Finding a new position isn’t easy. It takes time, more time than any respected professional wants. In fact, after you reach a certain level of acumen in your chosen field, it’s downright insulting to be part of this slow-moving process, waiting tirelessly to land that next, rightful position. But once the deal is done, you are ready. You are pleased with the compensation package and determined to make a move. And then what? It’s time to tell the news to your current employer: not such a ‘gee-I’m-really-looking-forward-to-it’ kind of task. It might even keep you up at night, actually rehearsing what to say to your direct report.
And then, nervously, you announce to the higher-ups you’re leaving: “It has been a terrific time spent, but a better opportunity has come along, and I’m taking it.” Your heart rate slows, and you’re breathing fresh air. But the next step could come as a surprise if you aren’t prepared for it.
Your employer says to you: “Hey, can you hold your decision for 24 hours? I would like to discuss this with someone in the corner office and get back to you tomorrow.” Much like the spouse who refuses to sign the divorce papers, you are now caught in a game of ‘how much you are valued in your old post’, and it’s a bit alluring. Hmm. They don’t want me to leave, they want to keep me, that’s interesting. What am I really worth in this position? Shall I play this out a bit and see?
Well, here’s my best advice, based on all of the candidates that get seduced by the counteroffer: Cut your losses. Because, truly, sticking around isn’t exactly what you wanted in the first place. Here are some reasons why:
The counteroffer is a holding pattern. Your employer hasn’t found your replacement and they’re unwilling to have you leave until they are ready. Does that sound like job security? Not so much.
Don’t forget, there was a reason you were open to new opportunities. The company you are leaving has not met your professional goals, so you were receptive to new opportunities. Don’t forget the basic premise of your search—you had some philosophical differences that got you here in the first place. Why didn’t you ask for a raise if it was just compensation?
Your employer will view you as untrustworthy. You have crossed the line. In fact, they now know you were looking for another position when they thought your lunch just ran late. You are now considered a traitor in their eyes; one who is just avaricious enough to stick around.
Head them off at the pass. When breaking the news, tell them you are leaving, don’t ask for permission. Ensure that your employer knows your decision is firm. Don’t even allow them to get to the point of a counter offer. You have slogged through this process for a reason, so don’t let your flattered ego stop you from forward motion. Politely tell them you’re mind is made up.
Hold your ground, give plenty of notice and do your best to ensure an orderly transition. Because you never really know if a time could come when you are landing back on your old employer’s doorstep—or your old employer becomes your new employer. Still, hold your ground. People always remember how you leave.
The seduction of a counteroffer is rarely what it seems. Though the bitter taste of disloyalty may linger in the mouth of your current employer, your new post is awaiting you with open arms.
In 2019, I wrote about changes in the workplace during the past 20 years. Little did any of us know two years ago of the dramatic changes ahead of us in 2020. I wrote last November of our new normal of no business travel, remote work policies, and how the pandemic widened the gender inequality gap. Now that we are vaccinated (hopefully), my road warrior colleagues and I are gradually traveling and returning to in-person meetings with our clients. We are heeding the awkward cues of individual preferences for shaking hands, waving, fist bumps, masks, or no masks. Thankfully, the humor in the awkwardness is a nice ice breaker.
As John F. Kennedy said, “There is nothing more uncertain and changing than uncertainty and change.” The permanence of the following pandemic-related workplace changes remains uncertain.
Working remotely
As companies continue to bring employees back to the office, permanent workforce policies are taking shape in various formats: employees who will continue to work full-time from home, hybrid in-office and remote work arrangements, and back to the office full-time. Companies continue to grapple with policies that best support their business, culture, and employees.
4.3 million people in the U.S. currently work remotely
16% of the world’s companies are 100% remote
44% of companies do not permit remote work
74% of workers say that having the option to work remotely would make them less likely to leave a company
TAG colleague Jean Lenzner recently wrote that many employees working remotely do not want to return to the office, and one-third would look for a new job if they were required to return to the office full-time. While employees will undoubtedly dig in their heels (er slippers) to continue to work from home, many executives are bringing employees back into the office. The Managing Partner of a large Midwest law firm required all of the firm’s attorneys and staff to return to the firm’s offices. He said that his firm’s collaborative, team-oriented culture was bruised by the pandemic and that he considered in-person interaction invaluable to the success and growth of the firm: “we walk the halls, pop in offices when we have thoughts and ideas; the spontaneity and collaboration are not the same when you have to send someone a calendar invite with a Zoom link to talk to them.”
Working nine to five is no longer the way to make a living
Standard office hours may become a thing of the past and, as a recent Robert Half survey reported, nearly 70 percent of professionals who transitioned to remote work because of the pandemic say they now work on the weekends, and 45 percent say they regularly work more hours during the week than they did before. I frequently receive emails from clients and colleagues at all hours who have changed their sleeping and waking hours – some hoot with the owls, and others are soaring with the eagles. I regularly find several emails in my inbox when I get up in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning. The convenience of working from home also makes working convenient at any time. Perhaps it’s a blurring of home and office time, and although I find it essential to be responsive, I try not to respond with an incoherent message while half asleep at three in the morning.
The death of the suit and birth of ‘workleisure.’
When I packed for my first business trip earlier this year, I had to dust off and shine a pair of dress shoes and make sure that my suits still fit – they did, albeit they were snug. At the client’s office, I was overdressed and noted that many in the office were in comfortable casual attire. I would have been better served to take note that popular ‘workleisure’ dress for Zoom meetings is also acceptable in-office attire for many companies. A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that more than two-thirds of American consumers plan to change their wardrobe from pre-pandemic styles as they return to the office to wear more comfortable clothes.
