Tips for Effectively Utilizing Internal Contacts During Your Job Search

I decided to write this article after being asked by candidates, on a number of occasions, for my opinion on how to best utilize internal contacts during the law firm application process. This is a great question and it comes up often. While much depends on the circumstance, as a general rule of thumb, candidates fare far better when they allow their recruiter to submit their application and then have their contact “bolster” the candidate’s submission. This is the case for several reasons:

• First, if you are working with a good recruiter, they will present a complete application to the firm (rather than just floating a copy of your resume to someone). This will include a detailed cover letter prepared by your recruiter, your resume and transcript, a writing sample, and any additional relevant details.
• Second, your recruiter should know the appropriate contact person within the recruiting department and can make sure that your application gets in front of the correct person.
• Third, your recruiter has the expertise and can commit the time to continuously following up on your submission and advocating for your candidacy as needed.
• Fourth, if you are granted an interview, your recruiter can help you prepare for that interview.
• Finally, if you use this consistent approach to applying to firms – rather than supplying your resume to multiple people without accounting for where it’s going – you will preserve the confidentiality of your job search and will ensure that your resume does not get into more hands than necessary.

I have talked to many former colleagues and acquaintances that are at the management and partner-level in law firms of all sizes. Almost all of them receive resumes from friends, colleagues and associates on a regular basis and, in most cases, those resumes simply sit in their email inboxes or on their desk. Why? They don’t have the time or incentive to pass that resume on to the appropriate department and to the firm’s recruiting coordinator. They are generally far too busy working on their own matters and do not have enough information about a candidate (based on a one-page resume) to effectively advocate for them. Additionally, keep in mind that – even though you may think the world of your friend who may be an associate at a law firm of interest to you – it is never clear what that attorney’s standing or reputation is at their firm. If they don’t have the clout, your resume may get nowhere. Recruiters with strong submissions and a reputation for presenting firms with excellent candidates will typically have a lot of clout within law firm recruiting departments and can, thus, get their candidates before the firm.

Of course, this is not a hard and fast rule. There will certainly be circumstances where it makes sense to directly present your resume to a law firm, but these circumstances will be rare (for example, if you have a direct connection to the firm or practice group’s hiring partner). Absent that sort of high-level connection, we have seen that the most effective way to get before a firm is to have a trusted recruiter submit your application and provide you with the appropriate contact person within the firm’s recruiting department so that you can have your contact “bolster” your submission by acting as a reference. Wait for a couple of days, following your recruiter’s submission to the firm, so that your submission has time to be processed by the firm’s recruiting department. Finally, I would recommend that you do not provide a copy of your resume to your friend/contact (but rather just have them contact the firm’s recruiting department to put in a good word for you).  In the past, when candidates have provided their friend’s with resumes, the confidentiality of their search has been breached and, more often than not, it has resulted in confusion and frustration within the law firm, since the firm then has multiple copies of your resume). While it requires some forward thinking and clear communication between you and your recruiter, if done correctly, this approach should be the most effective way to land an interview.

Understanding Social Media and Using it to Boost Your Career

In today’s world of modern technology, even our social interactions and presence has crossed over to the digital world. Instead of calling someone to wish them a happy birthday, or even more outlandish, sending them a birthday card via the U.S. Postal Service, we now post a happy birthday message on their Facebook wall. And old colleagues we may have once been too intimidated by to even say hello in the hallway are now approachable as we send them a “connect” request through LinkedIn. As Drew Barrymore’s character in “He’s Just Not That Into You” lamented, there are so many social media outlets available now that just keeping up with your different accounts is nearly impossible! As you begin your job search, or just aim to keep yourself on an upward trajectory with your current employer, there are some rules of the game to play by with regard to your social media accounts.

To read the rest of the article, please visit: http://www.bcgsearch.com/article/61436/Understanding-Social-Media-and-Using-it-to-Boost-Your-Career/

Everyone Go Home And Be Nice

A few weeks ago, I had the great fortune of attending a grade-school reunion in the same cafeteria in which I ate soggy french fries and drank chocolate milk every day for six years back in the 1980s.   The four individuals who so graciously planned this reunion did not just work tirelessly to locate as many of our classmates as possible, but they reached out to all of our old teachers, and, get this– our old principal, Mr. Neilsen.  Much to my surprise, there were as many teachers as students at the reunion, and not five minutes after I arrived, in walked Mr. Neilsen, who I believe just celebrated his 80th birthday.

Mr. Neilsen was a fantastic elementary school principal.  Funny, outgoing and always kind.  In fact, at the end of each and every day (or at least that is how I remember it), Mr. Neilsen would stand at the very front door of the school, and as every child left the building, he would shout “Everyone go home and be nice.”  And man, did his voice carry.

How, you must be asking yourself, is this related to the legal field, practicing law and/or finding a new job?

