10 clues about what the hiring interviewer is really thinking

10 clues about what the hiring interviewer is really thinking10 clues about what the hiring interviewer is really thinkingAs the candidate in a job interview, youre aware that youre being assessed for competence, confidence and candor. But what about the interviewer? Is he or she being totally upfront with you?Here are 10 clues that will tell you what the interviewer really thinks1. If the interviewer says he could go on talking with you all day, but his feet are pointed toward the door, hes really telling you that he is finished with the interviewIf someone is sitting with ankles crossed and legs stretched forward, they are probably feeling positively toward you. But when you see feet pulled away from you or wrapped in a tight ankle lock or wrapped around the legs of a chair, you would be wise to suspect withdrawal and disengagement. And if they are pointed at the exit, its a sure signal they are ready to be elsewzu siche.2. If the interviewer begins to mimic your gestures, she feel s you are a kindred spirit and youre likely to get her stamp of approvalWhen talking with someone we like or are interested in, we subconsciously synchronize our body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and rate of speech to match that of the other person mirroring that persons nonverbal behavior and signaling that we are connected and engaged.3. If the interviewer shrugs one shoulder as he tells you about the companys great work environment, its probably not that greatA partial (abridged) shoulder shrug usually indicates that a person lacks conviction about what he is saying.4. If the interviewer says shes not sure youre right for the job, but keeps glancing at your resume, shes sending a strong signal that she is interestedIn general, people tend to look longer and with mora frequency at objects they are drawn to. The interviewer may be trying to appear noncommittal, but her eyes will keep returning to the object that attracts her. If, in addition, you see her eyes open wider or her pupils dilate, you know for certain that she has a much greater interest in your resume (and you) than she is letting on.5. If you ask when youll know if you got the job, and he replies, Um, uh, er soon, youll never hear from him againFor most people, the act of lying is stressful. One of the signs of stress is the use of verbal hesitations and false starts.6. If the interviewer tilts her head as youre speaking, she wants to hear moreThe head tilt is a universal gesture of giving the other person an ear. It is a signal that someone is interested, curious and involved in what you are saying.7. If the interviewers handshake is offered palm down, he is showing that he feels superior.People who offer a sideways hand to shake send a nonverbal katechese of equality. But when someone offers his hand with the palm faced downwards (or twists his hand downward during the handshake) it sends a message of superiority a nonverbal sign that he literally feels he has the upper hand.8. If the interviewers entire body - head, shoulders, hips and feet is oriented toward you, she is totally engrossed and focused on youWhen people are engaged, they will face you directly, pointing at you with their whole body. However, the instant they feel uncomfortable, they will pull back or angle their upper body away giving you the cold shoulder.9. If the interviewer suddenly sits up straighter and takes a deep breath, he is excited about the possibility of hiring youOne way that people show their emotions is by shifts in the chest. The heart, brain, and nervous system are so closely interlocked that you can often tell whether someone is happy or depressed by simply observing how he breathes. When people are excited and happy, they fill up with those good feelings. Look for a sudden upper body shift - usually upward and forward - and a big inhalation.10. If the interviewer uses expansive, welcoming gestures that seem to flow naturally, she is already embracing you as a likely c andidate.When someone reaches toward you or uses a lot of open-hand gestures, it is usually a positive signal of engagement and receptivity. By contrast, people who are defensive or angry may protectively fold their arms across their chests, clench their fists or tightly grip their arm or wrist.By the way If the interviewer stops in the middle of your conversation to practice golf swings (yes, its happened), there is absolutely no chance that you will ever be offered a lage with that companyCarol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. is an international keynote speaker, leadership presence coach, and author ofThe Silent Language of Leaders How Body Language Can Help or Hurt How You Lead.

