A Reminder about the Challenges of Working from Home – Asia Edition
Despite the fact that most of the world is returning to “normal,” here in Asia we are still working through Covid and the most recent Omicron wave. Major cities within Mainland China are being locked down and Hong Kong continues to struggle to get control of the recent outbreak. While there is light at the end of the tunnel, many lawyers throughout Asia are still working from home as the pandemic continues to disrupt everyday life. The frustration and stress that we are all experiencing after two years of Covid, combined with working from home, can create a myriad of challenges. There may still be numerous distractions at home which may impact your organization, productivity and mental health. Even though we have all thought about the tips below, I wanted to send a reminder about things you can be doing and to remind you that taking care of yourself is of paramount importance.
1. Routine
Maintaining a routine is imperative. Maintain regular working hours and a similar routine as to when you were heading into the office. Start and finish the day as you normally would. Maintain what has worked so effectively from the office previously and try to keep some separation between “work” hours and “home” time. With the demands of the law, it is too easy to blur this line and have work become all-consuming.
2. Create a dedicated working environment
Everyone’s home is different and flats in Asia tend to be smaller, however, it is imperative to establish an area of your home as your workspace. Set it up as comfortably as possible and operate as if you were in the office. This will assist with focus and keep you locked in to work. It will also signal to others in your home that you are working – do not disturb!
3. Minimize distractions
It is easy to become distracted while working from home, even more so if others are working or studying in the home. It is important to establish rules around minimizing distractions. (Easier said than done if you have smaller children!) This may include resisting discussions during work time, but perhaps setting aside time to enjoy lunch with your family.
4. Take breaks
It can be easier to take breaks in the office than when working from home as you can casually chat with colleagues, grab a coffee, and move around the office when you are work. At home there may be less distractions if you live alone so it is important to monitor your activity levels and move around from time to time. Use your smart watch to remind you to move and don’t forget to stretch. Most importantly, if you are feeling isolated and overwhelmed, reach out to family or a friend for help.
5. Reclaim your extra time
You are no longer taking time to get to and from work each day so use the extra time to your advantage. Consider using this time for exercise, social media or time with the family. You may be dealing with greater email as colleagues can’t just simply drop by your desk so build in time on your calendar to focus specifically on answering emails. Regardless, do your best to set boundaries and try to take a walk or exercise when possible. Don’t let work take over your life just because you are home!
6. Catch up time
Working remotely has eliminated the time we get to spend with our colleagues. Do you miss the buzz of the office and being able to grab a cup of coffee with your peers? Consider regular catch ups with your colleagues on Zooms in order to check-in to see how they are doing. I know we are all tired of Zoom meetings but again, it is critical to stay in touch as we manage the stress of the current situation. Seeing friends and connecting with others will help lift your spirits. We are all in this together, so make an effort to connect with family and friends and to see how they are coping!
Balancing work and taking care of your mental health is more important than ever as we have been fighting this fight for over two years and it is exhausting. If you are struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out as I’m always happy to talk!
Presentation at Georgetown Law – Preparing Your Personal Narrative
Dear Friends, it was lovely to present at Georgetown Law last night on the topic of “Preparing Your Personal Narrative” as this is such a critical piece of getting a new job. For those of you who missed the presentation, I wanted to provide a few highlights for your review and consideration. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any follow-up questions. For those students who signed up for individual meetings with me, I’m looking forward to connecting with you.
1. Introduction
As you begin to prepare for your interviews, think about your life and what makes you special or unique so that you will stand out from the crowd. Remember, the interviewer already knows where you have gone to school, what your grades are and what jobs you have had in the past. The interview is the time to bring your CV to life through a conversation that highlights the best of who you are. An interview is your moment to shine and we cannot simply rely on your academic performance or prior work experience to get a job. Law firms want to hire smart, hardworking, talented, interesting individuals who are able to collaborate with others and manage the stress and pressure of law firm life. So how do we go about revealing that you possess these qualities?