Video killed the radio star and is coming after business travel
As companies adapted to remote working, so did they to virtual meetings and conferences. A Deloitte survey reports that corporate travel is expected to reach 25 to 35 percent of 2019 levels this year but may increase to 65 to 80 percent next year. Although some believe that nothing beats in-person meetings, many companies are eager to reduce their travel expenses, and executives who previously traveled 80 to 100 percent of the time have adjusted to being home more than on the road. My partner John Lamar, who regularly traveled 300,000 miles a year pre-pandemic, is one of those people. He states, “One silver lining of the pandemic is that I realize I can maintain my client relationships by not being on the road four days a week plus I like being at home and the sense of normalcy it offers.”
Those of us in the executive search industry have mostly been strong advocates of in-person client meetings and candidate interviews. With more than a year of quarantine, we too have had to adapt and determine the best way to conduct virtual interviews while achieving the same results our clients expect.
Quite honestly, video meetings are not as effective as in-person meetings, and it is not as easy to form a long-term client relationship by video, but now that our industry has proven it can be done and our clients have a choice—and that is a good thing for everyone. Alex & Red and The Alexander Group will officially return to the office at the first of the year, though some of us are starting to work in the office on a part-time basis. Like many, I have missed seeing my colleagues, many of whom I have worked with for two decades, on a regular basis. I appreciate the routine, comradery, and sense of normalcy our offices offer.
Much has been written lately about emotional intelligence and the role it plays in a successful career. But what is emotional intelligence? I suppose I could take the position that the U.S. Supreme Court took with pornography: “I can’t define what [it] is…but I know it when I see it.”
Let me start by saying what emotional intelligence is NOT.
Emotional intelligence has nothing to do with your intellect or IQ. We all have seen many executives who are incredibly intelligent but don’t have a modicum of common sense. Recently, I interviewed one of the top software executives in the country. He arrived at the interview late with no apology and, after ordering a glass of wine at 3 p.m., continued to take call after call. And he really wanted the position for this start-up technology company.
Emotional intelligence is not friendliness or empathy. While solid interpersonal skills play a role in emotional intelligence, all recruiters have stories of candidates who overstep boundaries by being overly familiar and talkative. My colleague Bill recalls an executive who sends him birthday and Easter greetings every year despite the fact he met her once eight years ago. While Bill enjoys the shout out and it makes for a good story, he is not sure that the candidate has appropriately sized up their relationship or lack thereof.
Emotional intelligence has nothing to do with honesty and integrity. Actually, I believe that some of the best con artists, embezzlers, and self-promoters have a high degree of emotional intelligence, which makes them effective at their dubious profession.
Emotional intelligence is not equivalent to good judgment, though they overlap. Good judgment is synonymous with making solid business decisions and choices. While someone who has emotional intelligence often has good judgment, many make sound judgments from facts but miss the unspoken cues that someone with emotional intelligence gets.
There is substantial disagreement over what emotional intelligence is, how it is measured, and whether it can be taught. Emotional intelligence starts with reading the environment, listening to your audience, and assessing the appropriate response based on spoken and unspoken prompts. Here are five ways that it or the lack thereof has played out in the interview process.
You have a meeting scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m. Evidence of poor emotional intelligence is arriving at 4:10 p.m. or taking 45 minutes to address the first question of “tell me a little about your firm or background.”
Your meeting is at a hotel restaurant at 10 a.m. Your host orders black coffee. You, on the other hand, notice there is a lavish breakfast buffet and excuse yourself before it closes, so you order a custom-made omelet and pile your plate with an assortment of pastries.
For your meeting with a top recruiter for a CMO position, you think the best way to show why you could work from Frankfurt rather than move to London is by bringing your newest squeeze to the interview. You fail to notice the look of horror on the recruiter’s face as your companion orders snacks for the table and monopolizes the conversation.
You are meeting the CEO of a company and, granted, it is a sunny day outside, but did you really have to don a red dress and heels when on your prior meetings you noticed that navy suits were the order of the day?
You meet with executives for a company for which you want to work or do work. The executives disagree among themselves about the position or project. While it would be easy to spout off a quick response and jump into the fray, the better tack is to pause, listen and ask more questions so that you are not jumping in on an internal political issue or have not misread the underlying communication that was taking place.
These are obviously blunders that require you to bury your face in your hands. But the news is not all bad. Many executives have highly developed emotional intelligence.
I typically travel solo, but observing a lawyer with a client at the airport last week made me realize there should be an etiquette guide for business travel with your manager or a client. Though I’ve written Road Warrior blogs, I’m certainly no Ms. Manners of the road, but the following seems obvious.
The primary rule is to adapt your behavior to that of your manager or client. Do not be high-maintenance. This can play out in several specific ways, as indicated below:
1) Luggage.
If you’re only going on a two-day business trip, ditch the steamer trunk. Eliminate any thoughts of checking luggage; it is rude and inconsiderate for others to wait a half hour for your 50-pound roller bag to come off the luggage carousel.
A corollary to this rule is not to bring so many clothes that your client/manager thinks that you are auditioning for the next season of “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette.” This is, after all, a business trip.
2) Meals.
While traveling with others, you may not control what you eat, when you eat, or if you eat at all. Several years ago, I was traveling with a young associate. As I sat in our rental car in the 120-degree Phoenix heat, motor idling, my colleague was busy inside eating pecan waffles. Exasperated, I went in looking for her and she responded, “I always have to have a big breakfast.” That was the last time we traveled together.
Similarly, if your companion orders a Diet Coke for dinner, don’t ask for the wine list. If your client/manager orders wine, permit yourself a glass of wine, but do not make a big deal of tasting several wines, sending them back, or behave in any way that calls attention to yourself. Your goal is to blend in and to be low-maintenance.
3) Be organized.
Your travel companion should not have to deal with you forgetting the location of your credit card, car key, boarding pass, or parking ticket. I remember traveling with my business partner (who will be furious at me for recounting this story), who tends to be a little absent-minded. We had a meeting at 9 a.m., and at 8:55 a.m., she called in a panic, and I had to go to her room to help her find the keys to our rental car, which she had somehow misplaced in the depths of her suitcase. Really, you don’t want your business partner going through your suitcase looking for lost car keys.
