Preparing for a job fair is important for recruiters who want to effectively leverage their presence at the fair to reach their recruiting goals. However, there are some common mistakes that many recruiters make when attending job fairs.  To help recruiters avoid these mistake let’s take a look at some do’s and don’ts for job fairs:

·       Don’t carry on a conversation with a fellow recruiter while manning your booth.  Many job candidates may be reluctant to approach you if you are conversing with another person for fear of appearing rude.

·       Do make sure that you present a pleasant and approachable demeanor while manning your booth.  Yes, it can be difficult to appear “approachable” for hours, this is why you should consider getting at least one other person to attend the fair with you so that they can relieve you from time to time.

·       Don’t allow the booth’s table to be a barrier between you and potential candidates.  Step out in front of the booth so that there is nothing between you and the job candidate.

·       Do make an effort to engage job candidates as they pass and/or glance at your booth.  Some recruiters may offer passersby the opportunity to win a small prize as a way to get their attention and draw them to the booth.

·       Don’t use your time at the job fair as an opportunity catch up on paperwork, work on your computer or make calls on your cell phone.  Doing so may send the signal to potential candidates that you are busy and unavailable.

Gone for the most part are resumes and cover letters dropped into the box at the local post office. Email has become the most commonly used method for applying for jobs and following up with employers. But despite email’s popularity, sometimes job seekers aren’t quite sure how email etiquette should be approached when used in a job search.  Here are a few tips:

1. Since email lacks the tone and expressiveness of face to face communication, it is important to always sprinkle your emails with courteous statements.  For example you may want to open by saying “Good Morning…” and close with a hearty “Thank you for your help…”  Politeness will go a long way in making sure your email doesn’t come off as terse or demanding.
2. Make sure your subject heading accurately reflects the content of your email.  Many recruiters are receiving lots of spam in their email, so including a descriptive, accurate and brief description may decrease the chances of your email landing in the junk folder.
3. Keep your emails formal when interacting with employers and recruiters.  Avoid using emoticons (smiley faces, frown faces etc.) when writing your email.  The use of emoticons may come across as juvenile and unprofessional.
4. Avoid the use of caps and bold typeface because it may be interpreted as shouting.  Shouting is always considered rude and aggressive in emails.
5.  Take the time to respond promptly to emails received from recruiters and employers. Even if you are unable to provide an adequate response immediately respond to tell the sender that you will respond at a later time/date.

Job candidates aren’t the only people who benefit from job fairs, if recruiters play their cards right, job fairs can become a lucrative resource for finding high quality job candidates and even making connections with employers.  But there are a few things recruiters need to do before they show up to a job fair.

Do Your Homework

Before forking over your hard earned money to participate in a job fair, do your part to investigate the company putting on the job fair.  Do they have an effective marketing and advertising plan in place to promote their job fair?  Are they able to attract other sought after law firms and legal recruiters?  Do they have a history of putting on successful job fairs?  You want to make sure that before you sign up with the job fair, they are experienced professionals, not amateurs.

Have A Plan In Place

Recruiters hoping to truly benefit from a job fair need to put a plan of attack in place before the job fair.  Make sure you have tweaked and polished your brand before going to the job fair.  Do you have a professional looking website, marketing materials and an efficient recruiting process in place?  Failing to polish your image and recruiting  process before attending a job fair may actually damage your image with not only job candidates but with your peers and even potential clients. 

Present The Right Image

Decide in advance what type of image you want to present at the job fair. Not only should your company’s marketing materials represent this image, but your booth and your personal style should also project this desired image.  When it comes to job fairs, image is very important and may become the deciding factor of whether or not someone stops at your booth .

(next: What a recruiter should and should not do at a job fair.)

March is women’s month and many are celebrating the accomplishments of women around the country.  However, despite the strides forward, women are still facing special challenges when it comes to child rearing and employment.  As we have mentioned in previous blogs, many women drop down to part-time work or completely drop out of the workforce after having children which puts them at a career disadvantage compared to men.  For women who have spent several years away from the workforce, reentering and effectively competing for jobs with other candidates who have more recent experience can be a challenge.  But below we offer a few tips on how women reentering the workforce can overcome this challenge:

1. If you know that you plan to reenter the workforce after your children reach a certain age, make sure that you never completely drop out of the workforce.  Consider, taking a part-time job as an attorney, temporary attorney assignments, working as a consultant or even doing volunteer work that utilizes your experience as a lawyer.
2. Keep up with your contacts, colleagues and the latest developments in the legal field.  Attending networking events and meeting with former co-workers for lunch once in awhile can help you stay in the loop about current happenings.  Also reading trade publications will keep you abreast with the latest trends and changes in the legal field.
3. Continue taking courses related to the legal field while away from the workforce.  Don’t let your skills and knowledge become out-dated.

Gripers & Malingerers

A bad attitude will torpedo otherwise capable summer associates. Magnificent writing skills, a powerful analytical mind, or tremendous speaking ability is not a license to be a jerk. Throughout the summer lawyers will observe how you relate to lawyers, staff, and clients.

Complaining just does not cut it — about your office, your view, your assistant, your seats at the Dodger game, and whether you had to work late on Friday. What may be perfectly acceptable grousing once you have a little time-in-grade as an experienced associate will be perceived as inappropriate. Unfair? Maybe. But you have not yet earned the right to complain.

We all react to first impressions. Think of the judgments made in everyday life based on initial impressions. A summer program is three months of first impressions stitched together into a corner of your career tapestry. If the initial impressions are of someone who complains, it will not help if the decision about giving you an offer is ‘close.’ And if your behavior is poor enough, you will be road-kill.

