Interview tip of the day: Leave any emotional baggage at home.

It’s not a secret that looking for a job and interviewing can really take an emotional toll on someone. Within the legal field, it is a reality that some interviewers will take it upon themselves to be unfairly rude or harsh to potential candidates- just because they can.

It is important to “shake off” all prior negative interview experiences. You don’t want to unconsciously “self-sabotage” yourself in any future interviews, by coming off as bitter or defensive. Thus, remember to leave any emotional baggage regarding this issue, at home.  Doing so will allow you to be focused and positive at your interview, which will go a long way in creating a good impression.

20 years for Marc Dreier?

Judge Rakoff (United States Federal District Court) in Manhattan sentenced Marc Dreier to 20 years in prison yesterday.  Marc Dreier, the sole equity and name partner of his now defunct law firm, plead guilty to a myriad of theft and fraud charges earlier this year.  Dreier’s own lawyer summed up his client’s behavior as a fraud “of epic proportions.”

While the judge didn’t appear to take pity on Dreier, he did note that Dreier’s wrongdoing did not rise nearly to the level of Bernard Madoff’s (who received 150 year sentence only recently).  It’s hard not to compare these two formerly wealthy, powerful New Yorkers whose fraud was uncovered only months apart.  However, does all punishment have to measured now on the Madoff scale?  Would Dreier have received a harsher sentence if he were not sentenced on the heels of Madoff?  I wonder whether the enormity of Madoff’s scheme paled Dreier’s crimes in comparison.  Does Marc Dreier owe Bernie Madoff a thank you note?

Leaving your firm on a ”good note”

Do you remember being told as a child that you should never burn bridges? There is a good reason for that. People often find that it is indeed a small world, and your particular legal community is no exception. Although you may think that this is the perfect time to tell a jerky partner exactly what you think of him or her, keep strong in your professionalism and leave your firm on a good note.

This includes finishing any assignments that you are responsible for, continuing to act in a courteous and polite manner, and leaving the firm with your head held high and your professional pride intact. Any attorneys at the firm that gave you a hard time during your tenure there are not worth your words or further energy. Don’t jeopardize future professional opportunities by giving in to the desire to ”bad mouth” your firm or partners, as you are leaving. It may be frustrating to not be able to express those negative feelings to other people at your firm, but in the long run, it will be you who benefits from remaining poised and professional during your departure.

To contract or not to contract?

By no means is this post meant to raise a new issue.  In fact, I am sure the issue of whether to do contract work while searching for a permanent position has been blogged about before.  Even so, because I believe that the answer to this question changes as the economy changes, its worth a revisit.

I cannot recall a day in the last six months on which I was not asked by an unemployed law-firm associate whether it would hurt their chances of finding a permanent job if they did some contract work to bring in some money (yes, even though big-law firm attorneys make ridiculously large salaries, let’s face it, we are not exactly the best money managers).  I applaud anyone who asks me this question because it shows that he/she is thoughtful and aware that much of what you do can affect your chances of obtaining a new permanent job.

So, what is the answer?  Should you do contract work or will doing so make your resume less attractive to prospective employers?  While there is no “right” answer, in a strong economy, I recommend against contracting because it can make an associate look unfocused and/or uncommitted. However, in an economy like this one, all bets are off, meaning that contract work has become a necessity for many unemployed associates.  Think about it.  Countless attorneys have been laid off as a result of this recession, many of whom are the primary wage earners for their families or have other monetary obligations that do not simply disappear because the economy has gone down the toilet.  Contract work is a relatively easy way to keep some level of income while searching for a job.  And, from my experience (and only my experience) firms have changed their tunes about contract work as well.  In fact, when I inform firms that my candidate is doing contract work, the usual response is something like “that makes sense” or “of course, that’s no problem.”  After all, we are all experiencing the recession to come extent so those who have escaped the massive lay offs should empathize with those who have been cut.

So, while the economy is in the tank, contract away.  But remember, once the economy has recovered (which it will very soon) and permanent jobs are abundant, contracting may no longer be as acceptable.

You know I love you, right?

I’ll just start with that, because I hate to be harsh.

I’ve ranted about this before, but nothing drives me crazier than an unprofessional presentation during a job search.  Most people would be surprised if they saw what I’ve been seeing–when the economy goes downhill, so does the work product of the resumes and cover letters I see.  I have lots of unscientific theories about why, but that’s not really the point of this particular post.

This post is about your e-mail address.  If your e-mail address is some version of your proper name (and only your proper name), you can stop reading.  For those out there with e-mail addresses on the creative, side, this is for you.  It’s tough enough in today’s economy–there is no reason to make it harder by using a ridiculous e-mail address.