13 Tips to Make the Most of Your Summer BigLaw Internship

13 Tips to Make the fruchtwein of Your Summer BigLaw Internship13 Tips to Make the Most of Your Summer BigLaw InternshipWhat can I do to make sure I get a job offer at the end of the summer?As the co-head of hiring for Decherts New York office and in my past roles on the hiring committees of two other zwischenstaatlich firms, I have been asked this question by law school students a lot. And while I always give the best answer that I can, the question I think incoming summer associates should really be asking (and which I have yet to hear) is how they can make the fruchtwein of their summer BigLaw internships. Naturally, the number one objective for any summer associate is to get that offer, but the most successful ones realize that these positions afford them much more a unique opportunity to notlage only prove themselves worthy of a job offer but to learn more about their chosen firm, their chosen career and the possible practice areas available to them. This is a once-in-a-lifetime mglichkeit to observe the inner workings of a law firm and its various practice groups, which should not be missed. Below are some tips for summer associates to keep in mind as they get ready to start their BigLaw internships.First and foremost, remember that this is an 8-12 week job interview.As noted above, your main goal as a summer associate is to ensure that you obtain a job offer at the end of the summer program. The best way I have found to do this is to remember that a law firm summer internship is really a very, very long interview and to conduct yourself with this in mind. Therefore, as you would in a job interviewDress appropriately every day. When in doubt, better to overdress or go for the more conservative choice.Build in extra time so you are never late. This means late for anything, including any meeting, training, or firm social event.Proofread and double check any written materials (including emails) you are handing in or sending, as you would your resume.Be polit e, friendly, and professional to everyone, including support staff, but remember the professional part most of all, as you are business associates and not friends (yet).Show enthusiasm and interest. Remember, the person you are speaking to does this for a living and most likely feels passion for the subject. Try to learn what you can about it and develop an interest. If you cant muster up any real enthusiasm, be polite and fake itPrepare and ask intelligent questions. Before meeting with an attorney to receive an assignment, look the person up on the internal website and, if comfortable, ask junior associates or your mentor about the attorneys work area and personality. When you receive an assignment, make sure you understand what the attorney is looking for and his or her timing expectations. If you dont understand or arent sure, ask questions to clarify.Remember this is your main chance to observe and learn from actual practicing attorneys before embarking upon and making decision s about your career. While summer internship programs give law firms the opportunity to get to know law students and understand their personalities, work ethics, intelligence, and capabilities, summer internship programs also give law students the opportunity to get to know the law firm, its culture, its people, and its various practice areas. This is the best chance a law student has to observe lawyers at work on a day-to-day basis and gain an understanding of what the practice of law is like and the difference between various practice groups and sub-specialties.In order to take full advantage of this opportunityAttend all trainings and practice group presentations. Law school teaches you a great deal, but this is your chance to learn about what practicing attorneys really do. Pay attention and you may be surprised by what you learn and what types of law end up interesting you.Attend all social events you can. Remember that work does come first and that you are on an extended inter view (so professionalism and decorum should be maintained even in social settings and social events should be skipped if necessary to meet work deadlines), but try to attend as many of the summer social events as you can. When at the events, dont just stay with the other summer associates. Make the effort to get to know as many attorneys as you can. The more people at the firm you get to know, the better sense you will get of the firm and its culture. This is also a great informal opportunity to ask for more information about the practice groups you may be interested in.If possible, try assignments for numerous practice groups in the first half of the summer. You may think you know what type of law you want to practice, but keep an open mind. You would be surprised by how many associates enter a summer program convinced they will never want anything but litigation and end up choosing transactional work or vice versa.In the second half of the program, once you have had a chance to na rrow your possible interests, try to focus more intently on one or two groups you are most interested in and do a bit of a deeper dive. It will not only give you a stronger idea of what those groups are like, it will send a signal to the attorneys in the groups that you are truly interested in what they do and joining them.Observe the lifestyles, strengths, and personalities of the junior and mid-level associates in the practice groups you are interested in and, if possible, those of their clients. Keep in mind your lifestyle, strengths, and personality and be honest with yourself. Is the group mostly comprised of type-A, outgoing people who travel often and work late? Is it mostly comprised of low key, intellectual people with clients who expect them to be in early? Do you love to travel? Are you a morning person? Can you see yourself five years from now living the life of these associates and being happy? If you are like most law school students and lawyers I have met, you are int ellectually curious and can find interest in numerous types of law. Paying attention to the lifestyle and personality of associates in a practice group and targeting a group you can see yourself naturally fitting into will make your chance of long term success higher.By staying professional throughout the summer and focusing on learning as much as you can about your firm and the opportunities available there, you will greatly improve your chances not only of getting a job offer before fall classes begin, but of securing a position that you will find rewarding for years to come. Heres to making the most of the summerLaura Swihartis a partner in Decherts Finance and Real Estate practice and co-head of the firms Hiring Committee in New York.This is a sponsored blog post fromDechert LLP. You can view Decherts Vault profilehere.Follow Vault Law on TwitterVaultLawand follow Vault on InstagramVaultCareersandFacebookRead MoreQA with Dechert Products Liabilty Partner Amy RuddLaw Students Get the Most Out of Your Summer InternshipHow to Succeed as a Summer Associate- What You Need to Know