4) Be punctual.
If your client/manager likes to get to the airport two hours early for a shoeshine or a visit to the United Club, accommodate him or her. Give up your habit of streaking down the gangway as the plane doors are closing, which will only cause anxiety for your travel companion. I have seen several occasions where a traveler in a group did not make the flight. Believe me, it did not make a good impression.
5) Keep your personal life separate.
Limit calls home to times that you are in your room. Do not call the family while en route to the next meeting in the rental car or taxi with your boss/client. Your client/manager doesn’t want to hear that Fido had yet another accident in the family room or worse yet, that you and your spouse are fighting about where to go for the holidays.
6) Be prepared.
Do your homework on where you are going and any logistical challenges. Check the weather forecast of your destination and note if a jacket or umbrella is required. Don’t assume I packed a golf umbrella to cover both of us.
7) Cash is King.
The corollary to number six is nothing spends better than cash. You never can tell when an emergency will arise or credit cards aren’t accepted and you want to be the person with the solution, not the problem and there’s nothing that solves a problem like cash.
Have I left anything out? If so, shoot me a line.
An executive search for an internal candidate happens during the executive recruitment process when the client recommends an employee of the company for the position. This recommendation is often because the client wants to conduct a broad search and believes that the internal candidate is good but wants to cover the marketplace. Sometimes, the client questions whether the internal candidate is appropriate and wants the assessment of the search firm.
Why the Internal Candidate Experience is Important
“John, you and I met over a year ago during the course of my firm’s Chief Financial Officer search, where I was the internal candidate. While I was not chosen for the position, you communicated often during the course of the search and told me that, regardless of whether I was selected, I was a valuable asset. When I was not selected, you also told me that it would clearly become evident why someone else was chosen. You were spot-on in your assessment. I have learned so much from [the successful candidate] because of her many years in our industry … Thank you for your professionalism.”
All of us in the search business have conducted this type of search, where the talent assessment for leadership roles involves unique dynamics and delicate considerations. An executive search for an internal candidate requires a structured, unbiased approach to evaluating their qualifications against external contenders. This ensures the internal candidate is measured objectively, promoting fairness and transparency throughout the search.
Such searches are designed to assess skill alignment with the role and to consider the candidate’s growth potential and fit within the company’s evolving culture and strategic objectives.
By treating internal candidates with the same rigor as external applicants, an executive search firm can help clients secure the best possible talent for critical leadership roles while reinforcing the internal candidate’s value to the organization—whether or not they’re ultimately selected.
Applying Executive Hiring Best Practices to Internal Candidate Searches
Including an internal candidate in the executive search process has its benefits. The company and the employee can strengthen the relationship if the internal candidate is respected and genuinely feels assessed fairly for the open role.
However, if this process is handled indelicately, the employee can feel left out in the cold, which does not benefit the parties involved. Here is what two executives have said about their experience as an internal candidate:
A Bank President’s Disappointing Experience as an Internal Candidate
Bob, the internal candidate, commented that his inclusion as an internal candidate seemed like an afterthought. The search firm (not The Alexander Group) never provided him with a position description and did not communicate.
“While the search firm spent 90 minutes interviewing me, they had not studied my resume to determine whether or not I would be a fit with the position. It was clear they had made their mind up before the process started. The first question I was asked was ‘Why did you choose Notre Dame for college?’ This is not a question you ask a 57-year-old man.”
He never heard from the search firm again, even after an external candidate was selected for the position. Bob believes neither the holding company nor the search firm treated him well.
Paula learned about the internal opportunity directly from the hiring manager. The hiring manager responded back very positively that he would be happy to have her added to the candidate slate and that she would be contacted by the search firm handling the search. Paula was interviewed in person by the search firm and was pleased with the time spent to assess her potential candidacy. She applauded the search firm’s efforts to understand the newly created role within the company.
While Paula was not selected for the role, she remains extremely supportive of the hiring manager and believes that being included in the interview process has only improved her visibility in the company for other positions.
The Alexander Group prioritizes building enduring relationships with both clients and candidates. Paula experienced a process similar to ours, where clear communication and thorough assessment ensure the internal candidate feels valued and respected throughout the executive search. This approach strengthens the bond between the company and its employees and enhances the overall success of our executive search for an internal candidate.
Internal vs. External Executive Candidates
There are several things that an executive search firm can do to improve the internal candidate’s experience:
Communicate often and clearly, and do not assume that the client will communicate the progress and process of the search with the candidate;
Submit internal candidates to the same process as external candidates (i.e., if you are traveling to see external candidates, you should travel to see internal candidates);
Spend time objectively assessing the internal candidate’s resume in line with the position and communicate to them that you are looking for the best candidate—internal or external; and
Make the internal candidate feel “special” to be selected as an internal candidate and treat them accordingly.
We believe an internal candidate who has gone through a rigorous, unbiased interview process—and is selected—will enter the role with confidence that they are, indeed, the most qualified person for the position. If they don’t get the role, then they know they played on a level playing field and, from a career development perspective, will be even more prepared for the next opportunity.
At The Alexander Group, we are paid for the process, not the person. If the client recommends an internal candidate, she or he is just as much our candidate as any external talent we identify. Ignore the internal candidate, and you run the risk of missing out on a great talent, and possibly, a future client.Ensure your executive search process reflects the highest standards of fairness and professionalism. Contact The Alexander Group to discuss how we can help you identify and assess top talent within and beyond your organization.
The role of the law firm CMO has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades. Once a position focused on basic promotional activities, it has evolved into a strategic leadership role driving firm growth, client engagement, and innovation. Today’s law firm CMOs are at the forefront of integrating technology, data analytics, and law firm internet marketing strategies to help firms stay competitive in an ever-changing legal landscape.