You don’t have to pay for an e-mail address anymore.  So even if you love the SurfChick@whatever address you’ve been using for 10 years, get a new one.  CoolLawyer@address, go ahead and change yours as well.  The personal e-mail address you list for correspondence pertaining to your job search should be personal (i.e. not your work e-mail), but it shouldn’t be personal, know what I’m saying?  If your e-mail address references your hobbies (BakingManiac@…), your pet’s name (Fluffy’sMom@…), or whether you are attractive (CuteAtty@…), please do not put it on your resume.  Today I saw ANOTHER e-mail address with some cheeky innuendo.  Why are you harpooning your job search efforts?

There are times to show a little flair and a little individuality.  I love a good sense of humor.  But some of these e-mail addresses I’ve been seeing–they are distracting the heck out of me, and not in a good way.  You want someone to pay attention to your resume–but not negative attention.  Your e-mail address is your contact information–plain and simple.

I know you are funny, I know you are interesting.  I promise I am excited to review the details of your professional background.  Your e-mail address, however, should bore me to tears.

Did we skip the litigators?

Recessions are typically best for litigation and bankruptcy lawyers.  While we generally see a demand for high quality litigators, litigation attorneys used to prove somewhat recession proof.  As we near the end of this recession (that’s right, I’ve declared that it’s over.  I am willing it to be over.) I am seeing some differences in hiring trends.  While bankruptcy practices have been hiring, litigation practices have not.  The overall downward forces of the economy has been so strong that even usually resilient litigation practices have felt the pinch.

Here in New York, the early stirrings of the recovery are pointing to transactional lawyers being sought after.  Does this mean that the cycle ebbed and flowed without bringing in some litigation upswing?  Maybe.  When the economy recovers (see?  I said when, not if), there are certainly going to be ample opportunities for litigation practitioners.  Even so, I believe that this recession hasn’t followed in the steps of other downturns–we may very well see transactional practices rebound before it’s time to staff up other controversy practices.

The next few months should be interesting.  Who are the busiest lawyers in your firm?

Marketing Tip of the Day: Be an abundant resource of information for your recruiter

Being an abundant resource of information, is one of the best ways you can help your recruiter market you to law firms. The best types of recruiters will be those who take the necessary time to get to know you and your professional strengths. A little extra preparation can go a long way, in trying to set you apart from the numerous other applicants vying for the same position. Freely give your recruiter all of the information he/she requests, along with any additional details about your background that you think will be helpful.

In order for your recruiter to create a cover letter that effectively markets you, he/she must collect and process useful marketing information about you. It often surprises me when candidates refuse to give additional and helpful information to their recruiters because they are ”too busy” or it is not convenient to do so. A recruiter’s ability to represent you is directly enhanced or limited by your participation and commitment to this process.

You and your recruiter are acting as one team, so put in the time and effort to help your recruiter maximize your chances for a successful job search.

Thank You Notes: Are They Still Necessary?

After completing a full day of interviews, a common question I receive from my candidates is whether they should send a thank you note to each of their interviewers.  There are two different schools of thought on this question, and I believe that there is no right answer.  Instead, I believe each candidate should do what makes him/her most comfortable.  While some believe that a thank you note is absolutely necessary, I believe sending a thank you note could actually hurt your candidacy if it is not done correctly.  In my personal experience as a member of the hiring committee at my old firm and a frequent interviewer of lateral candidates, a thank you note never changed my mind regarding a potential candidate.  My decision was always based upon my personal interaction with a candidate.  At most, a well-written thank you note from a candidate whom I had liked simply reaffirmed my positive impression.  However, it never changed a “no” decision to a “yes” decision.  Thus, I do not believe that thank you notes are absolutely necessary.  However, I am sure that there are many people who would disagree with me.  So, if you are going to send a thank you note, there are several important rules you must follow.

First and most important, make sure that there are no typographical or grammatical errors in your thank you note.  If necessary, have someone else (like your recruiter) read your thank you note to make sure that it does not contain any embarrassing mistakes.  This is your last impression with an interviewer, and you want to make sure that you do make the most of it.  For example, one of my colleague’s candidates met with two different firms on the same day, and was in a rush to send out his thank you notes when he got home that evening.  Thus, he typed out a simple, generic note and “cut and paste” the same thank you note to each interviewer.  Unfortunately, he forgot to change the name of the firm.  Needless to say, this made a bad impression on the firm and the candidate did not get the job offer.  It is impossible to say whether this one mistake was the reason for the firm’s decision, but it certainly did not help.