3 creative ways to overcome corporate burnout

3 creative ways to overcome corporate burnout3 creative ways to overcome corporate burnoutThe same routine plays out every day at work and at home. Yur weekends are packed, giving you no breathing room to reset from a stressful week. You constantly hit a wall and have to fight to keep up at work.Translation youre feeling burned out.Being aware that your job is taking a toll on you is the first step to healing from it.What happens when we work too hard for too longData shows that the exhaustion we feel is not all in our heads.A 2017 study by Kronos Incorporated and Future Workplace revealed that 46% of HR executives think employee burnout is behind 20% to 50% of workers yearly turnover at their companies.Company leaders seem to be taking notice an international Deloitte survey found that more than a third of leaders placed overwhelmed workers among their highest five priorities, yet fewer than one in 10 thought they were managing it properly.For some employees, the typical 40-hour wo rk week is a thing of mystery 2014 Gallup poll found that Americans with full-time jobs clock in 47 hours weekly on average.But we have some answers about why our grueling schedules are making us feel so worn out.Mayo Clinic provides insight on what causes job burnout. These include lack of control, dysfunctional workplace dynamics, work-life imbalance, a mismatch in values, and lack of social support.Break things up by trying some of these practices - whether youre an employee or a manager.1. Go on a silent retreatSally Blount,Dean at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern Universitywrites about what she gains from silent retreats on LinkedIn.She writes that she has gone at least once annually for the last 10 years. Sometimes she spends two to three days in silence, but she says that she prefers ones lasting one to two weeks.Letting go of connection becomes less difficult the more you do it and learn whats coming next, she writes. Its when you begin to hear new sounds and se e new details in the animals, plants, sky and surrounding landscape, details you often miss in the rush of daily life. Even more importantly, you departure to feel and think in new ways.Blount refers to this practices religious history, writing, I started going on silent retreats as part of a spiritual practice inspired by the Jesuits, but later adds that the retreats are no longer just spiritual for me. They also nourish my work life in important ways.2. Encouragecreativity outside of workThis could help employees take the edge off.A 2015 Fast Company articleon burnout mentions encouraging side hustles, orsideline projects centered around what they enjoy or are good at.Not only do side projects improve individual creativity and satisfaction, they can also benefit the company,Matt Straz writes.He adds that Dropbox does this by featuring hack week, where workers can tackle projects on any topic, whether they are or arent connected to work, and that theres the chance of them getting p ut in motion.3. Work from home if and when possibleEveryone doesnt have this option, but it could help combat exhaustion.Ashton Adair, director of culture and first impressions at Mojo Media Labs, told SHRM that the organization offers an employee perk Work-from-Home Wednesdays.Working remotely isnt a new engagement strategy, but making it a constant for every worker from the CEO to the front line offers hump day as a day of productivity and solidarity that allows everyone to take a break from the office bustle, he said.Getting out of the office in the middle of the work week could help you feel more in touch with things that matter to you outside your nine-to-five job.Dont let corporate burnout take total control of your life. Recognize your habits and move forward in a healthy way, little by little.