Transcription
Building a Better Interview Processfor Smarter E-Discovery HiringWednesday, March 4th 2015
Jared Coseglia – TRU Staffing PartnersJared Michael Coseglia, founder and President of TRU StaffingPartners, has over twelve years of experience representingtalent in e-Discovery, Litigation Support, and broadly throughoutlegal technology staffing. He has successfully placed over 1700professionals in full-time and temporary positions at the AmLaw200, Fortune 1000, and within the consultancy and serviceprovider community. His ability to identify, deliver, and helpretain talent has allowed him the privilege of quickly becomingthe globally recognized “go-to” individual for clients andcandidates in need of staffing solutions or career guidance andmanagement in eDiscovery. Coseglia’s unique style ofrepresentation, vast network of relationships, and subjectmatter expertise has helped earn TRU a host of awards includingTop 3 Best National Legal Recruiter in Best of The National LawJournal Awards, 2012, 2013 & 2014, as well as a Top 3 Best Legal& Litigation Support Agency by the New York Law Journal 2013& 2014, and #1 Litigation Support Staffing Agency in Chicago2014. Mr. Coseglia is an active member of the Litigation Supportcommunity and frequently writes and speaks about the state ofthe legal technology job market with ACEDS, WiE, Peer-to-Peer,LTN, and other publications and organizations. Visitwww.trustaffingpartners.com.March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring2
Overview:Deciding to hirePreparing to hireDeciding who to interviewPreparing for an interviewThe InterviewFollow-upMaking the right hireMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring3
Part 1Deciding to hire“It all begins with the need for another person to lease their talents to a team.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring4
Why am I hiring? Someone has left and I need to replace them right away Someone has left and this gives me an opportunity to make astrategic hire Someone has been promoted, and we need to backfill the position Add to staff, increased client demand requires more resources Add to staff, anticipation of increased demand, proactively hiring Add to staff, non-billable administrative resource Add to staff, business development resources to grow the businessMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring5
“Why” defines process, timing and target talent. Someone has left and I need to replace them right away Immediately available resource, possibly a tempVery specific skill set to “plug and play”Needs resumes fast, no time for casual shoppingMay need to pay top dollar to get exactly what you want quickly Someone has left and this gives me an opportunity to make astrategic hire March 4, 2015Role definition might be an organic process, “I’ll know it when I see it.”Buy-in from peers and partners on change in human capital strategyRequires a passive & patient candidateTemp-to-perm option, the “try-and-buy”Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring6
“Why” defines process, timing and target talent. Someone has been promoted, and we need to backfill the position Clearly defined expectations and role definition“Replacing your future manager” syndrome , the micromanagement trapCompensation limitations, vertical growth limitationsWise to hire someone also “stepping up” into the role Add to staff, increased client demand requires more resources What will they inherit that needs service? Fit to client Rapid indoctrination of institutional knowledge Ready for fast pace, high demand, can “roll with the punches”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring7
“Why” defines process, timing and target talent. Add to staff, anticipation of increased demand, proactively hiring How available is the bench for shadowing?Training functionality and formalityMore time to ramp/train, longer to be billableCan hire less expensive talent Add to staff, non-billable administrative resource Industry experience required? Creating career path or hire to retire Brand ambassador or behind the scenes Add to staff, business development resources to grow the businessMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring8
Part TwoPreparing to hire“Knowing what you want is half the battle.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring9
Crafting the Perfect Job Description Open or close with culture Unique differentiator Detail, detail, detail Include tool specific brands (“Must vs Proficient vs Exposure”) Where in EDRM, breadth of service offering Role evolution Goals, measures of successMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring10
Job Description: “Should I ” include salary information? include bonus/commission plan details? include reporting structure? include degree requirements? include overtime expectations? included benefit information? require a cover letter? be broad or go narrow?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring11
Job Boards: To Post or Not to Post(aka “playing the Field”) Exploring the market or looking to fill the role quickly? Sole sourcing source or supplemental? Who will go through all the applicants? Do you want competitors knowing you are hiring for this role? Cost saving or time sucking? Do you post compensation ranges to attract talent? Free marketing or sign of desperation? The 72 day ruleMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring12
