Focused on the Fit®
October 22, 2025
Discover the importance of our Focused on the Fit® approach and how it drives the search process — as well as Lori's fitness journey with Peloton!
How do you know when something is a fit for you, whether that be a job, a relationship or an activity? Do you know?
People often ask what we mean by “Focused on the Fit®” in our recruiting approach, and how we know when someone would be a likely fit for one of our clients.
In simple terms, it is the analysis of experience-based and soft-skill criteria to assess whether a candidate would be more or less likely to excel in an open role with one of our clients, and the presentation of those candidates who appear to have the greatest potential for thrivability to the client for their own engagement and review.
It takes deep discernment and dialog with a candidate to discover what their experience truly encapsulates and what they genuinely want and need in their professional life in order to advise on whether a position is right for them at this stage in their career. It also takes market intelligence and concentrated listening to interpret what a client really requires in a new hire and to advise whether that talent exists in the market with the parameters they’ve set. By holding both simultaneously in the search process, we are the first, safe test ground for a candidate and client to see whether a professional relationship will take root and take off or fail to thrive.
After a deep dive into various equipment and workouts (the Bowflex MAXTrainer was not for me!), I ultimately invested in a Peloton Bike in September of 2023. While I had biked recreationally, I hadn’t had a fitness program centered around biking. It was a new venture for me, but through deep self-inquiry, research, and honest assessment, I came to the decision that the Peloton Bike would be a good fit for me.
And, it is. I currently have a 107-week streak and just passed several milestones: my 580th Peloton ride, my 82nd power walk, and my 505th stretching class. These days, I begin with a warm-up stretch and then take a 30- or 45-minute ride with a 5-minute cool down and a 5-minute stretch at least 2-3 times a week, plus other exercises such as power walking or metabolic walks. I've started doing more strength training with 3-pound weights on the back of the bike, using them during rides and when I have time to take classes. I am delighted that the Focused on the Fit® approach worked so well for focusing on my actual fitness.
While I was the one who ultimately selected the Peloton Bike because it was a personal decision, in the legal recruiting realm, we don’t make the actual hiring decision for the client or the decision to accept a job for the candidate. We assess and bring candidates to the client who have the greatest potential for cohesion and thrivability. From that solid groundwork, the client then selects the individual whom they believe will be the ultimate fit for them. It echoes what Peloton instructor Denis Morton says: “I make suggestions. You make decisions.”
For candidates: Would they enjoy doing the job? Do they have the capability? Does their current lifestyle allow for a job change such as this, and can they see themselves at the company for the long term?
For clients: Are they being realistic in their expectations on what a person’s experience at that level encompasses? Are they offering a competitive enough compensation package to attract the talent they seek? Are they providing the necessary onboarding to give the new hire the greatest opportunity to thrive?
For example, from a candidate’s perspective, if you are currently working remotely or on a hybrid basis, would you be happy returning to an office 4-5 days a week for a new job? From a client’s perspective, would you be satisfied with someone who has less experience and requires training, or do you need someone who can hit the ground running with minimal oversight from day one?
We all want to put our best foot forward with enthusiasm but being honest with yourself and open with that information always leads to the best result, even if that means a job is not the right fit for you (or a Bowflex MAXTrainer!). On a recent search, we worked with someone who was genuinely enthusiastic about interviewing for a position. It was a great experience and cultural fit for both parties; however, after a deep dive and careful consideration of personal circumstances, he determined that it was not the right time to make a career move, despite how much he wanted to pursue the opportunity.
Now, there is always a little bit of risk or percentage of unknown with a new venture, no matter how many questions are asked or how deep the dive into motivations and capabilities goes. That “leap of faith,” whether into a new job or new workout, always involves some uncertainty. By focusing on the fit from the start and giving yourself or a candidate and client the greatest potential for success, that gap becomes smaller for most people. There’s less room to fall through the cracks and more flexibility to navigate around potential pitfalls. The odds improve. By engaging us to help bridge that gap through our search process, our clients face slimmer chances that the candidate they select won’t thrive on their team or that the selected candidate won’t enjoy stepping into and staying in their new role.
Many of our candidates have remained with our clients for decades or even until retirement, a truly rare occurrence in today’s age of mobility. Our goal is to help forge professional relationships that last and to make it as easy as possible for candidates and clients to establish those connections, even when bumps arise along the way. To share a lesson that I have derived from my favorite Peloton coaches (Denis Morton, Emma Lovewell, Matt Wilpers, Jon Hosking, Christine D’Ercole): Let’s face the challenges head on, get through them, and face open road. That is what we want for you, a smooth ride for the many miles ahead after the hire.
Lori Carpenter and her team have recruited top legal talent for corporations and law firms across industries in every area of the law nationwide. Her enthusiasm for the profession has not waned since opening the doors of Carpenter Legal Search, and we often hear her telling others, "I love what I do!" Whether working with GCs, law firm partners or her team, her counsel has helped many to find their professional homes and to hone in on their talents and purpose.
How do you know when something is a fit for you, whether that be a job, a relationship or an activity? Do you know?
People often ask what we mean by “Focused on the Fit®” in our recruiting approach, and how we know when someone would be a likely fit for one of our clients.
In simple terms, it is the analysis of experience-based and soft-skill criteria to assess whether a candidate would be more or less likely to excel in an open role with one of our clients, and the presentation of those candidates who appear to have the greatest potential for thrivability to the client for their own engagement and review.
It takes deep discernment and dialog with a candidate to discover what their experience truly encapsulates and what they genuinely want and need in their professional life in order to advise on whether a position is right for them at this stage in their career. It also takes market intelligence and concentrated listening to interpret what a client really requires in a new hire and to advise whether that talent exists in the market with the parameters they’ve set. By holding both simultaneously in the search process, we are the first, safe test ground for a candidate and client to see whether a professional relationship will take root and take off or fail to thrive.
