Rats. I mean, Hooray! I got his voice mail!

Sometimes it seems that  the technology which was designed to improve our communication continues to build layer after layer of impenetrable walls between us and the people we need to reach.  So instead of looking at voice mail as a hindrance, look at it as a direct mail advertisement with a one hundred percent open rate.  One hundred percent of the voice mail messages you leave will be heard by the people you want to reach.  It’s up to you to come up with a way to get them to take action and call you back.



The type of message you leave is dependent upon the type of person you are trying to reach.  For prospective clients, your sales message is fruitless if it’s just a pitch and doesn’t offer anything of value. For prospective candidates, if you tell them you are a recruiter and that you have a great opportunity, they’ll probably roll their eyes and delete your message, just like they did with the five other identical messages left for them this week from your competitors.


I’ve seen different variations of getting candidates to call back. The most ridiculous is the silly trick of hanging up before you tell them why you’re calling. My name is Harry the Happy Headhunter, my number is 555-5555 and I need to talk to you about..(click!)”  At first it might seem that we’ve just discovered a new way to get people to call back.  But what if they don’t? What if they’ve already had that trick used on them before? It’s an overused and trite sales trick that dates back to the origination of voice mail. If you do this then you can’t ever leave another message for them. You’ve lost them and your credibility with them, forever.



Last week, I achieved one hundred percent success in getting call-backs from candidates when I left this message: “Joe, my name is Scott Love, my phone number is 828 225 7700 and I need to talk with you about Gina Smith.  Please call today. I’ll be available between three and five this afternoon. If my assistant tells you I’m on the phone, please ask her to interrupt me so I can take your call. My number is 828 225 7700.”

That’s it. Who is Gina Smith? She is someone that worked for me two years ago that already talked with this candidate.  Go through your database and look for candidates who have already been engaged in conversations by recruiters in your office who are no longer employed by your firm.



When the candidate calls back, you can say, “I’m glad you returned my call, Jim.  You had spoken with Gina Smith two years ago. She’s no longer employed by our firm.  I work for a company named (your company name).  Our firm accelerates the careers of people in the widget industry, we do executive search.  When you spoke with Gina it didn’t seem like the time was right for you to consider making a move,  so I wanted to touch base with you, Jim, to see if you are open to hearing about other opportunities. Is that something you are open to right now?"



And you take the call from there.  You are using that other person’s previous conversation to open up a dialogue with them.  It doesn’t matter whether or not they remember the other recruiter.  You’ve got them on the phone without being duplicitous. It’s a legitimate way to get people to take action, to get them on the phone with you, and to put them in your process.

Copyright (c) 2008 Scott Love
Scott Love improves recruiter performance by getting recruiters to think at a higher level, to develop a better strategy, to master recruiting tactics, and to develop better work habits. He has created a simple step-by-step system of recruiting success that is replicable. Nearly 2,500 search firms and staffing agencies from sixteen countries have invested in his training tools. Visit his website for free videos, training tools, free downloads, and articles at www.GreatRecruiterTraining.com


1. Fear of talking to strangers. As children most of us were admonished to "never talk to strangers" the inference being that strangers are dangerous and not to be trusted.  But in most networking settings the strangers are just like you, often work in the same field and may even share some of your hobbies and values. To overcome your fear try tricking your brain into seeing the strangers as long lost friends or distant cousins you're meeting for the first time at a family reunion.

2. Fear of rejection.  This is the root of our biggest fear of networking.  Many of us are simply afraid that people won't be receptive or responsive to our attempts to network.  To overcome this fear, create limits with yourself.  For example, you may decide that you will say "Hi, is this your first time here?" to someone and if they are not very talkative or receptive give yourself permission to move on.  

3. Fear of being boring or having nothing to say.  Well the good thing about networking and having conversation is that often the best conversationalists are those who listen.  Focus on listening to the other person when networking and ask questions directly related to what they are talking about, (i.e. their career, job, aspirations, recent project, award etc.).  You will soon discover that people enjoy talking about themselves and are highly appreciative of those who are good listeners.

Times are changing rapidly.  Firms are closing, merging and downsizing.  Attorneys are out of work in great numbers.  What does that mean for recruiters?  It means they will have to work just a little harder.  When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

The overall numbers are down for job openings, but many of the openings are indeed true needs.  If you can judge the age of the opening, you have a good idea of the validity of that position.  Many corporate job postings on firm websites may not be true needs, but positions in Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Energy and Bankruptcy generally are.  Intellectual Property tops the list with the most job openings, followed by Bankruptcy and Labor and Employment.  These jobs have a much more likelihood of being pursued by the law firm and filled.

