By: Sabrina C. Spitznagle, Principal & Founder at Loop Legal Search
As the lateral legal hiring market continues to be strong, recruiters may be bombarding you with cold calls and/or LinkedIn InMails. While receiving all these calls and InMails can be annoying at times, try to remember that it is absolutely better than the alternative (no calls and no jobs). The key is to separate the wheat from the chaff, as there are many benefits to working with a good recruiter – even if you are not currently considering making a move. A good recruiter will be able to: provide general market knowledge; intelligently discuss and advise you regarding your career goals; offer specific information regarding law firms and other legal employers; assist you with preparing and perfecting your resume and cover letter; follow up with the appropriate people to ensure your resume doesn’t get lost in the shuffle; prepare you for interviews; follow up after your interviews; provide guidance in evaluating and/or negotiating offers; and counsel you regarding the best way to give your notice. To ensure that you find the right recruiter for you, make sure you do your research and look for these qualities:
1. Was the recruiter a practicing lawyer?
If a recruiter has not walked in your shoes, it will be difficult for him or her to truly be able to understand what you are looking for in a new position. They usually will not know the appropriate questions to ask or be able to provide much insight into the legal profession. You want to work with a recruiter who can speak intelligently about firm life, the market in your area, and your practice.
2. Where is the recruiter located and does the recruiter focus on one particular city?
You want to work with a recruiter who is located in the same city in which you want to work, so that they have a deep knowledge of your market. It is so important for your recruiter to have close relationships with and extensive knowledge about any firm or potential employer to which he or she may send your resume. This is almost impossible for a recruiter who is trying to recruit nationally or even in numerous markets.
3. Does the recruiter emphasize the importance of confidentiality and offer assurances that he or she will not send your resume anywhere without your express prior authorization?
You do not want to work with a recruiter who will blast your resume to every single law firm and legal employer. This is a disservice to you and will not help your job search. Firms and companies will want to know that you are actually interested in them and in their specific position. Similarly, if a recruiter sends you to a position for which you are not a right fit, you likely will get rejected. This will hurt your future chances at that firm or company, should another position for which you are qualified become available. Finally, you must keep very good track of everywhere your resume is sent to make sure it does not get submitted for any position more than once. This is impossible to do if a recruiter is sending your resume to firms or other employers without your knowledge and consent.
4. Is the recruiter responsive and available?
When your hourly billable rate is upwards of $500 (or significantly more!), your time is incredibly valuable and precious. You definitely do not want to work with a recruiter who does not understand this and is not responsive to and available for you when you need them to be. A good recruiter will be happy to talk to you after hours or over the weekend. At the same time, a good recruiter won’t overwhelm you with constant calls and emails.
5. Do you trust the recruiter?
This is perhaps the most important quality to look for in a recruiter – you need to trust him or her. Your career is too important to work with a recruiter with whom you are not comfortable. Conducting a job search can be emotional and exhausting – you should have someone you trust to go through it with you and to represent you. Ask the recruiter as many questions as possible before sending your resume or agreeing to work with him or her, such as: How long have you been you been recruiting? Why did you decide to become a recruiter? What type of law did you practice? How many placements have you made? How long have you been working with the firm you are raising? Have you met at least some of the key people at this firm in person? In addition, carefully review the recruiter’s website; his or her LinkedIn profile; and any testimonials or reviews about him or her that you can find.
A knowledgeable, focused, reputable, responsive, and trustworthy recruiter can be an invaluable resource for you. Take the time to find the recruiter with these qualities who is right for you. Your career will thank you.