Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter E ... · Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter E-Discovery Hiring Wednesday, March 4th 2015

Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter E-Discovery Hiring

Wednesday, March 4th 2015

Jared Coseglia – TRU Staffing Partners

Jared Michael Coseglia, founder and President of TRU Staffing Partners, has over twelve years of experience representing talent in e-Discovery, Litigation Support, and broadly throughout legal technology staffing. He has successfully placed over 1700 professionals in full-time and temporary positions at the AmLaw200, Fortune 1000, and within the consultancy and service provider community. His ability to identify, deliver, and help retain talent has allowed him the privilege of quickly becoming the globally recognized “go-to” individual for clients and candidates in need of staffing solutions or career guidance and management in eDiscovery. Coseglia’s unique style of representation, vast network of relationships, and subject matter expertise has helped earn TRU a host of awards including Top 3 Best National Legal Recruiter in Best of The National Law Journal 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 Chicago 2014. Mr. Coseglia is an active member of the Litigation Support community and frequently writes and speaks about the state of the legal technology job market with ACEDS, WiE, Peer-to-Peer, LTN, and other publications and organizations. Visit www.trustaffingpartners.com.

March 4, 2015 Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring 2

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Overview:Deciding to hire

Preparing to hire

Deciding who to interview

Preparing for an interview

The Interview

Follow-up

Making the right hire

3March 4, 2015 Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring

Part 1Deciding to hire

“It all begins with the need for another person to lease their talents to a team.”


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 a strategic 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 business


“Why” defines process, timing and target talent.

• Someone has left and I need to replace them right away• Immediately available resource, possibly a temp• Very specific skill set to “plug and play”• Needs resumes fast, no time for casual shopping• May need to pay top dollar to get exactly what you want quickly

• Someone has left and this gives me an opportunity to make a strategic hire

• Role 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 strategy• Requires a passive & patient candidate• Temp-to-perm option, the “try-and-buy”



• Someone has been promoted, and we need to backfill the position• Clearly defined expectations and role definition

• “Replacing your future manager” syndrome , the micromanagement trap

• Compensation limitations, vertical growth limitations

• Wise 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”



• Add to staff, anticipation of increased demand, proactively hiring• How available is the bench for shadowing?• Training functionality and formality• More time to ramp/train, longer to be billable• Can 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 business


Part TwoPreparing to hire

“Knowing what you want is half the battle.”


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 success


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?


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 rule


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 scoop


Part ThreeDeciding who to interview

“Judging a person on paper.”


Interpreting an e-Discovery Resume• Organizational flow

• Technical Skills, Experience, Education• Education, Experience, Technical skills• Milestones, Technical skills, Education, Experience Chronology

• Proficiency vs Expertise

• Tech time vs Client time

• EDRM breadth

• Size and scope

• Technology in context to experience

• Tenure, gaps, promoted

• Sales statistics

• Stigma of “contract attorney”

• Does the resume leave you with more questions than answers?


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?


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 of the process prior to offer

• Great way to gather information about areas of strength and weakness prior to hire

• Great way to have an employee/employer conversation about personal performance and perception once hired


Part FourPreparing for an interview

“The preparation you put into your search will be reflected in the talent you attract.”


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?


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)?


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?


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 of commute?


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 on international matters that require cross-border collaboration?

• You receive 3rd party data containing single page tiffs, single page text, and a 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 or LAW and Relativity yield different results?

• How do inclusionary and exclusionary forensic culls vary?

• How do you configure analytics indices for document Categorization and Assisted Review?


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 so challenging, 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?


Part FiveThe Interview

“A great interview is like a great stage performance: prepare then leave all the prep in the wings and try to live in the moment.”


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 expectations


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 out


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 interview


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-in


Part SixFollow-up

“Responsiveness, a sense of urgency, and articulate communication are all requirements for a successful eDiscovery career…and a successful follow up to any interview.”


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” email• Does 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 work


Part SevenMaking the Hire

“Seal the deal, and what to expect after.”


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 given


Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Sales Talent• Don’t expect a book of business• Do expect measureable activity• Don’t expect revenue for 6-12 months• Do expect RFPs within 3-6 months• Don’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 sales• Do not look for seasoned sales reps outside of legal• Do talk about revenue, quota, base and total comp on 1st interview• Do not wait until final rounds to put $ discussion on the table


FinaleQ&A

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TRU Staffing Partners, Incwww.trustaffingpartners.comjared@trustaffingpartners.com718.685.2092

Legal Technology StaffingeDiscoveryLitigation SupportForensicsCyber SecurityInformation GovernanceManaged ReviewSales and Business DevelopmentPrivacyAnd more….

March 4, 2015 Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring

http://www.trustaffingpartners.com/

mailto:[email protected]

ACEDS/TRU Affinity Partnership

The 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 TRU Staffing Partners will have access to exclusive, geographically-localized TRU study groups and private networking events, and will also receive priority access to TRU's team of recruiters and career management professionals throughout the country.

To receive the discounted package, contact your TRU representative, fill out a TRU application, or email [email protected].

For more information on the CEDS Certification Package, visit http://www.aceds.org/about-ceds/


http://www.trustaffingpartners.com/site/contact.html

http://www.trustaffingpartners.com/site/tru-application.html


http://www.aceds.org/about-ceds/

TRU Scholarship Program


The application process is now open and will continue through March 27, 2015, with the selection process following shortly after that. The recipients will be notified and announced on or around April 10th.

http://www.trustaffingpartners.com/site/component/content/article/6-general/223-scholarship.html

http://www.trustaffingpartners.com/site/component/content/article/6-general/223-scholarship.html

THANK YOU!

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Jared [email protected]

March 4, 2015 Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter e-Discovery Hiring


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Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter E ... · Building a Better Interview Process for Smarter E-Discovery Hiring Wednesday, March 4th 2015