One of my fellow recruiters asked me last week how my market was faring in these economic times. An immediate vision of that ever popular arcade game of Whack-a-Mole came to mind. In the associate market, it’s all about speed at the moment. See the opportunity, jump on it, and address it “square on” with exactly who the firm wants. Many law firms treat us (BCG Attorney Search) as preferred recruiters and thus we hear of new job listings in advance of the general market. Given the plethora of strong resumes on the market, law firms move ahead quickly and can be very picky. This translates into major competition and major distraction in recruiting departments as another strong resume lands on top of your candidate’s resume. Attention can shift from one person to another in the blink of an eye.

Currently, I have critical e-mail messages out to six candidates who are not responding in a timely fashion. I need dates for interviews, or permission to submit at a new strong job listing, or deal lists, or transcripts, or other things that make up the normal flow of info during a job search. The summer is typically a time when the pace slows. But, this summer, I believe the mantra for associate job seekers should be, “slow down at your own risk.”

I am becoming the nagging recruiter, not because it suits me, but because I am on the front lines and I see decisions being made quickly. I am prodding people to inconvenience themselves a little bit more than in the past to get that interview slot scheduled sooner rather than later. This doesn’t mean you accept an offer without a lot of thought and consideration. But it does mean, if you want the offer, you had best be poised to move forward without a lot of hesitation.

For partners on a lateral search, the firms remain careful and plodding. Those decisions take time.

But if you are in the 2-7 year range, don’t linger when your recruiter says the firm needs this or that, or that a new opportunity has surfaced and perhaps we should apply. That mole is going to go back into its hole in a blink of an eye and during that brief moment of opportunity, there are scores of other associates poised to whop him. This summer presents new challenges. We all have to evolve a bit.