Second, do not send the same thank you note to each interviewer.  Make every attempt to personalize your thank you note in some way.  After all, interviewers have been known to  compare notes and you do not want your last attempt to leave a positive impression to seem false in any way.

Third, send your thank you note in a timely manner.  The purpose of your thank you note is to help solidify the hopefully positive impression that you made.  Typically, an interviewer completes an evaluation shortly after meeting with a candidate, and you want to make sure that your thank you note reaches the interviewer before that evaluation is completed.

Fourth, keep the thank you note short and sweet.  Do not use the thank you note as a means to repeat all of your qualifications and reasons why you believe you would be a perfect fit for the job.  Hopefully you will have already covered this during your interview as well as in your resume and your cover letter.

Lastly, the second most common question I receive after whether to send a thank you note at all is whether to send a handwritten thank you note or whether an email is sufficient.  I believe that either method is fine.  There are pros and cons to each approach which will depend on both the candidate and the interviewer.  For example, if your handwriting is hard to read or you do not have the ability to use formal stationery, you may opt to send an email.  An email will also be certain to reach the interviewer in a timely manner.  On the other hand, some interviewers may prefer the traditional approach of handwritten thank you notes, which unfortunately is impossible to determine.  Also, a well-done handwritten thank you note can win you style points.  At the end of the day, either method is fine.

Ooh Ooh Child, Things Are Gonna Get Easier

I was listening to the radio on the way in this morning.  The stock market is improving.  Yesterday three banks repaid some of their bailout money and the government actually made a profit.

There are signs of better days in the midst of which there are still many sacrifices being made.  In the law firm community we became accustomed to certain things.  We got used to being pampered.  We work hard of course.  But relative to what professionals in other industries earn in compensation and benefits in exchange for their labors, we are in the upper percentiles.

I’m not quite ready to declare victory over the economic shifts that have occurred in the profession over the past year.  Salaries and benefits are still being cut but the volume of lay offs is decreasing.  There does seem to be a transformation taking place which is moving things along and I am optimistic that we are on the right path.

Recruiters at BCG have spent a fair amount of time consoling out of work attorneys that contact us for help.  Then there are the attorneys we speak to daily who have had their pay reduced.  Most of them have a good attitude and can put it into perspective.  Some of them are pretty resentful and bitter.

It is understandable when your hours are as high as ever that having your pay cut is annoying.  For people who have set expenses and families it is a strain.  It stinks.  But a reduction in pay is preferable to being a recent graduate, experienced attorney, or former law firm staff person without any job at all.

All of us enjoyed the tide of good times and the perks that went with them.  Every single one of us has felt a sense of loss about our profession and had a part to play in the road back towards something more sustainable.

There are a lot of disillusioned people out there who feel battered and uncertain in varying degrees.  When I wrote in a December blog on what was in and what was out at law firms I said having a job was “in”.  I received a couple of unpleasant comments for that remark.  I didn’t say it to be flip or even funny.  I said it with a sense of foreboding about what was to come between January and the present.

If you have a job that now pays less than you are accustomed to, thank you.   In time it will improve again.  For now that is your part of contributing to the greater good of the future.   I’m not denying that there have been gratuitous lay offs and some knee jerk reacting, but our industry was standing on a house of cards.  Some these changes are necessary in order for us to regain the stability.

My son’s tae kwon do teacher says, “keep working at things and tough it out”.  It hasn’t been pretty or perfect but slowly we are making progress.  There are practice areas that are beginning to heat up- just a few minutes ago I saw a news ticker about changes to the exectuive compensation rules.  That means work for some of us.  And there are other areas beginning to thaw out or continuing to thrive.

Compared to the sacrifices our grandparents and great grandparents were called to make during WWII and the Great Depression for our future, we are pansies. We are going to get through this and it is getting better. The vast majority have felt the sting of this crisis.  Despite the frustration and loss, we all stand to gain something by going through this.  Our kids and grandkids will be talking about us and I hope what they remember is that we pulled together and did what we needed to.  So keep your eyes on the horizon and keep walking.

Using Social Networking in Your Job Search

In the current economy, it goes without saying that job seekers need to take advantage of all available employment resources.  This includes, of course, traditional avenues, such as recruiters, colleagues, friends, family and job posting websites.  More than ever, it also includes exploiting new, innovative and even unconventional methods.  Those who embrace and exploit these newer technologies will gain a significant advantage over their colleagues who are restricting themselves to established job search methods.  While there are a host of emerging technologies that can assist job seekers, this article will focus on the use of social networking and social media to expand the reach and scope of their pursuit of their next job.