Recently laid off attorneys are in an unfortunate position.  Their skills do not match the requirements of the jobs the firms are seeking to fill.  Your recruiting firm may be awash in resumes, but are they resumes of the desired attorneys?  The answer is most probably, ‘no’.  Now is the time to recruit those passive candidates with zeal.  You can’t spend time trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.  You must present candidates with the credentials and experience the law firm is seeking.  If you don’t, you risk losing faith with the law firm.

Will you find resistance from attorneys to move?  Yes.  In these rocky times, people have a tendency to hunker down, hoard and hold on to what they have, rather than embrace change.  An analysis of their standing at the firm would help them access their true job stability.  Are they getting enough work?  Are their billable hours low or merely mid-range?  Is their own firm stable, or poised for future cuts?  MOVING to a new law firm could in many cases, be the most prudent thing to do.  These are the ideas you should express to potential candidates.

Attorneys must access their value and options.  A recruiter should help them in this evaluation and decision. A recruiter’s own knowledge of the firm, where they are currently employed as well as the firm that’s being proposed, can make an enormous difference. Your mastery of the facts and knowledge of the industry can guide your candidate to make the right decision.  

Recruiting will continue, law firm needs will continue, but the successful recruiter must work harder in this market and dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’.  Know the objections of the attorney before he brings them up.  Know the law firm and your attorney well, before you present them to the firm.  Now is the time for heightened professionalism and the willingness to go the extra mile for your client AND candidate.  

Leopard Solutions clients have the advantage of our data behind them. Leopard Reporting, our Job Program and the Leopard List put valuable research tools at our clients disposal. They have the hard facts they need in seconds, along with candidates and job openings. Non-clients are encouraged to use the free tools on our site that can help keep them AND their clients informed. Our Law Firm Profiles are an excellent tool for firm research.  The Hot Spot can deliver firm news to you each day – all day – to keep you up to date on what firms are doing.  This is the moment where you need to draw from every resource, and put as many tools in your arsenal as possible.  This is the time put your best foot forward, and we’re happy to help recruiters do just that!

Many of the most prestigious and highest-paying law firms (with a few exceptions), are searching for only the best graduates from the "Top 15" or "Top 25" law schools in the country.  This can cause considerable stress for an ambitious law student (who attended a lesser known school) hoping to land a job at a prestigious firm.  Fortunately, a law student's law school rank is not always the most important factor when employers are considering who to hire. Here are a few skills and experiences that can give graduates of lesser known law schools an edge in the job market:
•    Law school graduates who have clerkships/internships at a top national law firm or other prestigious organizations will increase their chances for consideration for employment at top national firms.
•    Law school graduates who have special legal work experience that is hard to find; but needed, will be given an edge in the job market.  For example, a firm looking for someone who has experience or knowledge of common law markets in Russia might give a graduate with that skill/knowledge more consideration despite what school he/she attended.
•    Language skills are critical as we move into a global era.  Law school graduates who have fluency in high demand/low supply languages will most likely have an edge over "top law school" graduates who don't have these skills.  Language skills in Chinese and Arabic are predicted to increase in demand as those regions grow.

     As most recruiters know, searching for the best job candidates can become costly in both dollars and time.  But the type of candidate a recruiter pursues can affect the amount of resources required to find the right match for just about any job opportunity. In recruiting, there are generally two types of candidates: active candidates and passive candidates. 
      Because they are currently unemployed, active candidates are often aggressively searching for a job and their decision-making process is often driven by the need to find a job. This type of candidate (active) usually sends out many resumes and responds to many job postings.  Because recruiters process volumes of resumes, it can often take a lot of time to identify the best active candidates; but because of the active candidate's aggressive job search the best candidates have often found other employment by the time the recruiter contacts them. This is why when a recruiter focuses the majority of his/her energy on active candidates he/she often expends more time and money finding the right match for a job opportunity.
      Then there is the passive candidate, who is usually employed and not looking for a job. They are not sending out resumes, checking job boards or visiting career sites. This is the candidate that you seek out because they are a perfect fit for the job you are seeking to fill.  If a recruiter focuses on and attracts passive candidates he/she can save time and money by getting access to the most qualified candidates quickly. 

Many attorneys who have had clerkships sometimes move on to work at large law firms; but the adjustments necessary can be difficult in many key ways.  Let's take a look at how former clerks can navigate the landscape of a large law firm.