Law Firm Marketing Officers: Then and Now
In 2016, law firms were navigating a significant period of change, becoming increasingly complex global organizations. They grew through internal expansion and acquisitions, mirroring trends in broader American business. Clients had also evolved; they could no longer be counted on to remain with a law firm for generations. Legal industry marketing, once considered undignified and restricted by professional conduct rules, had already become a critical function—a necessity for firms aiming to survive in a competitive landscape.
Fast forward to 2024, and these dynamics have only accelerated. The competition for corporate clients remains fierce, underpinned by advanced marketing technologies like predictive analytics, AI-driven tools, and digital-first strategies. Firms have shifted from relying on traditional approaches to marketing for law firm success to adopting multi-channel law firm marketing strategies.
These strategies align with the latest chief marketing officer trends, leveraging technology to deliver personalized client experiences at scale. This transformation is reflected in the evolving role of law firm CMOs. One retired Am Law 100 CMO recalled joining his firm in 1990 when the partners were just beginning to ask what the “World Wide Web” was and whether it had any relevance to their work. Back then, the role was primarily administrative, focused on tasks like creating brochures, operating collating machines, and even preparing seating charts for events. The CMO described how these responsibilities, though necessary, offered little in terms of strategic impact.
Today, that world feels like a distant memory. The responsibilities of CMOs in 2024 have evolved beyond recognition. They are now expected to lead data-driven decision-making, integrate advanced technologies, and play a direct role in shaping firm-wide business strategies. What was once an administrative function has become a cornerstone of law firm competitiveness in the modern era, with CMOs positioned as strategic leaders at the heart of client engagement and innovation.
The Strategic Role of Business Development in Law Firm Marketing in 2024
The role of the law firm CMO has evolved dramatically, becoming increasingly vital as firms navigate a fast-paced, globalized market. In 2024, the CMO is not only a strategic partner in defining and communicating the firm’s brand but also a key driver of innovation, client experience, and firm-wide growth. These leaders oversee complex, data-driven marketing strategies while ensuring alignment with business development goals. CMOs are tasked with recruiting, retaining, and developing cohesive, high-performing teams, often distributed across multiple locations and time zones.
Modern law firm CMOs are also expected to play a direct role in securing and expanding client relationships. Using advanced tools like client relationship management (CRM) platforms, predictive analytics, and artificial intelligence, they deliver personalized, data-informed approaches that build trust and deepen client engagement. This shift reflects the industry’s demand for CMOs who can translate data insights into actionable strategies, advancing business development in law firms to drive outcomes.
Additionally, the career trajectory for law firm CMOs has expanded. While some still move into COO or Executive Director roles, many now transition into positions like Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Client Experience Officer, or even CEO roles within related industries. These career paths highlight the growing influence and versatility of CMOs as strategic leaders in law firms and beyond.
Law Firm CMO Compensation in 2024
As the role of the law firm CMO has expanded into a cornerstone of strategic leadership, compensation trends reflect this growing importance. In 2024, CMOs in law firms command competitive salaries that rival those of their counterparts in other professional services industries. On average, law firm CMO salaries range from $250,000 to $500,000 annually, with additional bonuses and incentives often tied to firm performance, business development milestones, or client retention metrics.
Factors influencing compensation include the size of the firm, geographic location, and the complexity of the CMO’s responsibilities. For example, CMOs involved in global law firm marketing with extensive business development functions or technology-driven strategies tend to be on the higher end of the salary spectrum. Additionally, firms increasingly offer comprehensive benefits packages, including equity options, profit-sharing opportunities, and robust professional development programs, to attract and retain top marketing talent.
Beyond base salaries, CMOs often receive additional compensation in the form of signing bonuses, long-term incentive plans, and performance-based bonuses, which can significantly increase their overall earnings. This reflects the critical role CMOs play in driving firm growth and adapting to an ever-changing legal landscape.
As firms continue to prioritize innovation and client engagement, law firm CMO compensation is expected to remain competitive, ensuring that the role attracts dynamic, forward-thinking leaders capable of meeting the demands of the modern legal industry.
Law Firm Marketing and Business Development Continues to Evolve
The role of law firm marketing leaders has continued to evolve, necessitating a broader and more sophisticated skill set. Firms, from global legal law firms to those focusing on small law firm marketing, are increasingly recruiting professionals from diverse industries, including technology, consulting, and financial services, to infuse innovative strategies and perspectives. This trend reflects a commitment to adopting best practices from sectors that have long embraced data-driven marketing and client engagement.
Historically, law firms began this diversification by hiring professionals from public accounting and consulting firms, which had established global brands ahead of the legal industry. Some marketing leaders transitioned from legal practice, seeking roles that better aligned with their talents. Notably, in the early 1990s, Howrey & Simon appointed Mary K Young, a consumer products marketing manager, to lead its global marketing efforts, signaling a shift towards valuing diverse marketing expertise.
By 2016, The Alexander Group’s research indicated that approximately 25% of Am Law 100 firms had hired CMOs from outside the legal industry. This trend has accelerated, with recent external hires including executives from leading firms in various sectors. The expansion of CMO responsibilities to encompass business development is evident in titles such as Chief Business Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chief Client Services Officer. Among the Am Law 100 firms that have appointed new CMOs in the past three years, a significant number have incorporated “business development” into the title, underscoring the integrated approach to marketing and client relationship management.
This progression highlights the legal industry’s recognition of the need for marketing leadership in law firms. It emphasizes crafting comprehensive law firm marketing plans capable of driving growth and innovation in a competitive landscape.