To give a broader picture of what I mean, using an example outside of the legal recruiting industry, I recently applied the same approach to my lifestyle and fitness journey. I was looking for a way to workout that would help me to achieve my desired results. I assessed my skill level honestly and considered the types of exercises I had done over the years (experience-based criteria). I recognized that I am comfortable with dedication and trusting a process to achieve results, just as I do in my professional career. I did thorough research and spoke with others, keeping an open mind about what might be the best “fit” for me. I am entrepreneurial—like to make my own way, follow my own path—and I am goal driven and not afraid to strike out into new territory (soft-skill criteria).We are the first, safe test ground for a candidate and client to see whether a professional relationship will take root and take off or fail to thrive.
After a deep dive into various equipment and workouts (the Bowflex MAXTrainer was not for me!), I ultimately invested in a Peloton Bike in September of 2023. While I had biked recreationally, I hadn’t had a fitness program centered around biking. It was a new venture for me, but through deep self-inquiry, research, and honest assessment, I came to the decision that the Peloton Bike would be a good fit for me.
And, it is. I currently have a 107-week streak and just passed several milestones: my 580th Peloton ride, my 82nd power walk, and my 505th stretching class. These days, I begin with a warm-up stretch and then take a 30- or 45-minute ride with a 5-minute cool down and a 5-minute stretch at least 2-3 times a week, plus other exercises such as power walking or metabolic walks. I've started doing more strength training with 3-pound weights on the back of the bike, using them during rides and when I have time to take classes. I am delighted that the Focused on the Fit® approach worked so well for focusing on my actual fitness.
While I was the one who ultimately selected the Peloton Bike because it was a personal decision, in the legal recruiting realm, we don’t make the actual hiring decision for the client or the decision to accept a job for the candidate. We assess and bring candidates to the client who have the greatest potential for cohesion and thrivability. From that solid groundwork, the client then selects the individual whom they believe will be the ultimate fit for them. It echoes what Peloton instructor Denis Morton says: “I make suggestions. You make decisions.”
To achieve the best result, we encourage transparency and honesty throughout the search process, not only in conversations with us or between candidates and clients, but also in internal dialog. Just as I tried to be as honest with myself as possible about potential workouts (whether I would enjoy them, had the capability, and could sustain them for the long term), we ask candidates and clients to dig deep into what is truly needed.We assess and bring candidates to the client who have the greatest potential for cohesion and thrivability. From that solid groundwork, the client then selects the individual whom they believe will be the ultimate fit for them.
For candidates: Would they enjoy doing the job? Do they have the capability? Does their current lifestyle allow for a job change such as this, and can they see themselves at the company for the long term?
For clients: Are they being realistic in their expectations on what a person’s experience at that level encompasses? Are they offering a competitive enough compensation package to attract the talent they seek? Are they providing the necessary onboarding to give the new hire the greatest opportunity to thrive?
For example, from a candidate’s perspective, if you are currently working remotely or on a hybrid basis, would you be happy returning to an office 4-5 days a week for a new job? From a client’s perspective, would you be satisfied with someone who has less experience and requires training, or do you need someone who can hit the ground running with minimal oversight from day one?
We all want to put our best foot forward with enthusiasm but being honest with yourself and open with that information always leads to the best result, even if that means a job is not the right fit for you (or a Bowflex MAXTrainer!). On a recent search, we worked with someone who was genuinely enthusiastic about interviewing for a position. It was a great experience and cultural fit for both parties; however, after a deep dive and careful consideration of personal circumstances, he determined that it was not the right time to make a career move, despite how much he wanted to pursue the opportunity.
Through our search and recruiting process, our goal is to ask the questions that facilitate internal inquiry, helping both clients and candidates to find answers sooner rather than later. To use an analogy: you could save yourself the time, effort and expense of ordering and returning a Peloton Bike (or letting it sit in the corner to gather cobwebs!) by taking a look at your interests and skills and honestly admitting that biking just isn’t for you despite how glossy and exciting it looks in the YouTube videos or how much you wish you could enjoy it.We all want to put our best foot forward with enthusiasm but being honest with yourself and open with that information always leads to the best result.
Now, there is always a little bit of risk or percentage of unknown with a new venture, no matter how many questions are asked or how deep the dive into motivations and capabilities goes. That “leap of faith,” whether into a new job or new workout, always involves some uncertainty. By focusing on the fit from the start and giving yourself or a candidate and client the greatest potential for success, that gap becomes smaller for most people. There’s less room to fall through the cracks and more flexibility to navigate around potential pitfalls. The odds improve. By engaging us to help bridge that gap through our search process, our clients face slimmer chances that the candidate they select won’t thrive on their team or that the selected candidate won’t enjoy stepping into and staying in their new role.
Many of our candidates have remained with our clients for decades or even until retirement, a truly rare occurrence in today’s age of mobility. Our goal is to help forge professional relationships that last and to make it as easy as possible for candidates and clients to establish those connections, even when bumps arise along the way. To share a lesson that I have derived from my favorite Peloton coaches (Denis Morton, Emma Lovewell, Matt Wilpers, Jon Hosking, Christine D’Ercole): Let’s face the challenges head on, get through them, and face open road. That is what we want for you, a smooth ride for the many miles ahead after the hire.
Learn more: Focused on the Fit® | Carpenter Legal Search
Lori Carpenter and her team have recruited top legal talent for corporations and law firms across industries in every area of the law nationwide. Her enthusiasm for the profession has not waned since opening the doors of Carpenter Legal Search, and we often hear her telling others, "I love what I do!" Whether working with GCs, law firm partners or her team, her counsel has helped many to find their professional homes and to hone in on their talents and purpose.
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