1.    During a clerkship, attorneys often have the full attention of the judge they work with and are given meaningful and challenging work.  But once clerks make the transition to a large law firm, many feel like they have become simply a "cog in the machine" as they answer to a variety of bosses with a variety needs. The key to dealing with multiple bosses is to treat each one like a highly valuable client--be responsive, meet deadlines and deliver quality work. The more you can do this, the more likely you will be given challenging and meaningful assignments and build a positive reputation for yourself.

2.    Tracking and being accountable for billable hours can be very challenging for many former clerks or anyone new to the large law firm environment. To overcome this challenge, in the beginning you should always have your billable time checked by a senior associate or partner to make sure you are recording the hours correctly.

3.    Many former clerks feel lost and afloat in larger law firms with little or no guidance.  The trick to getting on the road to progress and promotion within a large law firm is to identify and develop relationships with associates and key partners who have the skills and willingness to informally mentor you. These informal mentors are key to helping you identify and improve your weaknesses.

4.    Last, but certainly not least, former clerks can benefit greatly by studying and learning from the "office politics" of larger firms.  By watching the failures and successes of others when dealing with "office politics" you can effectively learn how to navigate the law firm to reach your career goals and objectives.

We've talked a little about how networking and informational interviews can be goldmines for law students looking to land their first legal job.  But many law students don't quite understand how they can approach a contact regarding conducting an informational interview.  So to help law students take the first step to landing an informational interview, below is a sample letter/invitation to a contact asking for an informational interview.

YourFirstName YourLastName
Address
City, State, Zip

Date
Contact Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Ms./Mr. Contact,
I am a junior at (insert law school), and found your name and contact information (insert source). I have an interest in working in the field of (insert legal practice area); but I would like to learn more from someone with experience working in (insert legal practice area).  I understand that you are very busy, but I was hoping to schedule a 15 minute informational interview with you to discuss your experiences in this field.
I would like to hear about why you decided to work in this field, the pros and cons of the practice area, and the work experience, classes and co-curricular activities I should consider if I want to work in this practice area.
I look forward to meeting you and hearing your insights and advice regarding this field.
Sincerely,
YourFirstName YourLastName (Class Year)

Recruiters Have Insider Knowledge About Legal Job Opportunities
Professional recruiters may perform as many as 100 "research assignments" a day which will identify new and little known legal job opportunities that may not be available to individuals doing their own research.  Most recruiters also have extensive networks of business associates in the legal industry who become aware of legal jobs before they are ever advertised.

Legal Recruiters Match Your Skills With The Right Law Firm
Professional legal recruiters take the time to understand the skills and personality of the candidate as well as the needs and culture of law firms looking to fill legal jobs.  This knowledge helps legal recruiters properly match candidates with firms who have a culture that will be appropriate for them.

Legal Recruiters Can Get Your Foot In The Door
Because many legal recruiters have existing relationships with law firms, it is often easier for them to help job candidates get a foot in the door of law firms especially in a competitive job market. Because of their existing relationship and credibility, many law firms trust that a legal recruiter is likely to send them candidates that match their law firm's requirements.  Therefore, law firms are more willing to schedule interviews with candidates recommended by credible legal recruiters.
Legal Recruiters Help Maintain Confidentiality
Often attorneys are doing a job search while they are still working which can cause problems especially if they want to keep their job search confidential.  When an attorney sends a resume blindly to a law firm, they're not sure who exactly will see it. Since the legal industry is often a very small community where many people know each other, legal recruiters work hard to make sure that a job candidate's job search is kept confidential.
Legal Recruiters Can Help Negotiate Your Salary
Getting the right salary takes skills that professional legal recruiters have honed over many years of working with job candidates and law firms.  A legal recruiter can help job candidates negotiate fair salaries while lessening the tension and stress levels for candidates that often accompany salary negotiations.

Stories are powerful tools that can paint a picture of what your recruiting brand looks like in the real world and convince prospects to become customers. It's one thing to have a brand, for example, that claims "The Right People For Your Business" but what does that really mean for the employer?  Using stories you can provide evidence of what your recruiting brand claims.

For example:  The slogan, "The Right People For Your Business" claims to not just get talent; but to get talent that matches the specific and unique needs of each business.  Using stories to "prove" that you have done this for companies in the past can turn a prospect into a customer.  What type of story could you use to "prove" that recruiter's slogan is true?  We'll discuss that as we look at what steps recruiters need to take to begin using stories to sell their brand.

Step 1: Start with your slogan or mission statement. Make sure you have an understanding of what your slogan/mission statement says to an employer who is considering recruiting talent through you.

