6 Steps for a Career Breakthrough

Levitt & Associates, Inc. shares an article on 6 steps for a career breakthrough...

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SelfGrowth.com featured an article written by author, Kathy Caprino who shares insight to get past constraints and limitations when in a career and life transition. 

Here are 6 essential steps for career breakthrough:

1. Understand what you truly want - Essence vs. Form

2. Research and commit to doing what it takes 

3. Stretch yourself beyond where you are

4. Power up

5. Develop a powerful money mindset

6. Manage to the constraints

Read the article HERE.

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

10 Things Happy People Do Differently

Levitt & Associates shares a "10 Things Happy People do Differently" by author, Steven Covey...

1. Express Gratitude
• When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value.
• If we aren't thankful for what we already have, we will have a hard time ever being happy.
2. Cultivate Optimism
• People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
3. Avoid Over-Thinking and Social Comparison
• Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. 
• The only person you should compare to is yourself before now.
4. Practice Acts of Kindness
• Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside.
5. Nurture Social Relationships
• The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. 
6. Develop Strategies for Coping
• It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call and in your arsenal at your disposal. 
7. Learn to Forgive
• Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. 
8. Increase Flow Experiences
• Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. 
• It's when you're so focused on what you're doing that you become one with the task.
• Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.
9. Savor Life's Joys
• Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy.
10. Commit to Your Goals
• Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere.

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

9 Words You DON'T Want to Say in Your Interview

Levitt & Associates, Inc. shares 9 words to avoid saying in your job interview...

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1.  "No." - Avoid one word answers (yes or no). If asked whether you are familiar with a specific case and your answer is no, demonstrate your willingness to research it with a follow-up statement.
2. "Um..." - You may need a minute to think of your response. If you politely ask for a minute to gather your thoughts on the subject, interviewers will be courteous to your silence. However, if you fill that time with "Uh" and "Um," you may seem unprepared.
3. "Sure, cool, kinda" - Steer clear of casual words and slang terms that may require an Urban Dictionary search. Your goal is to form the impression that you are polished and professional.
4. "Leverage, synergy, ideation" - Avoid too much business jargon. When you are using the word correctly, it may leave the impression that you are pretentious. And if you use the word incorrectly, you might embarrass yourself.
5. "Hit the ground running," "Circle back" - Avoid clichés. They have come to be known as verbal fluff and do not add value to what you are saying.
6. "Dedicated, motivated, team player" - Every resume your interviewer has seen uses these words. Instead of simply stating that you are, offer stories demonstrating that you are.
7. "We" - While you may be a team player, use "I" in the interview. The interviewer is interested in the work that you were responsible for, not your team.
8. "Hate" - Avoid this negative word at all costs. It is inappropriate to say you hate something in a job, especially someone and interviewers will only see your negativity.
9. "Perfectionist" - Do shine an optimistic light on your "weakness." Don't answer that you are a perfectionist, that you work too hard or care too much. They've heard it all before. Be original and honest.  

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

California Lateral Placement

The Legal Recruiting Team at Levitt & Associates, Inc. is Here to Help You with Your Career Move...

The path from high school to college to law school to working at your first law firm is a linear one.  Once you have your first job as an associate, you discover that your future holds a lot more opportunities and that your choices become more complex.

Do you aspire to be a partner?  Do you enjoy working for a big firm or would you prefer a boutique?  What firm culture best suits your lifestyle?

It is important to figure out what your short and/or long term goals are.  Use your intellect and drive to make the best choices and create the fulfilling life you desire.

Utilize your resources - work with an attorney recruiter should you choose to make a move.  If you desire to work in California, Alisa Levitt is your an exceptional resource. 