When to Work With External Agencies Immediate needs Contract hiring New role to the organization Niche expertise No time to self-source Volume hiring Targeted recruitment Inside scoopMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring13
Part ThreeDeciding who to interview“Judging a person on paper.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring14
Interpreting an e-Discovery Resume Organizational flow Technical Skills, Experience, Education Education, Experience, Technical skills Milestones, Technical skills, Education, Experience Chronology Proficiency vs ExpertiseTech time vs Client timeEDRM breadthSize and scopeTechnology in context to experienceTenure, gaps, promotedSales statisticsStigma of “contract attorney”Does the resume leave you with more questions than answers?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring15
Due Diligence beyond the resume Check LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook Professional photo(s)?Resume matches online profile, DOE, nothing omitted or added?FB on “private”?What kinds of tweets are they creating? Retweeting? Simple Google search Do not call references before first interview How well does your recruiter know the candidate?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring16
Personality Testing Terrible way to start the process/relationship with a new applicant Terrible way to determine whether or not to interview someone Great way to validate your experience with a candidate at the end ofthe process prior to offer Great way to gather information about areas of strength andweakness prior to hire Great way to have an employee/employer conversation aboutpersonal performance and perception once hiredMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring17
Part FourPreparing for an interview“The preparation you put into your search will be reflected in the talent you attract.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring18
Crafting Your Process Before It Starts What will the process be? How many rounds? Value of phone interviews for eDiscovery hires Who are the key stakeholders? Will you do peer interviews? One-on-one vs group interviews? Will they need to meet the attorneys? Will there be a technical test? HR integration and collaboration?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring19
Basic Q&A Tips for Success Taking questions out of the hypothetical and into the actual Engage in storytelling Avoid “right/wrong” or “yes/no” questions on a first interview Magic 5 Questions: What is motivating you to consider a job move?Why are you interested in our organization?What is a typical day/main responsibilities in your role?What is the most challenging part of your current role?What are your milestones of achievement in your current/recent role(s)?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring20
Nuanced Q&A for e-Discovery Professionals(the right/wrong questions) What is DeNIST? What fields typically do you use to generate an email MD5HASH? What is an EquiSet? What is the file extension of a Summation load file? Explain a “parent/child” relationship? Are you configuring and maintaining user accounts in Relativity? Do you create batches and run search terms?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring21
Nuanced Q&A for e-Discovery Professionals(the current role questions) How much time is computer facing vs client facing? How much time is spent on collections, processing, hosting, review,production, trial support? Hosting your data or externally supported? How many cases do you support at one time? How large are the biggest cases, how small the smallest? Average week in terms of OT? Do you work from home, login remotely, carry a PDA, length ofcommute?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring22
Nuanced Q&A for e-Discovery Professionals(the situational questions) How would you explain Unicode compliance to an attorney? What are the unique parameters to consider when working oninternational matters that require cross-border collaboration? You receive 3rd party data containing single page tiffs, single page text, anda DII file. How would you go about loading for review into Relativity? What are the core differences between processing data in LAW vs Nuix? Why would running the same search terms on the same data set in Nuix orLAW and Relativity yield different results? How do inclusionary and exclusionary forensic culls vary? How do you configure analytics indices for document Categorization andAssisted Review?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring23
Nuanced Q&A for e-Discovery Professionals(the emotional questions) Who has been your favorite manager and why? Why was the most difficult client you have worked with sochallenging, and how did you overcome those challenges? What kind of work environment do you feel you thrive in? Where are the areas you think you can improve upon professionally? Where do you envision your career 3 years from now? What is the hardest part of your job?March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring24
Part FiveThe Interview“A great interview is like a great stage performance: prepare then leave all the prep in the wings andtry to live in the moment.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring25
