Weekly Thoughts on Recruiting...

Now that you have succinctly listed the key qualities you want with your next firm - what is the next step? Many attorneys quickly will hop on legal job posting sites and apply to as many positions as possible hoping that something sticks. Others might call a search firm and allow them to blast your resume to as many law firms as possible hoping something sticks. I suggest there is a much better way to manage your search.

First, take a step back and review the top three to five reasons you want to leave your employer. Now examine all the jobs you plan to apply to. Do each of these jobs check what you want professionally? I cannot imagine they do. I think one of the last objectives you have is to end up in a position that has little differentiation from your current job.

Second, determine how much time you have to conduct a thorough job search while balancing your current position and other life demands. If you were to receive seven job interviews would you really put in the appropriate amount of time to research these firms and conduct well-thought-out interviews while working at a high-level position now? Something will have to give.

I have found that the best plan is to create a very focused search seeking positions that bring you great professional growth in your next role. Stick to your plan! My next article will explain why using an experienced recruiter may be of great benefit to your search.

Thanks,

Mark

How to Assist Your Attorney Recruiter

Many of you have worked with legal recruiters at some point in your career, but have you maximized this benefit? This article will provide you with the means to assist your recruiter which will directly benefit your lateral search.

There are three key ways to maximize the time spent using a recruiter:

1. Provide your recruiter with a list of employers you have applied to within the last 12 months

2. Keep your recruiter posted on the status of your search

3. Respond to recruiter emails within a reasonable time-frame

Provide your recruiter with a list of employers you have applied to within the last 12 months

It is essential to maintain a complete and updated list of which employers you have applied to directly or through another recruiter as you move forward in your lateral search. In the legal field law firms will generally not work directly with a recruiter who is assisting a candidate that has applied to that law firm within the last 6 months; some firms have a 12 month period. In many instances, this holds true regardless of which office location you applied to. The recruiter will not be the source of the referral and will be out of the communication loop.

Keep your recruiter posted on the status of your search

It is important to remain in contact with your recruiter on the status of your search. This includes the various interview stages and any offers you may receive. It is challenging to make last minute offers appear so the more time you provide your recruiter to move things along on their end the better results you will have.

Respond to recruiter emails within a reasonable time-frame

Make it real easy for the recruiter to assist you. There are many soft and hard deadlines that a recruiter has including the submission of materials, interview dates and times; supplemental materials requested by firms; and offer stage matters. The quicker you respond to their requests, the better your chances are that the recruiter can move things along with the employer you are interested in.

In summary, the better you are able to assist your recruiter with your lateral search, the better the recruiter can assist you. It truly is a mutual arrangement.

Thanks,

Mark

So...You Are Seeking a New Job...

We all have been there. You know it is time to leave your job but it seems very challenging to actually do it. This will be the first of a series of articles that I hope will provide you with the steps needed to move in a forward direction.

First, let's look backwards in time.

Why did I even pick this job? Don't be too hard on yourself. Most likely you selected your position for a number of good reasons at the time you chose your position. Take pen to paper and write out at least 5 main reasons you selected this position at the time you accepted their offer. Looking back, you will notice that you had good reasons; faulty reasons; or maybe reasons that were valid at the time, but that no longer apply. That is okay.

For instance: One good reason is you were correct that you had significant client contact. One faulty reason is you accepted your current employer's offer instead of a competing offer because it had a higher initial salary. What you overlooked at the time was it had a poor record of moving employees forward in their career.

Take away: Learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them next time. Seems simple but many candidates repeat the same mistakes over and over as they move from job to job. Also, repeat what you did right.

Next Time: Can you fix what's "wrong" with your job instead of leaving?