2. Developing Your Personal Narrative
My approach to interviewing is to focus on your individual life story and to create a narrative that will highlight the qualities that will make you an excellent lawyer. For example, what are the life experiences that you have had that have challenged you, motivated you, and pushed you to go to law school? Why did you want to study law and what is your passion? As we identify your individual story, we want to build in examples that highlight: (1) the unique qualities you possess; (2) the adversity you have faced and how you overcame it; and (3) the individuals who may have had a strong impact on your life and why. Our goal is to reveal who you are as a person in a thirty minute meeting so that the interviewer understands what drives and motivates you and why you will be an asset to the firm. We can’t simply tell an interviewer that you are the hardest working person who will overcome any challenge so the way we do this is through story telling. Our goal is to be the most interesting thirty minutes of the interviewer’s day!
3. The “Dishwasher” Story
When I was a law student interviewing for jobs, one of the stories I would share was about my time working as a dishwasher in graduate school and how the decision to wash the dishes changed my life. The basic elements of my story were that one night I came to the dining hall to start work and noticed that my regular dishwashing partner, a resident of New Haven who was employed by Yale, didn’t make it to work. It turns out that he had been arrested for selling drugs on behalf of his brother who was a drug dealer in New Haven. In fact, my friend wasn’t even paid to sell drugs for his brother but rather was given a new pair of sneakers for his efforts. What made the story even more complicated was that my dishwashing partner was challenged and couldn’t read or write and would certainly have difficulty navigating the judicial system. Because of these unique circumstances, I decided to start taking him to court and working with his public defender to make sure that he received excellent service. Because of my decision to work as a dishwasher, my life was changed and I learned about the importance of the law and how I could positively impact the lives of those around me. It was at that point that I realised I wanted to study the law and started the application process. So why did I tell this story during interviews? I wanted potential employers to know that I was willing to roll up my sleeves and that I would do any job including washing the dishes in the dining hall. I wanted the interviewer to think that if I could handle cleaning food off of people’s plates, I could certainly handle any task as a junior lawyer in their firm. Also, I wanted the interviewer to understand what kind of person I am and that I would go above and beyond to help those around me. Through the telling of the “Dishwasher” story, I was able to highlight what made me unique as a candidate and what personal qualities I would bring to the firm.
4. Conclusion
As you prepare for interviews, think about your own life experiences and stories and see how you can make them applicable to an interview. Again, this is your moment to present what makes you special and unique and what you would bring to the firm, its clients and your colleagues. Through the art of storytelling, you goal should be to make a connection with the interviewer so that they understand who you are and the value you will add to their business. Good luck with your job search!
What Should You Expect from Your Legal Recruiter
Changing jobs isn’t easy—you deserve a legal recruiter who will give you honest, thoughtful advice about a new position that can meaningfully benefit your life and your career. Here are ten questions that you should ask to evaluate whether your recruiter has your long-term best interests at heart:
- Do they truly understand the legal industry, or are they simply in the “sales” business?
- Do they conduct their business with honesty and integrity? (For example, have they distributed your CV to firms without your advance approval?)
- Do they send you written confirmation after they have submitted your CV to a law firm? (Pro tip: you should keep your own record of this!)
- Do they take the time to meet you for a coffee or schedule a Zoom call to better understand your career objectives?
- Do they give you substantive feedback on how to edit your CV, or simply send it out as quickly as possible?
- Do they run through mock interviews with you to make sure you are prepared to talk to law firms?
- Do they debrief with you after each interview to identify your strengths and weaknesses?
- Do they manage the interview process on your behalf and advocate for you with law firms?
- Do they give you honest feedback if a particular job is the wrong fit, or are they more interested in earning a commission? (Recruiters only get paid if you change jobs!)
- Do they stay in touch after you start your new job, to help you manage new challenges, or do they disappear?
If your current recruiter doesn’t pass the test, we should have a conversation!
Interview Preparation for University and Law Students in the US, UK and Asia
Are you getting ready to graduate from university or law school in the next few months? Are you a 2L who did not secure a summer associate position or trainee contract? Are your interviewing skills up to par? No matter how well you have done in school, it is critical to your success that you are prepared to engage the business world as a young professional.
I have spent the past twenty years coaching students, reviewing CVs and interviewing candidates for a range of jobs and I would love to help you. If you would like to learn more about my coaching program for students please feel free to contact me.
What Are Your Goals for 2022?