First Interview, First Date(a familiar formula) Amuse Bouche pleasantries, small talk, weather, “You live in the city?” Appetizers candidate work history company overview Main Course typical day & main responsibilities Dessert culture, character The Check compensation expectationsMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring26
Always good to Have a copy of the resume already printed Offer the candidate water Tell the candidate how long you have to spend with them Listen with your eyes Allow 5 minutes or more for the candidate to ask questions at end Set expectations and timeline for next steps Escort the candidate outMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring27
Never ever Interview while sitting behind your laptop or computer Pull out your cell phone to check email during an interview Have music playing during an interview Chew gum, eat (coffee/tea ok) Exit the interview then re-enter Go longer than 1 hour or shorter than 20 minutes on a first interviewMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring28
Second Interview, Second Date(Is this someone we want to marry?) Deeper technical dive (testing) Investigate specific vulnerabilities/weaknesses/strengths Check for consistency Team fit Enthusiasm barometer Top-down buy-inMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring29
Part SixFollow-up“Responsiveness, a sense of urgency, and articulate communication are all requirements for asuccessful eDiscovery career and a successful follow up to any interview.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring30
Follow up pitfalls Thank you emails/letters How quickly is the thank you email sent?Does the candidate express themselves articulately in writing?Can the candidate clearly reiterate key points made during the interview?Beware the epic “thank you” emailDoes a hand-written letter carry more value? Let your favorites know so Be transparent Meet expectations you set on timeline for next steps Pass on runners-up only when you have an acceptance Acceptances official when the candidate arrives for first day of workMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring31
Part SevenMaking the Hire“Seal the deal, and what to expect after.”March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring32
Keys to Closing the Dream Candidate Make your best offer first Be decisive when you find “the one” Busy seasons: March, April, May, September, October, November Most available jobs, shortest hiring cycles Offer details: bennys, 401K, vaca, contingencies, OT, 35/37.5/40 Always extend offers verbally first, followed by in writing Coaching against a counter offer (the dreaded “80%”) Checklist: start date, pre-planned vaca, non-compete, conflicts,background, signed offer letter, resignation givenMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring33
Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Sales Talent Don’t expect a book of businessDo expect measureable activityDon’t expect revenue for 6-12 monthsDo expect RFPs within 3-6 monthsDon’t expect to hire someone currently selling 5MM Do expect 750K - 1.5MM in year one (or so)Do look for consultative professionals looking to transition to salesDo not look for seasoned sales reps outside of legalDo talk about revenue, quota, base and total comp on 1st interviewDo not wait until final rounds to put discussion on the tableMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring34
TRU Staffing Partners, tners.com718.685.2092Legal Technology StaffingeDiscoveryLitigation SupportForensicsCyber SecurityInformation GovernanceManaged ReviewSales and Business DevelopmentPrivacyAnd more .FinaleQ&AMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring35
ACEDS/TRU Affinity PartnershipThe CEDS Certification Package includes:- A one-year individual ACEDS membership- Access to live and recorded versions of CEDS Online Preparation training- A 145-page exam study guide- The CEDS exam (a discounted rate is available for those who need to retake the exam)In addition, as part of the affinity partnership, individuals who register through TRUStaffing Partners will have access to exclusive, geographically-localized TRU studygroups and private networking events, and will also receive priority access to TRU'steam of recruiters and career management professionals throughout the country.To receive the discounted package, contact your TRU representative, fill out a TRUapplication, or email info@trustaffingpartners.com.For more information on the CEDS Certification Package,visit http://www.aceds.org/about-ceds/March 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring36
TRU Scholarship ProgramThe application process is now open and willcontinue through March 27, 2015, with the selectionprocess following shortly after that. The recipientswill be notified and announced on or around p.htmlMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring37
THANK YOU!Jared Cosegliajared@trustaffingpartners.comMarch 4, 2015Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring38
Allow 5 minutes or more for the candidate to ask questions at end Set expectations and timeline for next steps Escort the candidate out March 4, 2015 Building a Better Int