The following are a few testimonials provided by California legal professionals:

"I have known Alisa since I was a first year attorney.  She has always been supportive and understanding of my career needs and desire for growth.  Alisa's thoughtful and targeted search landed me with a nationally recognized employment law firm.  Alisa's guidance and advice was always on target and given with my best interests in mind.  As the Chair of the Employment Law Department of my current firm, I would not hesitate to call on Alisa to fill our attorney needs." - Nicole Minkow, Senior Employment Counsel at Pearlman, Borska & Wax

"I have worked with Alisa for over 13 years.  She has always been very professional, ethical, and responsive with respect to our attorney candidate searches.  Alisa is my "go to" recruiter and I look forward to a continued excellent working relationship with her.  I would definitely recommend Alisa’s services." -Timothy Menter, Partner at Menter & Witkin

"If you want a recruiter who is diligent, patient and treats you like an individual, look no further.  Alisa is second to none.  Over a two year period, she continually worked to find the perfect position for me.  Most importantly, she took the time to learn about my individual needs and goals in order to find opportunities for the best fit and long-term success.  I cannot thank her enough." - Tim S., Attorney at Orange County Law firm 

To get started, submit your resume to resumes@esqplacement.com or call 949) 488-3310.

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

It's All About Timing

Attorney recruiting team at Levitt & Associates, Inc. shares the best day and time to set your interview...

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The law firm is interested in meeting you!  Now what?

There are two keys to keep in mind when scheduling the best time for your interview.  The first key is no secret, make sure you have enough time to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the interview.  The second is to strategically plan the optimum time slot that will keep you fresh in the interviewer's mind.  If you get this right, it will potentially give you a slight advantage over other candidates.

Often you will be given the option to choose an interview time from a few pre-assigned time slots.  If available, a good strategy is to select a day where a small number of candidates are being interviewed.  Another strategy is to choose a morning time slot toward the end of the interview cycle.

Harvard University conducted a study centered around the subject of “narrow bracketing.” Their results confirmed that many interviewers make an unconscious decision not to give too many positive recommendations in one particular day.  These findings suggest that when scheduling your interview, it is best to aim for a mid-morning interview or a day in which only a few other candidates will be interviewed to ensure you'll be more fresh in the minds of the interviewers. 

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

The Interview Question that has Candidates Stumped

Levitt & Associates, Inc. helps you answer the interview question that has candidates puzzled...

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"Define your personal brand."

So simple, yet undefined.  It's brilliant.

Defining your brand means defining yourself as a professional.  It's an all-encompassing question that relates to your strengths, passions, values, past accomplishments, how others would describe you, and what makes you unique.

Your brand is your reputation - the perception of you by the external world.

Identify 3 words that best describe you and elaborate by touching on the subjects above.  

Create your brand messaging around keywords and content that will attract your interviewer. 

Your interviewer wants to know who you are as a person.  The objective is to define your personality and what you can bring to the table. 

Practice this interview question with your recruiter to better communicate the unique value you offer a potential employer.  

Levitt & Associates, Inc.

Tell Me About Yourself

Levitt & Associates, Inc. shares an article on how to ace your interview...

More often than not, the first question in any interview is "Tell me about yourself." 

Such a basic and broad question may lead you to say something too short or leave you rambling.

If your answer is too short, you may seem unprepared. If your answer is too long, you may be at risk of talking your way out of the job.  Answer the question to the point and if the interviewer has further questions, they will ask. 

The team at Levitt & Associates, Inc. would like to share a segment from an article posted on The Muse by Lily Zhang on how to answer, "Tell me about yourself:"

"This completely open-ended opportunity to talk about yourself throws a lot of people off. Worse, it’s usually the first question interviewers ask! The confusing part about this question is that it actually isn’t an invitation to tell your life story. The interviewer really just wants to know why you’re interested in this position and what makes you qualified.

One way to structure this answer is to start with your present, go into your past, and finish off with your future. This approach covers all your bases by answering the question, giving you an opportunity to talk about your relevant skills, and getting to what the interviewer genuinely wants to know: How are you going to perform in this position? Remember to focus your experiences and accomplishments on what’s most relevant to the position and the employer."

To read the full article, click here.

Levitt & Associates, Inc.