It’s All About the Interview

As a recruiter, my main focus is all about getting candidates to one place: the interview. This means speaking about their needs, assisting with their resumes, drafting a compelling cover letter on their behalf, advocating to the places to which we’ve submitted them and then fully preparing them with a mock interview. After that point, most of my job is done. After all, I can’t go into the interview and answer the questions for them! (Although sometimes I wish I could)

Yes, there are some things I do after an interview to help a candidate land their dream job, but so much of the decision rests upon a candidate’s shoulders once it gets to that phase. I recently had a friend link to an article that Forbes did about the interview process and it proposes that there are really just three key interview questions:

1. Can you do the job?
2. Will you love the job?
3. Can we tolerate working with you?

Overall, I’d have to agree with this summary. A prospective employer already has your resume and can see a basic picture of what you’ve done in the past. They’ve also likely seen your transcript and gotten personal feedback from your recruiter, if you are working with one. So, if they ask you in for an interview, they generally know that there is a high likelihood they’d like to hire you.

As you prepare for an interview, keep those three questions in mind and try to incorporate them into your answers to other questions. Obviously, most employers won’t ask any of those three questions outright, so it’s up to you to convince them that you can do the job even though you’re technically answering a question about your biggest weakness (everyone’s favorite interview question). And follow it up with reassuring them how much they’ll love working with you as you are smiling broadly and capturing their attention with an appropriate humorous story or two.

What it really comes down to is simple: they want someone who can do the work well, who will do it without complaint (and, gasp, maybe even an occasional smile), and who they don’t mind being stuck in the office with on a Saturday afternoon. Use this information to your advantage and lock down an offer every time you interview! Read the full article from Forbes here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2011/04/27/top-executive-recruiters-agree-there-are-only-three-key-job-interview-questions/.

Recruiting a Recruiter

As you grow in your career it’s important to grow your network with you.  A legal recruiter can open many doors for you by providing you with information on open positions.  The best legal recruiters can offer more than job opportunities.  We can react to what you’re doing and provide well-informed advice that may be hard to find anywhere else.  We can be your biggest advocate, your career cheerleader, even your life coach.  But take note – a relationship with a recruiter is a two way street.  In order for a recruiter to want to invest time in your career and think of you when a fantastic opportunity arises, you must have something to offer in return.  Follow these steps to successfully establish a strong relationship with the right legal recruiter.

1.  Be the best lawyer you can be. We want to represent attorneys with impressive academic and professional records – it makes us look good and quite frankly, it makes our jobs easier. Nothing matters more than success in your work. That comes first. Be successful and recruiters will be knocking down your door.

2.  Develop relationships before you need a new job. Take the time to return phone calls or to take the initiative to find a legal recruiter is when you’re not job hunting. You never know what the future holds and you will need an advocate who will contact you with market updates and new job openings which will propel you to the next level of your career. Be proactive about your career – not reactive.  Don’t wait to find a recruiter until you have been laid off or until you are absolutely miserable in your current position.  The right recruiter will work with you throughout your career and help you avoid being in a situation where you’re unhappy or out of work.

3. Choose wisely.  Find a recruiter who is easy to talk to, responsive, honest, and willing to talk to you in depth about your career. The right recruiter will take the time to learn about your career goals and objectives and will not worry about how quickly they can find you a new job. Look up the recruiter on LinkedIn or ask colleagues or friends for referrals.

3. Help us help you. We cannot accurately represent you if we don’t know everything there is to know about your career history and your future goals. Be honest with us – share your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Our job as recruiters is to portray you in the best way possible, while minimizing your limitations.  Don’t try to hide your gaps relative to a particular opportunity. Furthermore, be honest in letting us know what you are looking for in your next job. It is not helping anyone if we think you are interested in moving to a big law firm if your dream job is to start your own practice.

4. If you’re not interested in a job, add value. Make your recruiter’s call or email worthwhile even if you’re not interested in the job. Let us know why you aren’t interested and what you are looking for. Then, suggest highly qualified colleagues or refer interested friends to us. We will work harder for you if you are willing to help us.

Building a relationship with the right recruiter can open up many opportunities for you during the course of your career. Find the right recruiter and work hard to establish and maintain a strong connection with him or her. You will benefit from a lifetime of career advice, market knowledge and many great job opportunities.

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.

Resume Referrals, How to Choose Wisely

With regards to resume referrals, candidates often ask me if it is better to use a recruiter or to ask an acquaintance/friend to pass along their resume to a law firm.  My answer is that, it depends.  Personal referrals can be successful, but candidates should try to verify a few things before handing their resume off to someone.  Here are a few things to consider:

1. Do you feel that your contact will be able to represent your candidacy strongly and zealously?

2. Are you confident that the contact you want to use is respected and has a good reputation at the firm?  In addition, are you sure that your contact is not in danger of being laid off or fired in the immediate future?

3. Are you sure that your contact likes you and in fact wants to work with you in the future, should you receive an offer at the firm?

4. Do you trust that your contact will follow up with the firm and its partners, on your behalf?

5. Does your contact know enough about you and your professionalism to act as an informal reference for you?

If you have answered in the affirmative to the above-mentioned inquiries, it may be a great idea to ask a qualified personal contact to submit your resume to a firm, on your behalf.  If you are unsure about some of the above questions, however, it may be better to utilize a recruiter for your law firm search.  If you a find a diligent and well-connected recruiter, this person will be able to strongly represent and market you to the firm of your choice.  Additionally, you can be confident that you are on the “same team” as your recruiter, as you both of you have the same end-goal in mind.

Thus, if you find yourself choosing between utilizing the services of a recruiter or a casual friend/contact at a firm, think things through and choose wisely!