There's always tough competition for a good job. And sometimes, to beat out the competition, people do more than brush up their resumes. Some fabricate the facts to get in a better position for winning a job. But there's a way to sort out the facts from the fiction, says Michelle Taylor, PhD, of Taylor Consulting in Huntington Beach, CA, a company that provides psychological … [Read more...] about Just how truthful is that applicant’s resume? Here’s how to find out
Your career
To-Dos: Your August office checklist
The middle of summer is a great time for tackling projects that you can't get to during the rest of the year. Here are a few suggestions: Ensure that data security is covered in your employee handbook, employee training, and BYOD policy. Include computer files as part of your summer office clean-up. Start planning for the last quarter of the year in terms of collections … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your August office checklist
Should I stay or should I go? 3 signs you should keep your job and 3 signs you shouldn’t
By Holly Caplan bio Growing up I was taught by my parents to get a job and keep a job. Period. It was ingrained in me that once I graduated college, I needed to land at a good company and stay there. The big reward would be retirement at 40 years with a fancy company pen and pension. This was my mindset for years. It's what was expected of me, and it is what I … [Read more...] about Should I stay or should I go? 3 signs you should keep your job and 3 signs you shouldn’t
How to be a better proofreader
When hours of work are spent crafting a compelling legal brief, contract, or report, it can be very disheartening, not to mention embarrassing, to have all credibility instantly erased with one misspelled word. Of course, typos happen. Human beings make mistakes. And we can't rely on technology to save us either, unfortunately. For example, spell check would not have … [Read more...] about How to be a better proofreader
9 critical rules for managing former peers when you get promoted
Just promoted to administrator from within the ranks? Congratulations . . . and beware. It's not easy to manage former peers. Friendships have to change, and so do whatever hard feelings the new administrator had with other staffers. And relationships aside, about two thirds of the staff now reporting to the new administrator think they should have been given the job. Here … [Read more...] about 9 critical rules for managing former peers when you get promoted
How to increase—and demonstrate—your value to the firm
Don't become an economic casualty. When revenues drop, firms put their administrators under close scrutiny. They want a good payoff for the salary investment. Sometimes the partners question whether the administrator is doing enough. And sometimes they question whether they need an administrator at all, says executive coach Lissa Weimelt, a principal with the executive search … [Read more...] about How to increase—and demonstrate—your value to the firm
12 signs you are about to lose your job
Call it denial. Call it turning a blind eye to what’s going on. But even the most business-savvy administrator can fail to see when the job is in jeopardy. People think it will happen to everyone else but not to themselves. Administrators might be observing negative goings-on in their offices without cluing in that their jobs are on the line. The only way to stay safe is to … [Read more...] about 12 signs you are about to lose your job
17 quick tips for law firm leaders
By Robert Denney bio Here are some quick pointers to keep in mind, whether you've been a firm leader for decades or are new to the position. Have a vision. If you don't know where you're going, you'll never get there. Develop a strategic plan and follow it. Hell is paved with good intentions and business plans that were never implemented. … [Read more...] about 17 quick tips for law firm leaders
The surprising answer to what your staff really wants
Flexible work arrangements are often at or near the top of survey lists. And yes, money matters. But, perhaps surprising, career development also gets top rankings. Employees want to acquire knowledge and learn new skills in order to do their jobs and advance their careers. What's more, development opportunities play an important role in keeping staff members – and … [Read more...] about The surprising answer to what your staff really wants
What you can do to help resolve partner conflict
It's no secret that fighting among partners is a major cause of firm breakups. Not so well known, however, is how to resolve the conflict. When two individual partners or even two groups of partners are at odds with one another, the firm needs a middle person. That person can be the managing partner or a professional mediator. The middle person can broach the issue and bring … [Read more...] about What you can do to help resolve partner conflict