Step 2: Develop a list of questions that will elicit responses from current or former employers about your brand.  Using the slogan, "The Right People For Your Business" a recruiter might use the following questions:

How relevant were the new employee's skills to your position?

How compatible is the new employee with your company's culture?

A former/current employer might respond:

"I found that the new employee's skills matched the position perfectly. A matter of fact her skills are helping us to expand that division."

"The new employee fits in with everyone.  He's a real team player. We've tried to fill this position on our own, but we could never find the employee with the right personality."

Using the first quote, along with the details of what the recruiter did to find the right employee, you can create a story that can be featured on websites, brochures and other collateral materials.  

Here's what it might look like:

For XYZ, Law Firm we searched through 200 candidates; but we were finding  it difficult to find the right match.  We wanted a candidate who could provide the skills needed in the law firm now; but we knew they were planning to expand so we wanted the candidate to be ready with the necessary skills for the expansion.  After one month, we finally found someone and it turned out to be a perfect match. Here's what the employer had to say:  "I found that the new employee's skills matched the position perfectly. A matter of fact her skills are helping us to expand that division," XYZ, Law Firm.

Now it's your turn to give it a try.  What story can you create to prove your brand is more than just words?

There's mostly bad news about the current economy, more job losses, hiring freezes and cutbacks in recruiting budgets; but there are still legal jobs available for the taking.  The trick is that recruiters need to know which candidates are the most marketable and the most marketable candidates have the skills required for some of the hottest practice areas in the legal industry.  Here are just a few of the hottest legal practice areas for 2009:

Mediation - Including other types of alternative dispute resolution.
Foreclosures. With the housing market going bust some companies are hiring attorneys with a specialty in handling foreclosures.
Bankruptcy. Both corporate and personal bankruptcy are hot as companies and individuals attempt to discharge debt and restructure financially.
Post-arbitration Litigation. Many analysts predict this practice area will increase in 2009.
Intellectual Property. New and proposed legislation is making this area hot again as businesses attempt to protect their profits from knockoffs domestically and internationally.
Immigration. Immigration specialists are in demand as many law firms see increased demand for this service.
Labor and Employment. This practice area has become more complex because of new EEOC rulings and union drives.
Corporate Investigations. As seen with the recent Wall Street scandals this is the fastest growing area of white-collar crime.
Estate Planning and Administration. As more baby boomers retire, this practice area is in high demand.

(source: American Bar Association)

My friend and I just saw the trailer for the movie, "He's Just Not That into You". In the trailer, Drew Barrymore plays a woman, Mary, who is utterly perplexed with dating, particularly in a culture obsessed with technology rather than actual human contact. In a scene from the trailer, Mary says:
"I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home. Then he emailed me to my BlackBerry and I texted to his cell. Now you have to check all these portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It is exhausting."

 Even though the trailer preceded the feature film, my friend and I could not stop talking about Mary’s comments. We both commented on how technology has taken over human contact -- not just in the dating world, but also in the workplace.  
 
In fact, my friend, a senior associate at a major law firm, recently had a colleague send him an electronic calendar request for a meeting to discuss a legal brief and then followed up with an email inquiring, “By the way, where is your office?” He couldn’t believe it. They’d been working together for over a year!
 
It is worth noting in the example above that both attorneys are approximately the same age and practicing at the same level in the firm. Technology is creating an even bigger gap between young associates and senior attorneys. A study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press entitled “A Portrait of Generation Next: How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and Politics” found that people under the age of 26 use technology and the internet to connect with people in new and distinctive ways. Text messaging, instant messaging and email keep them in constant contact with friends. About half say they sent or received a text message over the phone in the past day, approximately double the proportion of those between the ages of 26 and 40. Only 12 percent of Boomers and 7 percent of Seniors sent or received an instant message in the same time period.   

These statistics are most telling when viewed through the law firm lens. Most partners and high- level attorneys are over the age of 40 and most new associates are under the age of 30. It is important to realize there is a fundamental difference (some would say divide) in how the different generations communicate. Although you may be a member of Generation Next and regularly use texts, emails, and voicemails to communicate, remember that you may not be connecting with your boss if you limit yourself to electronic communication. Failing to connect with your superiors can lead to lack of substantive work, merit-based bonuses, and eventually promotions. 

How to Avoid Isolation by Technology - continued......

So, you’re one of those attorneys who has had little-to-no work for the last few months.  You’ve still got your job for the moment (congratulations), but you’re wondering what you can do to help protect yourself.  The answer? Lots.

