The Art of the Informational Interview

The Art of the Informational InterviewThe Art of the Informational Interviewbrde week, we looked at the many networking opportunities available to law students and lawyers, including formal events, social networking sites, and volunteer organizations. But once youve expanded your network of contacts, how do you take the next step of putting those new relationships to use?Step one Just ask.It can be daunting to get in touch with an accomplished practitioner, but keep in mind that successful attorneys are accustomed to receiving networking emailles and are often quite open to providing guidance. The key is finding- and explicitly stating- any connection that you share with your target contact. This can be a direct link, such as a shared alma mater or mutual friend, but it can also be as simple as a shared interest in an area of the law. State your connection in the subject line of the email to ensure your message will be seen- for example, Fordham alum seeking career transition advice, or Question about careers in antitrust litigation. If you met your contact at an event, its a good idea to put the name of the event in the subject line.Make your introductory email short and to the point. State your name, background, goal, and question or requestDear Ms. SmithMy name is Joe Lawyer. Im a graduate of Northwestern Law School (class of 2010) and have been practicing law in the general commercial litigation department of Jones, Jones Jones here in Chicago since graduating. After working on a matter for a publishing company, I became interested in transitioning to an entertainment law practice. I am specifically interested in copyright and trademark disputes.I know you are quite busy, but I was hoping you might have time to speak briefly about your practice and your transition from practicing at a large law firm to working at a smaller entertainment boutique.Thank you so much in advance, and I look forward to speaking with you.Best regards,Joe LawyerDo not attach a res ume to your email. Sending an unsolicited resume to a potential networking contact sends the message that you are only interested in speaking if the contact can offer you a position. You will receive far mora responses if you frame your request as solely informational- even if your ultimate goal is to secure a job offer.Step two Be prepared.Hopefully, your contact will respond with an offer to meet in person or speak on the phone. At this point, he or she may also request a resume (at which point, of course, you should send one).In preparation for your call or meeting, carefully read your contacts biography on the firms website. Pay attention to her career path (where she worked prior to her current firm), and the matters she has worked on recently. Dig in to this information search for mora information on her recent deals or cases, and visit the websites of the companies where she was previously employed. You should also review your own resume and make sure you are prepared to spea k about any past experience you have.Step three Ask the right questions.Prepare a list of questions you would like to ask during the meeting or call. You should be ready to direct the flow of the conversation, if needed. Examples of the types of questions you should ask during an informational networking conversation includeWhat was your path to your current role?What is a typical day for you like?What types of cases do you focus on?What advice do you have for someone looking to transition to this field?What is the best way to find out about opportunities in your field?Step four Make your intentions clear, but dont ask for a job.Again, informational interviews are not about landing a position. It is not appropriate to ask your contact for a job (unless, of course, he or she brings up an opening that interests you). However, it is perfectly acceptable to make clear that you are looking for a new position, and to offer to provide your resume at the end of the meeting. Your contacts wi ll be more likely to keep you in mind as they hear about new openings in the market if you do not pressure them.Step five Follow upAlways send a thank you note via email within one day of your meeting or call. This email should be short, but make sure to mention something about your interaction that was particularly helpfulDear Ms. SmithThank you again for taking the time to speak with me yesterday. Our conversation was very helpful, and I especially enjoyed learning more about your recent trial. I will definitely look into your suggestion of joining the Media and Entertainment Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association.Best,Joe LawyerHave you had a successful (or not so successful) informational interview? Wed love to hear about it in the comments below, or you can tweet us at VaultLawRachel Marx, Law Editor

A few hours is the longest 31% could go without a smartphone

A few hours is the longest 31% could go without a smartphoneA few hours is the longest 31% could go without a smartphoneWhile research has found that were so obsessed with our phones, we emotionally connect to them, it makes sense that we like to have them close by at all times.New results from YouGovshow that 31% of Americans say they think the longest amount of time that they could be without their smartphones for personal use is simply a few hours. Millennials were defined as people born anywhere between 1982 and 1999, Generation X-ers were people born between 1965 and 1981, and lastly, Baby Boomers were those born between 1946 and 1964.How long people could be away from their phonesThirty-two percent of all surveyed said that they never check their phone while on a date, while 24% admitted to doing so once or twice.But that doesnt mean that we dont have a strong appetite for our phones.Respondents weighed in on the longest amount of time that they could not have their smartphones for personal use.A few hours 31%A full day 17%A few days 13%More than a year 10%An hour or less 8%A week 5%A few weeks 4%But where work is concerned, 53% said that they never look at whats going on with their phones while in a meeting lasting 30 minutes.Where Americans smartphones are during sleepOn my bed next to me 17% of all respondents, 24% millennialsDirectly next to my bed (nighstand or table) 42% of all respondents, 46% of millennialsSomewhere else in my room 11% of all respondents, 16% of millennialsIn a different room 22% of all respondents, 7% of millennialsMillennials clearly arent fans of having their phones in another room while theyre getting some shuteye.Twenty-three percent ofrespondents said that they always use their phones for functions other than the alarm clock within the first 10 minutes of waking up, like apps and the Internet.