The Evolution of Law Firm Marketing Leadership: Trends from 2016 to 2024
In 2016, law firm marketing functions were undergoing rapid evolution, with several notable trends beginning to shape the industry. One significant development at the time was the integration of business development professionals into global practice groups. These professionals worked closely with practice management teams to create tailored strategies that aligned with both client needs and market conditions. Some firms even began consolidating oversight of business development and practice management functions under a single leader, offering career-broadening opportunities for professionals in both fields.
Fast forward to 2024, and these trends have matured and expanded. Today, business development is no longer just embedded in practice groups; it is deeply integrated into firm-wide operations. CMOs and their teams are leveraging cutting-edge tools like artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and client journey mapping to create data-driven strategies that address market shifts in real-time. The roles of marketing, business development, and practice management have blurred, with some firms appointing Chief Growth Officers or Chief Strategy Officers to oversee these interconnected functions.
Additionally, the rise of digital transformation has redefined the skills required of law firm marketing leaders. In 2024, future-ready CMOs must be adept in areas like digital marketing, CRM system optimization, and global client experience management. Firms are also expanding their functions for marketing a law firm to include specialists in data science, content strategy, and even ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) communications, reflecting the broader trends influencing the legal industry’s direction.
As the legal market grows increasingly competitive and globalized, the role of law firm marketing executives will continue to evolve. The next wave of innovation is likely to include even greater reliance on automation, advanced personalization, and AI-powered insights, ensuring that marketing leaders remain central to driving firm growth and client satisfaction.
The Evolving Impact of the Law Firm Chief Marketing Officer
The role of the law firm CMO has transformed into a cornerstone of strategic leadership, driving growth, innovation, and client engagement in an increasingly complex and competitive legal industry. From leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics to integrating business development into firm-wide strategies, CMOs are shaping the future of law firm success. As the demands of the role continue to evolve, law firms are seeking dynamic leaders capable of navigating global challenges while delivering exceptional value to clients.
Interviewing is a skill, and not an easy one to master. There’s something new to learn every time you sit down across a desk, share a cup of coffee or connect across an ocean via FaceTime or Skype for an interview.
In my 13 years in TV news, I have had the opportunity to interview thousands of people from all walks of life—politicians, celebrities, criminals, grieving families, heroic first responders—and no two interviews were the same. Even so, there are methods, models, techniques and tips that can be applied to bring out the best, or, in some cases, to (necessarily) discover the worst, in people.
Executive search involves interviewing a different set of people than TV news, of course; and the individuals we interview are generally happy to speak with us, seeing us as the gatekeepers to their next career move. But we still need that focus: bring out the best; weed out the worst.
Here are a few interview techniques I’ve perfected as a journalist:
1. Don’t be afraid to ask offbeat questions and catch your interviewee off guard.
Everyone comes to an interview with a script, rehearsed answers, and a determination to make the interview follow the direction that best suits them. Get them off script.
In my previous life, celebrities were the worst offenders. Having conducted hundreds of red-carpet interviews, every actor or director comes with a handful of sound bites that they’ve been given by their handlers. So instead of starting off with, “Tell me about your role” or “how difficult is it to transform into that kind of monster?” I would often ask something they weren’t expecting driven by the headlines of the day: “Is the #metoo movement changing Hollywood quickly enough?” or “Where do you stand on equal pay?”
In executive search, that translates to questions, such as “What has been the hardest time in your career?” or “What is a lesson you’ve learned in the past year?” I had one client who asked candidates how much sleep they got or the last book they had read.
I had a client who asked candidates how much sleep they got or the last book they had read.
By starting with something completely out of the blue you can shock your interviewee out of the script they have in their minds. Don’t be afraid to throw them off.
2. Be empathetic; realize that your subject is often under stress.
While some people need to be challenged, others need to be drawn out. As a journalist, I would invest more time with families who just lost someone to a terrible accident or crime, or families who’d lost everything in a wildfire or hurricane.
Some candidates also have great potential, but need more time to calm their nerves and reveal their best selves. As an interviewer, it is our job to accurately assess a candidate, even if that requires patience and some extra time.
3. Make it a conversation, not an interrogation.
Early in my news career, I covered the bust of a large marijuana-growing operation in a small town in Arkansas. We knew that the grower had been released on bail, and I wanted to see if we could get him to explain his side of the story. After knocking on dozens of doors in the neighborhood, we found our subject. We approached him conversationally and—to our utter surprise—he invited us to the back yard to show us where the police had been. It was quite the operation: The entire backyard was equipped with rows and rows of planters and hydroponic systems; the scent of marijuana was still in the air. I asked him what he had been growing, and he emphatically replied, “I thought they were tomato plants!” It made for some of the most entertaining TV I have ever produced.
I asked him what he had been growing, and he emphatically replied, “I thought they were tomato plants!”
Had I adopted the more aggressive approach, chasing this man into his home with a camera and a microphone, he would have slammed the door, and we never would have had that exchange (which later helped the police in their investigation).
In the interview process, whether it’s with an alleged illegal drug dealer or an executive, engaging your candidate in conversation and making them feel comfortable from the beginning is crucial. The more at ease your candidate is—even if they’re lying, as I believe my ‘tomato plant’ interviewee was—the more authentic the individual is going to be.
4. Short and to-the-Point.
Long-winded questions, with sub-clauses that meander this way and that, and pose one question while over-riding it with another slightly tangential point (think last week’s Congressional hearing with special counsel Robert Mueller), while trying to circle back to the original thought, leaves everyone confused and muddled. Just ask the question. One at a time.
5. Not everyone wants to tell the truth. We have to find it.
Have you ever met a politician who wanted to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Neither have I. As a TV reporter, I couldn’t call any of the countless politicians I interviewed—Republican or Democrat—a liar on-air. But it was my duty to push them as much as I could, to put them on the spot, to call them out in a polite and probing way. It’s a balance of rephrasing the question and, if the subject tries to divert attention, re-directing the focus back to the initial point (even saying outright ‘that’s not the question I asked’ if necessary).