1.    Network Now-Make sure your trusted friends and contacts know that you’re open to hearing about opportunities.  It’s a lot easier to  get a new job when you currently have one, so don’t wait until the axe has fallen to reach out to those who can help you.

2.    Consider Opportunities-Don’t be afraid to look.  You’re in a lot more danger of joining the ranks of the unemployed if you stay where there is no work than if you move someplace that is specifically looking for an attorney with your skill set.  The “good will” you may think you have where you are is less valuable than the “good work” you could be doing somewhere else.

3.    Be Realistic-Now is not the time to be looking for that part-time in-house job in the entertainment industry; now is the time to make sure you don’t wind up with no job at all.

4.    Broaden Your Skill Set-Offer to do whatever kind or work needs to be done at your current firm/company, even if its outside your usual comfort zone.  At best, you may be able to avoid a lay-off by demonstrating your versatility at a time when employers are looking to make do with fewer people; at the very worst, you’ll have some additional skills to put on your resume if you do have to look for that new job someday.

I can’t believe I’m actually admitting this, but I saw the Mel Gibson movie ‘What Women Want.’ I’m not sure exactly what motivated me to watch it other than the fact that it was the only thing on television that didn’t involve home shopping or reality dating. There weren’t any explosions in the movie. Not even one single car chase, can you believe it?  But the storyline of a man whose special powers allowed him to hear women’s thoughts intrigued me enough to sit through the relationshippy movie and barely make it to the end.

If only we had that power and could hear what our clients were thinking.

I left detailed messages to ten different company presidents and owners that I’ve never talked to before. It was about a sharp candidate who is currently employed, has strong tenure with a handful of companies, a valid motive to move, quantifiable results and outcomes achieved in his career, and, most importantly, is working with me and only me in his job search.

So far, five business days later, I have two calls back from interested clients, one of which admitted that they have no openings but were intrigued enough by my message to agree to my fee and schedule a meeting with the candidate.

I think it’s because, just like Mel, I’ve stumbled on the secret to what clients want and I integrated their motivations to hire into my messages for them. If you follow this formula when dealing with clients, you’ll increase the calls back regarding candidates that you are marketing and probably triple the odds of them going forward to interview your candidates.

There are three things that every client wants:

1) First, they want to know what outcomes and results their future hires will achieve while in their employ. When it comes to hiring, results are all that count (after values and ethics, of course). If you’ve never read a book on hiring, you’ve got to read Lou Adler’s Hire with Your Head. In his book, our fellow search practitioner explains how we must help our clients hire the best performer, not the best interviewer. All we have to go on is the candidate’s past performance, which is the best indicator of their future performance. If results are all that count when it comes to a manager performing, then why is it that traditional interviewing methods focus only on duties and responsibilities? If you can show your client specifically how your candidate has achieved specific results, then your candidate will seem that much better compared to all the others. If you can show specific results, then your client will know that this candidate should be able to produce similar results within his or her organization.

2) Secondly, clients want to know for sure that these results are real. If you show specifically the results your candidate achieved, such as through numerical quantification, then it is no longer your opinion that the candidate is a stud or a studette, but it is fact. Specificity builds credibility. This is a typical message left by most recruiters to a client about a strong candidate:

“I’ve got this great candidate with stellar performance, can tackle any assignment, has great client skills, a great work ethic, great leadership skills, and is a superstar.”

Wait a minute, the client is thinking, you get paid when I hire this person, yes? Then this is your opinion and is open to debate.

Instead, leave this sort of message:

“This candidate has eleven years in the business, eight years with his current company, and has managed projects up to $40MM, with a median project size of $30MM, one hundred percent of which were completed on time and under budget, resulting in three clients in the past year to negotiate seven more projects. All the clients asked specifically for this candidate to manage these future projects because of how he managed their previous ones and all were negotiated with record high margins and will be half of his employer’s volume so far on the books for this next year. Three junior managers who were mentored by this candidate have all been promoted to project managers this past year, demonstrating the candidate’s leadership and mentoring skills.”

Which one is more believable to you? If you state only your opinion, then your motive is always in question. But if you state the facts and can substantiate them through evidence, such as quantifiable measurements, then it is the truth and not your opinion. Specificity builds credibility.

3) What is the risk and what is the return on my investment?

This is what your client is thinking:
“I’m okay with paying a big fee. I’ve done it before and it makes sense for the right person. But I am wondering that when I pay the fee, what am I going to get and how long will I get it when I pay you for this person?”