Early in 2022 is the perfect time to analyze your own performance as well as to think about what you would like to accomplish over the course of the year. Most importantly, this is the time to think about important questions. Start with simple ones:
- Am I happy with my job?
- Am I being challenged?
- Will my current role help me develop the necessary skills to get to the next level in my career?
As part of this process, it’s critical to take advantage of the feedback you received in your 2021 end of year review in order to determine what kind of future you may have at the company. I am constantly encouraging my clients, particularly those working in a lockstep environment, to think about their careers each year, as opposed to waiting until they are more senior. You don’t want to be asking yourself “big picture” life questions as a senior member of your team, as it becomes much more difficult to make changes at that point.
Hopefully, the topics below will give you food for thought in 2022.
Are You Happy?
Over the past twenty years, I have worked with countless numbers of attorneys and so many of them never ask the question, “Am I happy.” They have great careers and earn a wonderful living, but they don’t think about whether they are truly enjoying the experience of practicing law. As it is still early in the year, you should be asking yourself questions like: Are you looking forward to work when you get out of bed in the morning? Are you being challenged by your career? Do you like how you spend your days?
We spend so much time in the office away from friends and loved ones that it is critical to feel these hours aren’t just a means to an end but a valuable part of our life experience. Thinking about these questions will help you determine the next steps towards finding a fulfilling and satisfying career, which will lead to a happier life.
How Are You Viewed By Your Employer?
It is so important to understand how you are viewed by your employer as this information is critical to analyzing what kind of future you may have at the company. Regardless of your level of seniority, it’s important to know if you are not only meeting expectations but exceeding them, and if your employer views you as someone with long-term potential. Employers are often hesitant to give candid feedback, particularly to junior members of the team, but you should ask questions during your review to get as much data as possible. Despite the anxiety surrounding the review process, being proactive with your review (and career) is critical to understanding your future.
I encourage all of my clients to actively manage their careers at all stages in order to maintain control of their destiny, as opposed to being a passive participant in their own future.
Are you Acting Outside of Your Comfort Zone?
Now that the year is over, it’s a great time to review your accomplishments in 2021 and analyze your own personal growth. One key factor to think about is whether you are acting outside of your comfort zone? And if so, what was the result? I have always found that professional growth occurs when you are acting just beyond what you think you are capable of. Being challenged in this manner by more senior members of your team is critical. As one of my mentors once said to me, “Stephen, I will never put you in a situation that I don’t think you can handle.” Therefore, you must ask yourself, do you have seniors who are invested in your professional development? Do these seniors think about your capabilities and challenge you to push your limits?
Remember, this is your career and if you aren’t receiving the support and guidance that you deserve, it’s time to make a change. Everyone needs a boss or mentor to challenge them to go beyond their comfort zone as that is where true professional and personal growth occurs.
What Have You Done to Build Your Personal Brand?
No matter what type of job you have, you must be known as a specialist in something. It’s not enough to simply do your day-to-day job without developing an area of expertise in a topic that you are passionate about. Once you find that passion, make sure people in your industry know that you are an expert. If you want your career to go to the next level in 2022, sitting at your desk and marking up corporate documents or drafting the best brief won’t be enough, even if you are the most brilliant lawyer of all time. You must write articles, speak at conferences, and continue to develop your area of expertise in order to build your own personal brand. As your reputation grows, you will find that your business will grow, which is the only way to be in a position to control your destiny.
Don’t be comfortable in 2022, but rather do whatever it takes to invest in your own career and develop your own personal brand. No matter what level of seniority you are at, actively manage your career and good things will happen.
What Do You Want To Accomplish in 2022?
As we are at the beginning of a new year, it’s time to build your own personal business plan for 2022. It doesn’t matter if you are a first-year lawyer, a mid-level associate, a senior associate, or even a new partner. You must think about and write down what you want to accomplish in the New Year. Having an actual plan is critical to making sure you are meeting your own personal goals, and it’s never too early in your career to do this.
You must change your mindset from someone that has things happen to them to someone who makes things happen for them. This is your career and you must actively manage it in order to meet your own personal and professional goals. I encourage all of my clients to take pen to paper and think through what they want to achieve in the New Year. It’s simply too competitive in the business world to watch from the sidelines. Take hold of your career in 2022 and you’ll find great things will happen.