We all know candidates interviewing for high-level positions sometimes shade the truth, pad a résumé, highlight their strengths while trying to bury their weaknesses, demur over gaps in their resumes, etc. Everyone is a politician, to some extent, in an interview, selling themselves above all else. It’s our job to probe; it’s our job to get to the true character behind the facade.
6. Trust your intuition.
All good reporters have a sixth sense that tells them when something is amiss in a story. Good recruiters are no different. If an answer does not ‘feel correct’, follow your instincts and probe a little more.
From time to time, we interview candidates who have had a short stint in a position. Did the candidate leave because it was an uneasy fit or a bad experience, or was the company in financial trouble?
I follow up with questions, such as ‘What would your manager say about you, given your short tenure?’
My colleague Jane Howze, Managing Director at The Alexander Group, says, “I usually have a sixth sense about whether the person was asked to leave, or whether he or she left on their own accord. I follow up with questions, such as ‘What would your manager say about you, given your short tenure?’”
Her advice? “Follow your gut.”
Many companies today have introduced behavioral interviewing processes where the interviewer asks specific questions that test how a candidate behaves in a certain situation. In our opinion, this process, while beneficial, can rob the interviewer of the opportunity to pop a surprise question (as in tip #1 above) or to rely on the intuition that steers questions in a more relevant way.
Instead, the next time you interview, think like a journalist, and get the full story.
Over the course of our firm’s 35-year history, we have conducted nearly 800 operational, financial and administrative leadership searches for law firms—large and small, regional and global. During this time, law firms’ top business leadership position has become increasingly more strategic and global.
The Chief Operating Officer (or Executive Director, as the firm may title its top business leader) is responsible for managing the business operations of the firm. Interestingly, we have recruited a Chief Operating Officer for the same client three times in the past three decades. While the position description hasn’t changed significantly, the position requirements have changed dramatically.
With that backdrop, I thought it would be interesting to examine the experience and background of the COOs and Executive Directors of Am Law 100 firms. The results of our inquiry were mostly predictable, with a few surprises thrown in.
Does every law firm have a COO or ED?
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the number of Am Law 100 firms that do not have a Chief Operating Officer or Executive Director. Of the 100 top-grossing law firms, 87 have a COO or Executive Director (this is including current vacancies), with the trend decidedly toward calling the position Chief Operating Officer. Conversely, 13 firms do not have a COO/ED position. The largest firms currently not having the title (if not the role) are global giants Kirkland & Ellis (2,300+ lawyers) and Jones Day (2,500+ lawyers), which have long-time, highly respected veterans Brigitte Wooster and Bonnie Shute, respectively, as firmwide Chief Administrative Officers.
Long tenures are common
Of those in the COO or Executive Director role, 49 have been in their role for at least ten years and 35 have been in their role or at their firm for more than 15 years. Chuck Woodhouse at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LeeAnn Black at Latham & Watkins, and Mark Langdon at Ballard Spahr win the prize for the longest tenure at 30+ years, though like many in the top role, all three joined their firm in financial roles. Of the Am Law 20, eight COOs and Executive Directors have been in their role or at their firm longer than 15 years. And let’s face it, no one will probably reach Earle Yaffa’s of Skadden Arps tenure. He joined the firm nearly 40 years ago and is retiring as a senior advisor at year end.
But there is turnover
Currently there are five active COO/Executive Director searches of Am Law 100 firms. Usually vacancies occur when long-standing COO/Executive Directors retire, while occasionally a COO/ED moves to a competitor or out of the industry.
The biggest surprise? Attorneys in the position
Almost one-fourth of all Chief Operating Officers or Executive Directors have law degrees. They fall into two categories: One group is comprised of partners in their firm who have been moved to an administrative leadership role. Others have law degrees, but have never practiced at their current firm.
What is the background of today’s COO?
A large number of Am Law 100 executive leaders hail from accounting or consulting firms. Most typically join law firms in a financial role and are promoted into the COO/ED role. There are at least nine COO/Executive Directors from Bain, Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey. Some were in financial/administrative management but others came from the consulting–specifically the strategy consulting practice of their firms.
There are interesting exceptions to the consulting and public accounting firm backgrounds that we see so often. Barnes & Thornburg’s Steven Merkel was formerly Chief of Operations at United States Military Academy at West Point and Mike Caplan at Goodwin Proctor successfully ran legal departments at Goldman Sachs and Marsh & McLennan. In keeping with its Bay Area roots, ten years ago, Morrison & Forrester tapped Pat Cavaney—who ran business operations at HP—for their COO role. At the time, it was seen as an innovative, out-of-the-box hire, but success and a broadening view of the role has changed that.
Future trends
It is an exciting time to be in law firm management. Global expansion, increasing complexity and, of course, compensation are attracting many non-law firm executives to the industry. At one time, law firms were somewhat reluctant to recruit from outside the legal profession, but no more. The success of those who have made the transition—coupled with the recognition that strategy, leadership and administrative talent are transferrable skills—will continue to broaden the talent pool for this role.
Strategist. Gatekeeper. Advisor. These aren’t just buzzwords for resumes or LinkedIn profiles. They are the critical duties of a role becoming prevalent in the C-Suite.
TV shows like “West Wing” and recent turnover at the Presidential level have attracted national attention to the role of Chief of Staff. Once primarily a government or military role, Chiefs of Staff (COS, for short) are beginning to appear on the rosters of non-government organizations. The trend began in the tech industry about five years ago as many former government officials left D.C. to join Silicon Valley startups.
“I first saw the role emerge more than 10 years ago in the financial services space,” says Jane Howze, Managing Director at The Alexander Group. “Larry Green held the title at Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. for six years, working side by side with President and Founder Dan Pickering.”
Today, the role has spread into banking, arts, professional services firms, and media. Warren Buffett has a Chief of Staff, as do Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel’s COS famously went on to become Chief Technology Officer of the United States.
