The blog for all things Apochromatik.
Farther, Faster…
Making the summer associate experience a win-win
The summer experience has big stakes for both the law firm and the summer associate.
Most firms hire summer associates as a talent pipeline for their full-time associate ranks. The summer is an important evaluation period and recruiting period. The firm wants summers to be excited about full-time employment. This process, done annually, fosters a firm’s growth and evolution.
The summer program is equally important to the summer associate. The summer wants a full-time job; it’s harder to find a permanent spot as a rising 3L without an offer in hand. The summer also wants to create a positive reputation at the firm, because that reputation lays the foundation for long-term success at the firm.
11 Rules for Supervising Remote Employees
Last week we shared 11 Rules You Need to Know for Working Remotely [add link], whether occasionally or full-time. As we noted, 70% of workers around the world are remote at least one day per week, and more than 50% work remotely at least half of the time. That means that more and more managers now supervise people working remotely. Whether you supervise employees who work remotely once in a while or people who are hired specifically to work remotely every day, the task requires different considerations – and often being more intentional – than supervising people you see every day. As I shared last week, I’ve worked remotely full-time for about four years in various environments, remotely 10-30% of the time for about eight years, and have been location-independent for the last year. Having been supervised by staff both in a physical office and who were also remote, and having supervised employees who were always or partially remote, I’ve seen it all in terms of what to do . . . and what not to do. Here are 11 rules to make managing remote employees better for everyone.
11 Rules You Need to Know for Working Remotely
With summer approaching, the ability to work remotely can loom as the Holy Grail of benefits, making possible shorter days (minus the commute), focused attention on long-delayed projects, longer vacations thanks to the ability to work while the family relaxes, and lower childcare costs. As we work with our career transition clients, the ability to work remotely – whether occasionally or regularly – is one of the items must often on their wish lists, whether as a proxy for a flexible workplace, or as a critical component to make their lives work. This isn’t a unique desire; 70% of workers around the world are remote at least one day per week, and more than 50% work remotely at least half of the time.
How to Travel for Work Without Derailing Your Life
“Business travel.” Two words that can spur thoughts of luxurious hotels, interesting cities, and free meals. Or, for those who do a lot of business travel, those words can prompt thoughts of suspicious stains in hotel rooms with thin walls next to the ice machine, repetitive conference rooms, and surviving on Southwest pretzels and granola bars eaten while jogging through airports.
Taming the Procrastination Monster
As a kid, did you ever hear a creaking floorboard in the night, and become convinced that there was a fully grown boogieman waiting to pounce out of your closet?
Procrastinated tasks can become the adult equivalent of monsters in the closet. You don’t want to admit it, but you see the signs every time you look at your to do list, whether it’s in an app, a spreadsheet, a paper planner, or on a post-it. Maybe it’s scheduling your annual physical, sending a thank you email, texting your niece, or finding a contractor to finally fix the bathtub. Or maybe it’s writing an article for a professional publication, filing an amended tax return, getting your job application materials together, reviewing resumes for a position you’re supposed to be filling, or finally cleaning up your office.
Make 2019 Different (and by Different I mean Great)
Everything old is new again. What popular 1930’s trend is back in vogue today?
I’ll give you a hint. Historically successful leaders like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Walt Disney, and Thomas Edison (all old, white guy business leaders) and even author and creative J.R.R. Tolkien, were famous for participating. The result of their participation was exponential growth in their businesses and pursuits and the “diversity” of thought they obtained from participation helped them accomplish far more than they ever could have alone.
Apochromatik's Holiday Guide: Make this your best holiday season yet
The holidays are upon us! With the combination of work parties, family activities, and an expanded to do list, it can be easy to consider December another challenge to get through. Instead, we’ve rounded up some of our resources on the holidays, both articles that have quoted us as experts, and our own blog posts that can help you end December with deepened work relationships, having advanced your career, and with time and energy left for your most important relationships. So make yourself some cocoa and take a few minutes to learn how to make December a season to cherish rather than endure.
You've had the Thanksgiving feast...now it is Cyber Monday!
You’ve had the Thanksgiving Feast...
Stood in line for the deals of the century...
Took a nap over the weekend and watched a game, binge watched that show you have been wanting to watch, or spent time with friends or family...
And now?
You are back at work.
Things haven’t changed since before the holiday, have they? They probably won’t change in the new year either. In fact, they probably haven’t changed for a long time now, right?
Are you ready to move your career to the next level?
Eight Ways to Irritate Email Recipients
Studies show that the average professional spends one-third of their work day on work email. That means that email can have a big impact on your career. Read on for eight common—and easily correctable—mistakes you may be making with your emails.
Preparing for your annual performance review?
Performance reviews are just around the corner for many firms and organizations. In addition to our recent four-part series on performance reviews, check out Amy M. Gardner’s conversation about performance reviews on Heather Hubbard’s Hustle & Flow podcast.
How is 2018 going for you?
If your check engine light comes on in your car do you go on YouTube, buy some self help books, check with friends, ignore it as long as you can, and eventually take it apart in the evening after work in your garage? Or, do you call your mechanic or car dealership to run a diagnostic? The vast majority of us don’t have the technical skill to troubleshoot modern cars...but do we have the technical skills to troubleshoot our career and personal goals?
9 Ways to Go Beyond the Imposter Syndrome
We recently taught a webinar on the imposter syndrome for the American Bar Association. (ABA members can access the webinar and earn CLE free of charge here. Non-ABA members can access the webinar with a 15% discount by using the discount code FACMARK at checkout.)
In conversation with the ABA and program moderator Lacy Durham in advance of the webinar, one of the issues identified was that many people who feel they are a fraud or imposter think they’re unusual or alone, which adds to their shame and difficulty understanding that these feelings are common and not related to qualifications or skill. We’re prepared this blog post as part of an effort to normalize the feelings of imposterism and help lawyers and other professionals build awareness. It’s based on the remarks we and Lacy made during the webinar and is intended, in a more cursory way, to provide some brief background and resources. We encourage you to share it with colleagues and your network to spur more discussion of the imposter syndrome and, in so doing, help remove the stigma around it.
Eight Easy Ways to Irritate Email Recipients
Studies show that the average professional spends one-third of their work day on work email. That means that email can have a big impact on your career. Read on for eight common—and easily correctable—mistakes you may be making with your emails.
Emails that are too long.
Someone once told me emails should be short enough to fit on an iPhone screen. That isn't always possible or desirable, but it’s helpful to keep that view in mind. (Of course the people who insist on three line emails are often the same people who then complain about emails that sound curt, so take this with a grain of salt.) Longer emails—especially if you aren't using headers or space to break things up—make people more likely to skim and miss the content you've provided. Or they may decide to come back to your email and then forget to do so. And worse than not reading the email, when your emails are too long, people assume you aren't focused.
Office Holiday Gifts that will put you on Santa’s Good List
The holidays are coming, and along with gifts for friends and family, you likely have gifts for coworkers on your list. In case you happen to have ?????? next to them on your list, here are a few guidelines to follow, and a few suggestions.