Selecting and Engaging with a Legal Recruiter
Your Key to Career Advancement
Your reputation and relationships are everything in the close-knit legal community. By investing in a trusted legal recruiter, you'll gain a career advocate who can open the right doors at the right time and competitively position you at each step of the lateral process to maximize your chances of success.
Here are some tips on how to select and engage with a legal recruiter effectively:
1. Choose a recruiter who will be your career champion:
Seek out recruiters deeply entrenched in the legal industry with a track record of success.
Find somebody you can trust. Your recruiter should work with you at each step of the process, from application to interview preparation and offer negotiation.
Look for glowing testimonials, stellar online reviews, and enthusiastic referrals from your network.
Partner with a recruiter who takes a personalized, consultative approach to understand your unique value and career aspirations.
2. Arm your recruiter with what they need to market your candidacy:
Craft a compelling resume that sets you apart, showcasing your skills, experience and impact. Your recruiter can provide expert guidance.
Share strong references and writing samples that attest to your abilities. Access insider tips here for selecting writing samples that impress.
Highlight the unique strengths and experiences you bring to the table. Help your recruiter crystalize your personal brand and market you with precision.
3. Openly share your career vision:
Articulate your dream roles, target employers, and ultimate career objectives. If you are not yet sure exactly what these are, a seasoned recruiter is equipped to refine your goals and chart the best path forward.
Be transparent about your salary needs and deal breakers. Empower your recruiter to negotiate effectively on your behalf.
4. Treat your recruiter as a trusted advisor:
Engage with your recruiter as you would a colleague, forging a relationship grounded in mutual respect.
Respond promptly to outreach and information requests. Each interaction is an opportunity to sharpen how your recruiter presents your candidacy.
Course-correct together in real-time. Maintain open lines of updated communication with your recruiter, including timely updates as you navigate the lateral landscape together.
5. Tap into your recruiter's deep market insights:
Glean intel on hiring trends, practice movement, and career trajectories in your practice. Your recruiter should have access to data and analytics that will give you a competitive edge as you navigate the market.
Workshop your interview process and professional narrative with your recruiter. Let them use their expertise to position you for success.
Explore the hidden job market. Your recruiter's vast network holds the key to unlocking premium opportunities not found anywhere else.
6. Keep an open dialogue:
Communicate pivots in your job search or practice goals. Allow your recruiter to recalibrate and keep pitching you for the most fitting roles.
Close the loop on interviews, offers and developments in your search. Your recruiter can help you interpret the landscape and make the right moves.
Sustain the relationship long-term, even after placing. Your recruiter is your lifelong career advocate, facilitating your continued success.
7. Cultivate an exclusive, committed recruiter partnership:
Entrust your law firm search to one exceptional recruiter. Contrary to popular belief, more recruiters do not equal more opportunities. The right recruiter will have the relationships and know-how to promote you to any firm accepting submissions.
Centralize your efforts with a recruiter who can generate buzz and demand for your candidacy, manage timelines across firms, and negotiate the most competitive offer leveraging your full market activity.
Be considerate of your recruiter's intensive efforts on your behalf. Engage their counsel and prep if you are serious about your search. Extend them the professional courtesy of your responsiveness, reliability and transparency.