Demand for transparency, corporate accountability and the rise of social media mean that many chief executives are becoming more like politicians or public personalities, spending more time connecting with the public and media. Chief executives need a way to offload the work that isn’t getting done. Enter the Chief of Staff.
A springboard to the C-suite
As a researcher for an executive search firm, I often identify Chiefs of Staff as potential C-suite candidates: Chiefs of Staff learn first-hand what it takes to run and grow a business, and the experience can accelerate their careers. They have valuable operations, financial or human resources experience—or all of the above—and make excellent candidates for Chief Operations Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and many other C-Suite roles, depending on the search.
Chief of Staffs are also highly influential: This influence has helped women and people of color in the role forge their own unique career paths. “They are being positioned as the next wave of C-Suite executives themselves which is really exciting,” says Caroline Pugh, COS to President of CareJourney. “The chief of staff role could be the very role that finally evens out the gender disparity in boardrooms.”
Karen van Bergen, former CEO of Omnicom Public Relations Group, spent three years as Chief of Staff to the President of McDonald’s Europe before she advanced to the CEO role. Today, she serves as Dean of Omnicom University, the holding company’s long-standing management development program. Kathleen Lynch joined UBS Group Americas as Chief of Staff and a strategic advisor to senior management; today she serves as Chief Operating Officer.
Beyond being the chief executive’s right hand, a COS will likely take on a specific focus while acting as a trusted partner for the chief. Sound ambiguous? “No Chief of Staff is the same,” according to Scott Amenta, another Chief of Staff profiled in a recent New York Times article. Dennis Yu, Chief of Staff at Chime, described the role as a “foil to the principal”. Like a weird kind of work twin? “Yes,” he replied.
Administrative. These could include scheduling and planning meetings, attending along with the executive to take notes, and later following up on post-meeting action items. They may coordinate the executive’s calendar, keep critical contact information updated, and help them prioritize their tasks. It is important that a COS be organized, efficient and flexible.
Project management, such as tracking important initiatives, keeping stakeholders updated on a project’s status, and managing project teams. An ability to build relationships between business units is an important skill for a COS focused on project management. It is also important to be able to track the full lifecycle of a project from start to finish while keeping an eye on the big picture.
Financial. This could include running the budgeting cycle, conducting quarterly business reviews, preparing for board meetings, tracking financial metrics, or evaluating investment opportunities. This blend of administrative and strategic duties is a common task for a COS.
Strategic initiatives. It’s an ambiguous role and is custom-designed to fit the needs of a specific executive. As a result, the COS may take on projects that do not fit within any one business unit or function, such as developing new ideas and business opportunities, building out new functions or business units, designing function strategies, or providing decision support for stakeholders. Problem-solving skills are a must.
Human resources. Some Chiefs of Staff have human resources backgrounds: They may evaluate the organizational structure to identify gaps, update the recruitment process, carry out diversity & inclusion initiatives, or work with the Chief Human Resources Officer to streamline HR processes. They can play a part in the people operations of a company, influencing the community culture. Being people-oriented is important no matter what duties are assigned; it is especially helpful in this case.
Gatekeeping. Excellent communication skills are critical for this, as the COS represents the chief executive to his contacts and the public. The COS may spend much of their time fielding internal and external communications for the executive, vetting media requests, attending meetings on their behalf, and maintaining critical relationships. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.
An effective Chief of Staff must be absolutely trustworthy.
Regardless of the blend of functional responsibilities, one quality trumps all others: Trust. An effective Chief of Staff serves as a trusted advisor who will represent and protect his or her executive’s reputation and serve as a trusted sounding board for politically sensitive and confidential matters. “The executive is constantly getting requests for their time, money, advice or other resources, and they need someone who can vet and respond to these requests appropriately,” says Hsu. “This requires a high degree of understanding and trust between the COS and the executive.”
Need more firepower in your C-suite?
“The main purpose of a chief of staff is to add firepower to the person he or she has been hired to support,” according to Chris Hutchins, the founder and CEO of Grove. Need that firepower in your C-suite? Hutchins suggests an organizational audit to discover what tasks are eating up too much of your chiefs’ time and what a COS could take on for her or him.
Ultimately, a Chief of Staff role will mean different things to different chief executives, and be an extension of that executive. No two are alike.
Brian Rumao, Chief of Staff to Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s CEO, said that while he has program management and strategic responsibilities, the role “has no boundaries or preconceived notions of how to measure success.” When discussing the details of his core responsibilities, Weiner said “The core part of the role is clearly defined. Above that, the role is ultimately what you make of it.”
WET CIGARS, POLYESTER SUITS AND POINTED-TOE SHOES — EXECUTIVES SHARE THEIR (BEST) WORST INTERVIEW STORIES
At The Alexander Group and Alex & Red, we have collectively conducted thousands (and thousands) of interviews in our three-plus decades in executive search. We’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and we have shared a few of our less impressive interview experiences here—partly as cautionary tale, partly for our readers’ amusement.
This time around, we asked clients, candidates and friends of the firm to share their (best) worst interview stories. Here are the ones that left us shaking our heads, laughing out loud and nodding in empathy. Who doesn’t have a story like these?
The air up there
“As a second-year law student at the University of Chicago, I was going through the law firm interview process for the first time in my life,” shares one legal executive. “I found myself in an interview with a posh and somewhat patronizing partner from an L.A.-based firm. About five minutes into the interview, he asked me whether I was in the top 5 percent of my class. I promptly assured him that I almost certainly did not breathe such rarefied air. He then informed me that his firm’s policy was to only hire students in the top 5 percent of their class.
“Flippantly, I responded, ‘Every firm says that, but the top 5 percent of students can only be spread so thin.’ He assured me that his firm has always managed to fill its needs fishing in such a tiny pond. We then silently stared at each other for what seemed like hours, at which point I thanked him for his time, excused myself, and slunk out of the interview with 20 minutes to go.”