Heres why we shouldnt lie about taking mental health days

Heres why we shouldnt lie about taking mental health daysHeres why we shouldnt lie about taking mental health daysOne morning in September, Sarah Billington told her manager she had to go home for the day because she was feeling sick. But she didnt have an upset stomach like she let on- she was on the verge of a breakdown.The author and editor had beenstrugglingwithanxietywell before thatmoment, but according to her candidop-edin the Huffington Post, she knew in that instant that powering through was no longer a viable option. So she played the sick card and took the day off. I went home, removing myself from the situation that was making me spiral with anxiety and giving myself a chance to regroup, to curl up in bed for an afternoon and overcome the panic and negative self-talk. Billington writes.Billington opens up in her story about facing an unsettling matter in her personal life while juggling a slew of stressful tasks at a previous job. Shed had conversations with her then-man ager about taking time to prioritize hermental health, but when it came time to request time off, her boss was less than understanding. She found it inappropriate and unacceptable, Billington writes. I ended up feeling ashamed and anxious for having requested the time off. leise reeling from that past experience, she lied. I dont want management thinking Im incapable of doing my job. On the contrary, Im actually very good at it, Billington notes. And yet There is an unjustified stigma around mental illness in the workplace and in general, shewrites. When someone takes a sick day because of a virus or the common cold, their absence isnt considered evidence that they cant handle their work.No one should make you feel guilty about prioritizing your well-being, and if we dont speak up about mental health days, theyll continue to be shrouded in shame. Taking a mental health day is important if youre struggling, Thomas Plante, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Stanford University School of Medicine, tells Thrive Global. And by covering it up, you could also be hindering your well-being in the long run by turning to a short-term fix instead of dealing with an underlying issue head-on, Plante points out.How to ask your boss for a mental health dayPlante suggests being as specific as possible when you ask. We often refer to our mental struggles in vague terms because we dont want to disclose too much in the workplace, but perhaps if your boss knew you were using the afternoon to recharge in the outdoors or go to a therapy appointment, she could become less skeptical of what the day actually means to you. Also, work on phrasing the request to let your manager know that youre taking this time so you can come back mentally stronger, refreshed, and in a better place to be productive at work.That being said, Mental health days can help in the short term, but they might not help in the long term if theres a bigger problem to be addressed, Plante says. A day off can help, b ut it also might be indicative of a larger issue, he says, and if you suspect thats the case, its better to consult with a therapist.If you mucksmuschenstill feel the need to lie, ask yourself these questionsIf youve tried the above tactics but your boss is not accepting, or you still feel the need to lie about taking a mental health day, you may need to take a broader look at your workplace conditions and if theyre healthy for you, Plante suggests. When youre already feeling overwhelmed, ignoring a deeper workplace issue can often add fuel to the fire, so its important to assess the nature of your office environment.1. Is your workplace civil?Your work environment affects your bottom line. It affects your productivity, your well-being, and your overall health, says Plante. If your office feels like a toxic environment, consider switching teams, raising a particular problem to HR, or even going elsewhere, says Plante. Civility is key when it comes to company culture, he notes. (Here at Thrive,compassionate directnessis a key cultural value.) Everybody needs to be treated with respect, compassion, and reverence. If thats not happening, thats a problem.2. Can you have a conversation about your workload?Its one thing to feel like your plate is too full, but its another thing to stay quiet about it if youre feeling overwhelmed. According to Plante, corrective feedback is important when it comes to your well-being, both from employer to employee, and viceversa. Just like youd want your manager to be honest with you, its vital to openly communicate if you feel like youre hitting a wall. Creating a culture of care starts with the employees, Plante points out. Dont ignore the power of corrective feedback.3. Do you need more than a mental health day?Feeling like you need an occasional break is normal, but if you have to lie about whats going on inside, you might need more than a day off, Plante says. According to a 2018APAsurvey, taking time off helpsworkersrecharge, b ut the mental benefits that come from taking a briefvacationtend to fade within a few days of returning to work. In fact, 42 percent of participants of the organizations well-being survey admitted they usually dread returning to work after a break. If youre struggling with intense stress and anxiety, seeking professional help will probably help you more than a mental health day here and there. Remember that theres no shame in reaching out when you dont have the answers yourself.Follow ushereand subscribeherefor all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving.Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffingtonhere.This article first appeared on Thrive Global.