Again, we have to look at the candidate’s past experience in terms of quantifiable issues, and this issue has everything to do with tenure. How many years has your candidate spent at each of his or her employers? If this candidate moves around a lot, then he or she will move around a lot in the future.

Remember that this business all goes back to the fact that people only do what’s in their own best interests. And when it comes to clients, give them what they want and you’ll never have to wonder what they’re thinking again.

Copyright  2008 Scott Love

Scott Love shows recruiters how to achieve success by following a simple and step-by-step system. His recruiter training website has many free articles, tools, and downloads that can help you bill more. Visit www.greatrecruitertraining.com 

Whether you’re a veteran or new to recruiting, there is always something more to learn about the recruiting process.  Keeping a daily journal of your recruiting process gives you the opportunity to read over and examine mistakes as well as breakthroughs as you make your way through the good and bad experiences in recruiting.  For example, maybe you're having an especially difficult time contacting a decision maker.  Using your journal you can document the challenges you faced as well as the solution used to solve the problem.  Recount the interaction in script form and document your emotions and reactions in the situation. See an example below:

“XYZ, Legal, this is Tanya speaking.”
“Hi Tanya, this is Kimberly, can you please connect me to Mr._______?”
“What is the reason for your call?"
“I'm calling regarding the job opportunity…” I stutter.
"I'll connect you to the job hotline." she quickly transfers me to the job line.

Documenting the details of an interaction can give a recruiter an opportunity to examine what went wrong or right and create a plan for creating the desired outcome in future interactions. After examining the above journal entry, a recruiter might enter the following note:

Saying "I’m calling regarding the job opportunity" made me sound like a job seeker not a recruiter.  Next time I might simply mention my name and the name of my company to indicate that it's an important business call.

The journaling process can be a great catalyst for releasing ideas, creating solutions to problems and improving your recruiting process.

Having a professional online presence is critical to the success of any business; but especially recruiters.  Here are four tips on how you can improve your website.

•    Make your navigation menu visible and easy to find.  The best solution is to keep the navigation simple and easy to use. Don't make your website users click 3 and 4 times to access critical information such as your contact page.

•    Your pages should load quickly.  Don't load down your site with so many fancy graphics and flash animation that anyone without a super high-speed internet connection can't load the pages within a second or two.

•    Make your online presence visually consistent with other corporate materials.  Use the same graphics and style throughout your company's marketing materials including business cards, letterhead and brochures.

•    Include information about your experience and clients, both past and present.  You may even want to include quotes of praise from job candidates and employers.

To find out more, be sure to watch the Leopard Chat episode with Miriam Ellis of Solas Web Design. The Chat will explore the importance and pitfalls of business websites. Miriam will highlight common mistakes designers make and how recruiters can work to correct them.

On January 1, 2009 sweeping changes took place to the Americans with Disabilities Act that broadened the definition of who is considered disabled.  Under the new rules, more workers will be defined as disabled and will be allowed accommodation for their disability under the law.  For example, previously a person with diabetes whose condition was regulated by medication was usually not considered disabled; but now the law does not consider the use of medication, prosthetics, hearing aids etc. when considering someone disabled.  The only exceptions are those who use eyeglasses or contact lenses.  These changes may require recruiters to alter job descriptions or the interviewing environment.

For example, many job descriptions already list physical requirements of a job (i.e. lifting 50 lbs, standing for long hours); but they fail to list the mental requirements of a job. If a job is high stress, requires attention to detail, or long hours of unbroken focus this should be noted in the job description. It is important to list the mental requirements of a job because the law does not allow the recruiter to directly ask about a disability.  But the recruiter can ask "Are you able to focus for long periods of time on a given task" if it is listed in the job description as a requirement.

Because the Americans with Disabilities Act covers mental disabilities as well as physical disabilities, those with mental disorders may be entitled to accommodation during the interview process.  So if someone with ADD requested a quiet place to fill out a job application, a recruiter would be required to accommodate that person. Recruiters who are unsure about the requirements of the new amendment should speak with a labor attorney.

(source: http://www.laborlawyers.com/shownews.aspx?Meet-the-New-ADA:-Massive-Changes-Ahead-for-Nations-Employers&Ref=list&Type=1122&Show=10879)

Conducting a job search can get draining; but there are a few things you can do to recharge your job search and increase your enthusiasm.

1.    Get in touch with the things that make you passionate about law, especially your practice area.  Think about the work and volunteer experiences you have had in the past that reflect your enthusiasm for law in general and your practice area in particular.  Document those experiences and be prepared to share them with potential employers in your cover letter and/or interview or in conversations at networking events.