Right on time?
A former trial attorney turned leadership coach recalls this story: “In the days before digital calendars, I showed up for my interview to clerk for a well-known Federal Court Judge only to find that his administrative assistant had written the appointment down for a week later. She was mortified and apologized profusely. I graciously put her at ease and said I’d be happy to come back in a week. She and the judge both felt so bad, they insisted I stay and the hour passed pleasantly with repeated apologies from them and kind demurs by me.
“When I returned home, I double-checked my desk calendar—and realized that I had in fact showed up a week early!”
When HR falls over backwards for you… literally
An executive in the energy industry learned early in his career to keep his ego in check: “I interviewed with Boeing while a student at MIT Sloan (the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). I walked into the room to find to my great disappointment not a senior corporate executive but a junior HR associate. He leaned back in his chair and fell over backwards on the floor. He then proceeded to ask me some rather basic math questions, which I found insulting. I said I was not interested in any further discussions with him, and I left.” That was wrong, he admits. “I should have kept my ego in check and used the opportunity to impress him with my skills. I never repeated the mistake.”
At the wrong end of a wet cigar
“Years ago,” shares one law firm executive, “I spent a day with a firm in Chicago. I had five good interviews and one awful one—and the awful one was with the Managing Partner. He spent most of the interview pointing the wet end of a cigar at me and was highly agitated. Every time I thought I nailed a question, he just seemed more upset. I tried harder with every question to show him I had what it took to do the job. I tried to connect with him on a personal level. Nothing seemed to work. The cigar kept coming.
“I was hugely relieved when the HR representative arrived to escort me to the next meeting. The managing partner didn’t shake my hand or even say good bye; he just said good luck and turned back to his computer and piles and piles of paper.
“Just like in sports,” he advises, “you can’t let one bad play turn into a string of bad plays. You have to focus, play your game and not get shaken. If you can’t turn it around, you can walk away confident that it isn’t a good fit.”
What’s wrong with you?
An executive seeking a new position, before she landed her current position at JPMorgan Chase, spoke to the head of a contingency search firm. She relayed this conversation: “The consultant opened with, ‘Here’s the problem with you: You don’t make enough money for your level. People are going to think there’s something wrong with you.’
“I looked at the consultant from the contingency firm, knowing full well that this would be the last conversation we had, and said, ‘here’s my concern with you representing me as a candidate: If you can’t present my skills and experience (and tenure) as ‘the deal of the century, even if we all we do is bring her up to market’, then I am not sure we have anything else to talk about.’
“Needless to say, that was the last time I entertained a cold call from that firm.”
You can be too prepared
A legal executive with a multibillion-dollar corporation was interviewing with an international consumer packaged goods company for a Deputy General Counsel position. “I was so convinced that the role was right for me that, at the interview, I became deeply engaged in a conversation with my interviewers about their business issues and the legal risks associated with them. I thought we had engaged in a concrete and practical business discussion. The feedback from the recruiter, however, was that I hadn’t let my interviewers get a word—or question in—edgewise! When I returned for the second round, I was conscious of the number of questions I asked. It was a lesson to me to pay attention to the dynamic of the interview and let the interviewer guide the conversation.”
What are you implying?
An experienced HR consultant recollects one interview with the head of the legal department who also managed the HR function (always a red flag, says this consultant). “He rambled on without focus about the HR team being relatively junior, etc. etc. He then simply stopped speaking. I paused a moment and then asked, ‘Is there a question for me?’ His smug response to me was, ‘It’s implied.’
“I just stared at him and went on to discuss my approach to mentoring. I did not elect to proceed with the ‘process.’”
More best of the worst:
A successful journalist once applied for a job with Investor’s Business Daily as a writer. The interviewer asked him if he knew what an investment banker was. He misunderstood and replied, “An investment anchor is someone that anchors all the transactions together.” It was a short interview.
“As he entered the room,” Abby Buchold, Research Associate for The Alexander Group, recalls, “my interviewer yelled ‘just do your job!’ at a maintenance worker in the hall outside his office. I finished the interview, but politely declined to return for round two.”
One HR consultant discloses an interview with a Vice President of HR, during which “he never turned around to look at me. I talked to the back of his chair the entire hour. He did hire me though—my first HR job!”
Another executive was asked if she was going to work when she had kids. “I was 25 and single.”
Our Founder and Managing Director Jane Howze remembers this early interview: “I flew into town to for an interview. Ted, the hiring manager, wasn’t there. His staff was obviously embarrassed; as one person frantically tried to find him, another tried to make up for it by saying ‘this is Ted’s office; here is where Ted has coffee every morning; here is where Ted sits in the law library.’ After two hours, I flew back home, never having met Ted. I learned later that Ted was a bit of a problem.”
Polyester and pointed-toe shoes
“When you grow up in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, your fashion choices are limited,” laughs one investor who began his career in law. “In my first year of law school, I interviewed with the big-three Detroit firms. I show up on interview day in a medium gray polyester suit, peach-colored tie, and $8 Bally loafers with pointed toes—sadly they were navy and not black or brown. On this fateful day, I’m watching my classmates in dark gray and navy wool suits, and I look like my grandpa Hanson at a funeral! I later learned from a classmate of mine who joined that law firm and saw my application, that the interviewing partner had written a big “NO” across the entire page of my evaluation form.
“I was making great grades at law school, defying the odds, but I wasn’t getting any job offers. The next year, I got smart. I went to Sears in Ann Arbor—I still remember standing at the cashier’s counter—and bought a navy-blue pinstriped “King’s Road” suit for $89 and a lawyer-like pair of tasseled loafers. That year, I got the first permanent associate offer out of Dickinson Wright. And the difference was an $89 suit.”