Very simply, Mr. Neilsen was a brilliant man who gave simple-but-wise advice to us kids:  Be nice.  Sure, his advice focused on how we should act at home, but we all knew what he really meant: be nice to each other; hold the door open for another person; allow someone in a hurry to slide past you on the street; and treat all people with the same level of respect you would want to receive.

Sadly, in my observations of late, I am seeing more and more job seekers who do not abide by this rule and who do not think it is necessary to be nice to others.  By others, I mean anyone and everyone we encounter in our daily life, from the grocery clerk to the court clerk and everyone in between.  Being rude, inconsiderate and disrespectful to anyone is a dangerous way to operate, because sooner or later the individual you flipped the bird to for cutting you off on the sidewalk is going to turn up as a partner in the law firm you work in, or worse, an interviewer during your next job interview.  And make no mistake, he will not have forgotten about your seemingly anonymous hand gesture.

A great example of this recently happened to me.  For the first five years after law school, I practiced law as a commercial litigator, and like most associates, after two years I decided to see what else was out there.  At the time, the economy was in good shape and opportunities were plentiful, so it was not long before I secured an interview with a well-known firm in the area.  The interview started off very well, and I felt like I “clicked” with the first three people I met.  However, as soon as I walked into the office of the fourth individual, I knew the interview was doomed.  For whatever reason (to this day, I do not know what it is), even before I opened my mouth to say “hello,” this senior associate did not like me.  He spent the 20 minutes we had together treating me with disrespect and criticizing the responses I gave to every question he asked of me.  I remember it as if it was yesterday: those were the longest 20 minutes of my life.

Needless to say, I did not get that job, but I went on to practice at another firm for a few more years before becoming a legal recruiter.  Truth be told, I never really thought about that interview again.

That is, until last week, when I met with a new candidate that reached out to me for help after he had been passed up for partner twice in the last two years.   Imagine my surprise when I walked into the waiting area of my office, and there was the senior associate that treated me like garbage over five years ago.  At that instant, I had a quick decision to make: do I treat him like he treated me or do I remain professional and treat him like I would any other new candidate with whom I was meeting?

Make no mistake, I wanted to go with the former, but I ultimately went with the latter.  And the truth is, the guy turned out to be fairly nice, but he was now in need of my help, so I was not surprised by his change in demeanor (I did not get the impression that he remembered me).  Even so, that is not the point.

Here is my point: take my former elementary school principal’s advice and be nice.  To everyone.  Because the next person you mistreat or disrespect could turn out to be someone you need to impress.  And by the time you figure this out, it will certainly be too late.

So, thank you Mr. Neilsen for drilling a simple but invaluable rule into my brain: Be nice.  Not just to the people you love or the people you deem important, but to everyone.

Be Prepared For Every Interview: Practice Discussing Everything On Your Resume!

It is extremely important to be prepared for your interview.  This means being able to discuss with ease all positions you have held, work experience you have gained, and even college classes you have taken, as far back as your resume states.   I recently had a candidate get very upset after an interview because she recognized that she came off as “flighty” when describing her decision to take time off, move to a different state, and then travel prior to law school.  When we discussed this particular aspect of her past, she spoke with confidence and made perfect sense, but when she was asked about these choices she had made so long ago, during her interview, she was caught off guard.  I always tell my candidates to be well versed with everything on their resume, particularly if they have gaps in between employment, if they have moved or are looking to move to another state, or have switched career paths.

Additionally, it is important to be able to discuss specific examples of your work experience and to be able to highlight positive examples of excellent work product.  Stating that you have had “positive reviews” or that you can “provide excellent references” is not enough and tells prospective employers nothing about who you are.  Alternatively, if you repeat a specific positive compliment like “one partner told me that I am an excellent writer and he rarely has to edit my work “, you can certainly make a strong positive impression.   Likewise, if you have been repeatedly asked to work with a particular partner, or if you have been asked to supervise other associates, this suggests excellent work and interpersonal skills, and you should use the opportunity of an interview to talk about these specific examples.   In other instances, candidates may have been offered positions with firms they have worked for in the past, or in one case, a candidate was offered a position in another city where she wanted to relocate, with the firm she was currently working for.  This is very relevant information which you should be prepared to discuss on your interview,  because it reflects positively on you, and an employer will feel much more comfortable hiring someone who he knows is highly respected and valued at their prior or current firm.  An interview is really the best time to brag!

