part series of articles gave step-by-step advice on exactly what to do when you lose your job in a law firm. This is the third article. In the first article, I gave advice on self-analysis necessary before moving onto the actual steps to take. In my second article, I went over those steps. In this final article, I go over the interview process. If you have not read my prior two articles before reading this one, I urge you to do so.
Here is what to do in order to become great at interviewing. By the way, if you think “I am terrible at interviews,” that is just silly. Almost anyone can become great at the interview process with some practice. Here is what to do…
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Reach back for the analysis (from the first article in this series) about what you are good at, and start working on how to convey that without sounding awkward or like you are bragging. There is a forthright manner of conveying your positive attributes, and you have to get smooth at it. It is not “bragging,” but it is not humble either. Consider something like:
“Toby – I really appreciate your taking the time to interview me. Since this is an interview, I guess I am supposed to let you know what is good and special about me, so I will do just that. Sorry to be un-humble but I am really awesome at drafting. I just know how to do it. Almost every time I draft something the partner is impressed with my work and very complimentary. And the more complicated the better. One example was…”
The way to get smooth at interviewing is simple: practice, practice, practice. And don’t just go over what you “would say.” Instead, look in the mirror and say it out loud like you are talking to someone. You might be amazed – astonished, actually – at how awful you are at first. But with a little practice, you will likely be amazed – and again, astonished – at how smooth you get.
Practice with people – like your husband, your wife, your friends, whoever will help you. After a while you, will have a “rap” and be very smooth at putting it “out there.”
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When you practice, have people ask you the worst question – the one you wish they wouldn’t ask. Maybe the question that you fear is really ugly and direct: “So I hear you got fired – what happened….?” Whatever that awful question is, you want to practice the answer so much that you can say in response, and truly feel, “Toby – I am really glad you asked me that question, because…….” Your feeling of confidence, and indeed eagerness, is because you have practiced it and you have a great, strong, and powerful answer.
If there is an elephant in the room about the tough question, then seize the moment and ask it and answer it. For example, if you had a job at the top firm in your area and are leaving after six months, there is certainly a question as to why. Don’t let it hang there. Answer it flat out and get ahead of the story, whatever it might be.
As far as practicing goes, make it as real as possible. Walk into the room and give your handshake to whoever is giving you the practice interview, introduce yourself, make small talk, and do all that “stuff” that people do at the beginning of interviews. Get comfortable in the role. And ask your helper for real honest feedback. None of that “well that was great bulls**t”. Instead, ask your helper to tell you flat out what you could have done better, why wasn’t it the greatest interview he ever had. Look – hard – for criticisms. You want to get so that your performance is off the charts. No time for glad-handing here.
As noted in my first article, you will want to have a “story” that your employer will support if your employer is called for a reference. This will prevent awkwardness in the tough questions if they are asked. And, as also noted in my first article, it is much better if you are in a position of being employed and looking for a new better job for a good reason than the converse.
Here are some don’ts:
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Don’t bad mouth your current/prior employer – it is bad form and calls into question your judgment. Even if you were fired in a terrible, degrading manner, just be a class act and say that you respect their position even if you don’t agree, or something like that.
Don’t talk about money – that is for after you get an offer.
Don’t talk about your desire for a lifestyle – that is also for after you get an offer.
Also, for the interview itself:
Buy an interview suit/dress, or dust off your best suit/dress. Kid yourself not – you want to look super-duper sharp for your interviews.
When you go for the interview, shine your shoes and have a well-groomed haircut. For men, make sure your tie is affixed and knotted well (of course, you are not casual in any way), and for women, the analog of the foregoing.
I reluctantly admit beards and facial hair are now in-style; however, unless you look amazing with facial hair, this is probably high time for a shave. You can always grow it back after you get the job.
And don’t forget a breath mint before you go into an interview.
If you have a clammy handshake, rub your hands together and use a tissue or do whatever it takes to be un-clammy.
Keep in mind that interviewing is an art. You want to practice it. Ultimately, you have a message to convey and you have to get good at conveying it, and you are not there to passively answer questions. If the interview is going sideways, it is perfectly okay to say something like the following:
“Well, I guess we are at an interview, and the key question is ‘why should you hire me?’ So here is the reason……”
Finally, be mindful of the fact that this is a process, and it often doesn’t go smoothly or as planned. If you keep a good attitude, don’t get discouraged when things don’t go your way, and follow the steps in my three articles, the odds are that your next gig will be better than your last.
Earlier: Reinventing The Law Business: You Lost Your Job In A Law Firm – What Do You Do Now? (Part 1)
Reinventing The Law Business: You Lost Your Job In A Law Firm – What Do You Do Now? (Part 2)
Bruce Stachenfeld is the managing partner of Duval & Stachenfeld LLP, which is an approximately 70-lawyer law firm based in midtown Manhattan. The firm is known as “The Pure Play in Real Estate Law” because all of its practice areas are focused around real estate. With 50 full-time real estate lawyers, the firm is one of the largest real estate law practices in New York City. You can contact Bruce by email at [email protected].