2.    Get educated on your legal practice area.  Begin reading the publications with interesting articles about your practice area.  Those articles can be a great conversation starter at network meetings as you continue your job search.  Also, being able to discuss current affairs related to your practice area shows that you have interest and enthusiasm about that area of law.

3.    Get involved by volunteering with professional associations and/or publishing an article in a relevant professional journal.  Also consider putting your legal skills to work at nonprofit organizations and highlighting your involvement on you resume or in an interview.
 

As we have discussed before, a recruiter is not just selling the candidate to the employer; but he/she is also selling the job and the company to the job candidate.  But what we need to remember is that the best candidates (the ones we want) are in high demand even in turbulent times and are also assessing the recruiter during the interview.  Here are a few tips to help you win over the best candidates during an interview.

1.    Treat every candidate with respect and the highest level of professionalism.  This means showing up on time for the interview and respecting the candidate's time.

2.    Be knowledgeable about the candidate's background and have a copy of their resume in front of you while you are interviewing them.  There's nothing worse than saying to a candidate, "Do you have a copy of your resume?" during an interview because you can't find your copy.

3.    Tell the job candidate what to expect during the interview.  Tell them how many people will be conducting the interview and how long (approximately) the interview will last. Also let them know what documentation they need to bring to the interview.

4.    Do not take phone calls during the interview.  Consider yourself on a date…would you take a call during a date with someone you wanted to impress?  If you take a call while interviewing a quality candidate, they won't be impressed.

5.    Give the job candidate an opportunity to ask questions about the position you are offering.  Make sure you are prepared to answer their questions and any questions you don't have answers to, say--"I will need to ask the company and get back to you."  It's really important that you actually get back to them.

6.    This last point is really important, follow-up with all candidates regardless of whether they are a good fit or not for the position.  If a job candidate is not a good fit for a job, call them and tell them that you are not able to place them at this time.  That candidate may not work out this time; but he/she may be perfect for the next position you have available and the fact that you took the time to follow-up will leave a lasting impression.

The legal job hunt can be a challenge for even the most experienced and enthusiastic of us; but when you combine the challenges of simply finding legal work with the complexities of finding legal work in another city the challenges can seem almost insurmountable. The lack of connections and familiarity can make any attorney's long distance job hunt difficult at best. But don't be discouraged, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of success in a long distance legal job hunt.

Become An Expert On Your City Of Choice

Research the city you want to move to and find out everything you can such as economic trends, political issues, major employers and the culture of the residents.  Subscribe to an online local newspaper, the city's business journal and every relevant legal related publication in the city.  Your ability to talk about the city knowledgeably with potential employers will give the impression that you're serious about a move.

Visit The City And Make Connections

Make as many trips as possible to your city of choice and begin making connections immediately.  Attend networking meetings and legal related events. You may even want to join some professional associations in the area.  Pass out your business card, collect the contact information of others and stay in touch with them via email.

Consider Moving Before You Land That Legal Job

I know it's risky; but consider moving before you land the job in your city of choice.  Unless your skills and specialties are highly sought after, most employers will choose those already living in the city before hiring a transplant.  Actually living in the city could increase your chances of finding the legal job you want.

Most recruiters understand the power of referrals to increase the number of quality candidates; but many fail to utilize referrals effectively.  Here are some tips on how to implement a referral system that will work wonders for your recruiting efforts.

1.    Be selective about who you ask for referrals.  Don't hand out referral cards to just anyone.  Target individuals who have proven that they are a high quality candidate and/or employee.  Remember, high quality workers have access to other high quality workers.

2.    Limit the number of referral cards that you give to any individual.  If a candidate/employee knows that they only have a limited amount of referral cards each month, they will be more selective about who they give the referral cards to.  It is recommended that you only give 3 - 5 referral cards to each person a month, with rare exceptions.  Only increase the number of referral cards given to someone if they have already referred a number of high quality candidates.

3.    Give all referrals high priority.  That means handle referrals first. Offering an expedited process to referrals will add even more value to your referral program and increase the likelihood that you will attract high quality candidates.

4.    Offer a generous referral bonus.  Offering referral bonuses of up to $1,000 can be a big incentive for those handing out referral cards.  Look at the referral bonus as an investment that will pay dividends by securing only the best candidates for your job opportunities.

Opportunities abound in your setbacks.  