Clearly, it is important to be able to discuss details about your own academic and professional history on an interview.  It is amazing how details and specifics can escape our memory if we have not thought about them or rehearsed them for a long while.  I heard one example of this from an extremely well qualified associate candidate who completely forgot the name of a law firm that had made her a lateral offer years before (and she had brought up the conversation during her interview).  Even though she was able to get around forgetting this one firm name, she was flustered and couldn’t focus as well for the next several minutes of her interview.  I think it is imperative to actually practice discussing your background, so that the conversation rolls off your tongue when the time comes, and you can be at ease and let your personality shine through.  If you were let go, if you have made a lot of lateral moves, or if you are looking to relocate, you should be ready to discuss the circumstances, because an interviewer will likely want to know more.  You can never go back and make another first impression, and if you have actually practiced discussing each topic that may come up, there is less of a chance that you will be caught off guard, forget details, or not come across well.

Don’t Believe the Hype About “Exclusive” Job Openings

Lately, we’ve been hearing from candidates that they are receiving cold-calls from recruiters claiming to have “exclusive” job listings that can only be applied for through that cold-calling recruiter. Of course, this is nothing new, and is indeed a favored strategy of cold-calling recruiters; but, I’ve recently seen candidates make costly mistakes as a result of such calls, including one instance where a candidate accepted an offer that ultimately is a very poor fit for her credentials and her stated long-term career interests.

The bottom line: when it comes to “exclusive” job listings, don’t believe the hype. Only in rare instances will firms enter into exclusive arrangements with a recruiter with respect to a job opening. Think about it – by doing so, a firm vastly limits its potential candidate pool. Of course, there are some instances where contractually binding exc lusive or retained search agreements make sense – for example, when a firm is looking to bring on board a new practice group or has had trouble finding qualified candidates for a position requiring a very specific or technical skill set. But these instances are rare indeed.

Here are some tips on how to handle the next cold call from a recruiter with a so-called “exclusive” job listing. First, ask them some key questions, such as: why is the law firm in question handling this particular search as an exclusive rather than opening it up to other recruiters?; how does the recruiter know that this is an exclusive search/i s there a contract between this recruiter and the firm stating that the recruiter is the only person entitled to fill this job opening?; and, why was the recruiter interested in taking on this exclusive search/what is it about this firm and this position that so appeals to the recruiter? If this is truly an exclusive, the  recruiter will easily be able to answer these questions (and, in fact, most good recruiters who are handling an exclusive listing will provide  answers to these questions before you even get a chance to ask them).

Also, don’t forget to use your common sense. If the cold-calling recruiter is overly-concerned about you disseminating information about this listing to your long-term recruiter, this should give you some pause. If it is really an exclusive the recruiter won’t be too concerned about this, since they should have a contractually binding agreement in place stating that they are the only recruiter who can submit candidates for the position. Lastly, as always, be leery of a recruiter who is ready to fire off your resume to a law firm after nothing more than a 5-minute conversation with you. That recruiter can’t possibly know enough about you or your career goals to be an effective advocate for you, or to help steer you towards opportunities that are best-suited to your expertise and interests.

Remember, the best way to ensure a successful job search is to adhere to a consistent approach. If you’re working with a recruiter you trust, stick with that person. If that person knows that you are putting your search in their hands, they will be fully committed to finding you the best fit for your interests (and will advise you accordingly, rather than trying to steer you towards an opening they have been incentivized to try to fill on behalf of a firm). Finally, keep in mind that you are better off sending your resume to as few recruiters as possible – this will help ensure the continued confidentiality of your search and can help protect against the unauthorized dissemination of your resume.

The Importance of Keeping an Interview

I recently have had candidates ask me etiquette questions about going to a previously scheduled interview after new circumstances arise. The issue can be anything from no longer being interested in the firm to having a busy week at work to having received an offer from another firm. In ninety percent of the circumstances, my advice remains the same: keep the interview, show up, be your usual charming self and try to get an offer! There are several reasons for this advice, but let me at least expand upon a few.

1.            The legal community is smaller than you think. You never know where your career will take you, which partner will join your current firm, who you’ll need a favor from in the future, who opposing counsel may be, etc. You want everyone in that small legal community to have the most favorable impression of you possible and not think that you are flaky or uncommitted or a litany of other potentially false impressions.

2.            You never know what you may find. Though you may initially think a certain firm isn’t the best fit for you because of something you heard, or something you read, or for some other reason, you really never know how you will mesh with a specific group of people in a particular office. You owe it to yourself to show up, check it out and see how it works for you.

3.            You have to look out for yourself. Even if you went on an interview at another firm and even received an offer, you don’t know if something will arise during your conflict check or if some other unforeseen circumstance will result in you not actually working for that firm. In the meantime, you should continue to interview and get offers from the firms that you are interested in so that you have a choice to make and can make it after getting first-person experience at each firm.

Those are just a few reasons why it’s important to keep an interview after you’ve accepted it, but every situation is different. If you have concerns or a circumstance arises, call your recruiter and discuss the situation so they can fill you in on all of your choices and their thoughts and experience with the issue. At the end of the day, you are both trying to find you the best job possible so work together as a team!