If I Could Change One Thing...

In my 14 years as a legal recruiter, I remain steadfast in the one thing I would like all candidates to present to me before I assist - a complete list of all the law firms they have applied to over the last 6 months.

Law firms generally will not provide a recruiter with any credit if their candidate applied for any position (directly or via another recruiter) at that firm in any location. The time frame usually is within the last 6 months although some firms extend that to 12 months.

It is important to be organized for several reasons. First, it takes a significant amount of time to prepare for your submission. If you or another recruiter re-submit to a firm you applied to within the last 6 months it will usually be for naught. Second, I believe that candidates who repeatedly send their materials to the same firms within a short time-span will present themselves as having less than optimal organizational skills. Law firms take organizational and communication skills seriously. Finally, it is important to be organized in your professional job search. You will be more efficient with your time and will have much better insight as to where you should focus your job hunting efforts.

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