Did you know that you can still make money when your deals fall apart?  I learned this about eight or nine years ago when the recruiters in my office went through a series of one counteroffer after another.  Instead of getting upset with those darn selfish candidates, I thought, "Hey, it happened. Let's see if we can still make money out of this."  So I designed a formula of analyzing deals and transforming these catastrophes into learning moments.  As a management consultant to the industry and as a professional trainer, I think my mind is wired this way. I just can't help it. I'm always looking for new and fun ways to explain why things work and translate that into specific step-by-step action steps, a workable system that is replicable across all levels of tenure and skill in the profession. 

So the next time something really, really bad happens with one of your deals, say, "Wow, look at this big pile of manure on my desk.  I'll bet there's a pony around here somewhere." Train your mind to immediately respond this way to setbacks.  Your first question should be, "How can I make money off of this catastrophe?"  It'll help quell your emotions and bring you to a place of resilience.
Here's the exercise you can use.  Even if you are the owner or manager, give your consultants a chance at facilitating these discussions.  Follow this line of questioning to make sure you can turn this tragedy into a triumph.

 Here's are the seven steps and ten investigative questions to follow when conducting this "Deal Autopsy":
1. Have one of your co-workers serve as the facilitator and the recruiter whose deal fell apart is the deal owner. Everyone else will be investigators, conspiring together to uncover the real cause of the catastrophe and offering ideas that could have kept the event from occurring.
2. The facilitator makes sure that one person doesn't monopolize the conversation and makes sure that this training exercise is a free exchange of ideas, not an inquisition.
3. First, the deal owner gives a two minute overview of the situation, sharing from this ten-point checklist:

1.   The search assignment position and client company.
2.   The client representative title and quality of relationship, including past searches.
3.   Candidate overview (current position & current tenure) and quality of relationship (first timer? retread?)
4.   Candidate motivation to make the move.
5.   Concerns originally raised by candidate.
6.   Concerns originally raised (about the candidate) by the client.
7.   Other candidate interviewing activity.
8.   Process of presentation, time between interviews and offers.
9.   How the offer was given and accepted.
10. How the resignation was turned in and received.

4. Investigative Questions: Three minutes. Next, the investigators spend five minutes and ask the deal owner investigative questions following W5H: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? The investigators ask questions one at a time for investigative purposes, not solution purposes. During this time, the facilitator must make sure that not more than one question is asked at a time by the investigators and that feedback isn't given during this time. The investigator asks the question, the owner responds, and the next person asks and so forth. The timekeeper must make sure that this time does not exceed five minutes. 

How You Can STILL Make Money When Deals Fall Apart, Continued....

Many attorneys, after working in a particular practice area realize that they would prefer another area of law.  Does that sound like you?  Times like these can be the perfect opportunity to try out something new.  But first let's take a look at what needs to take place with the attorney before he/she takes the leap to a new practice area.

First, an attorney considering changing practice areas needs to consider their TRUE reasons for wanting a change.  Is it because you think there is more money, more prestige or are you simply tired of working in the same area of law for so many years?  Many junior attorneys realize that they're simply not suited for the practice area they chose and move quickly to correct the course of their career.  Whatever your reasons, now is the time to get honest with yourself before you make the change.  

The next step is that the attorney needs to make an honest assessment of his/her personality traits, qualities and skills and determine if they are best suited for the desired practice area.  Are you outgoing or introverted?  Are you good with details or prefer to look at the big picture? Do you enjoy tackling complex problems and writing?  Take a good look at the practice area you want to enter and ask yourself…Do I have what it takes to make it in this practice area?  You may even want to ask others who work in the practice area about their experiences, good and bad.


How To Switch Practice Areas Continued.....

When a client comes to a recruiter for help finding the right talent for a position, it is up to the recruiter to make sure he/she finds a perfect match.  But finding the right match is only as good as the information a client gives a recruiter.  Many clients aren't quite sure how to verbalize what they want exactly, that's why the recruiter must ask the right questions.  Here are 7 key questions to ask when trying to find out what type of professional would be a good match for a company.

1.    What industries would you like potential job candidates to have experience in?

2.    What specialized skills are you searching for?

3.    Which of these specialized skills are needs, wants and/or must haves?

4.    What additional degrees or certifications do you want candidates to have?

5.    What is the minimum number of year's experience you are looking for in a job candidate?

6.    What is the maximum amount of salary you are willing to pay the job candidate?

7.    What type of candidate personality do you think is a good match for you firm? Laid-back? Independent? Conservative?

Also, make sure you confirm and reconfirm that you are searching for the right types of candidates.  Read back a summary of what you think your client is looking for and ask the client if you got it right.