Throughout your career you will be judged by people’s perceptions about your behavior, your skills, and your conduct. That is natural in a professional organization that delivers 1:1 service about complex and sensitive problems. In ten years, you may attend meetings where promotion to partnership is discussed. You will learn that raw intellectual skill is not the first issue discussed. By then firms have sifted out those whose skills are not exemplary. Lawyers with low hours have left the battle.

The focus is on intangible qualities ❏ how strong are the lawyer’s relationships with clients ❏ will this lawyer evolve into a substantial producer of business ❏ will they become a nationally respected leader who can dazzle potential clients ❏ how do they get along with clients, adversaries, and others ❏ do they have the energy, enthusiasm and commitment to inspire and lead others.

Do not abuse the staff. Those who abuse secretaries, legal assistants, and staff are the ones who will abuse younger lawyers when they are older. Abuse includes high-handed behavior, and conduct, which went out fifty years ago. Do not send your assistant to get you coffee. Answer your own phone. Say hello to everyone. Do not act in a way that would embarrass your aged grandmother. Heavy-handed treatment of the administrative staff will not escape the attention of the partners who run the summer program. Take your assistant to lunch a couple of times during the summer. Pick up a latte for him or her. It doesn’t require an Act of Congress. It’s a simple human courtesy.

When it comes to the interviewing process for most employers, the initial interview with job candidates is used to whittle down the number of candidates to the select few who best match the company’s needs and culture.  Initial interviews are usually limited to a few interviewers and a specific location, while subsequent interviews may offer several surprises. Here’s what you should expect and what you should do to prepare:

1. The second interview may require the job candidate to be available for several hours or even an entire day.  Ask in advance how long the interview is expected to last and then schedule for possible delays.
2. Second interviews may also require the job candidate to meet with a committee of people, partners, peers and even administrative staff.  Expect the possibility that you will need to travel from office to office and meet a variety of people who may question you about your experience and what you have to offer the firm.
3. Be prepared to repeat yourself often.  In second interviews you may be asked some of the same questions by different people, especially if the interview requires that you go to different locations and/or meet with inexperienced interviewers.
4. Bring several copies of your resume and any other materials you want to share and be prepared to give it to anyone who requests it.
5. Before your second interview, ask for the names of the people that you will be meeting.  Even if you are unable to obtain a complete list, with a partial list you can at least do a little research on some of the individuals and be prepared to converse about their accomplishments or current projects.

When a recruiter first receives a job order, they should take the time to briefly qualify the client’s job order and clarify their fees and terms.  Below is a list of four questions a recruiter should ask the client about a new job order:

1. Why do you need to fill this position?  The employer should be able to tell you why the functions of the job are important to their company.  They should also be able to tell you what would happen if they were unable to fill the job order.  This will let the recruiter know how important the job order is to the client which in turn will indicate how quickly or slowly they will move through the hiring process.
2. How many people have applied for this job already and why didn’t you hire them?  The client’s answer to this question will let the recruiter know what the deal breakers are for the client.
3. What type of compensation package are you offering for this job?  The client should also provide a salary range they are willing to consider.
4. If I found a candidate that met all of your requirements and there was mutual interest how quickly would you be able to hire them?

Attracting and keeping quality candidates is a skill in its own right.  The best and most experienced legal recruiters understand that quality candidates are the lifeline of their business.  Below are four easy steps that can help any legal recruiter attract and keep quality candidates:

1. Indentify.  The first step to attracting quality candidates is to identify how you can best meet the needs of quality candidates.  Take the time to identify their wants and needs and then figure out how you are the best legal recruiter equipped to fulfill those wants and needs.
2. Client matching.  Once you have completed step one, take the time to identify the clients who are best fit for your top candidates.  This should be done rather quickly because the best candidates do not remain available for long.
3. Expedite.  Your top candidates should receive expedited treatment throughout the recruiting process. As quickly as you can, move them to the interview stage with employers.
4. Make sure you communicate often and clearly with your best candidates.  Keep them in the loop about the hiring process of companies they have already interviewed with and even if you have not found a perfect match for them, touch bases often enough to keep your recruiting services on their radar.

1. When applying for jobs that you think you may be overqualified for, the first thing you need to do is change your perception of your qualifications.  If you meet or exceed every requirement of the job, consider yourself highly qualified and present yourself in that way.
2. When writing your resume make sure that you focus on why this job is good for you and only focus on the skills that are relevant to the job’s needs.  One of the biggest concerns of employers hiring “overqualified” candidates is that those people will not remain on the job for long.  It’s your job as a candidate to convince them that you have strong incentives for remaining in the position in the long-term.
3. Fine-tune your resume so that is custom made for that particular job and the specific culture of that company.  Try to use relevant keywords and phrases mentioned in the company’s ad or job description.
4. Do not lie about your work or salary history.  Instead address possible salary issues by stating the salary range you are willing to accept in your cover letter. If employers are hesitant about you because of a previously high salary history, emphasize that your high salary was due to the longevity of your tenure at your previous places of employment, if that was in fact the case.

WHY SOME SUMMER ASSOCIATES FAIL

This section outlines the most common causes of failure in summer programs. Failure in a summer program has substantial short and long-term implications for law students. Your options next Fall will be far more limited. Subsequent employers will inquire about your summer experience for years. If the mid-term reviews are weak, or if you believe

that your performance has been less than perfect the burden is on you to finish strong and doing excellent work for demanding lawyers. This will be particularly important next Summer because the market for 3L’s this Fall will be tissue-thin at best.

DEMANDING, HIGH MAINTENANCE JERKS

Welcome to Tough Love 101. Most summer associates who fail exhibit conspicuous behavioral flaws. Yes, some firms make mistakes, make poor decisions, and mis-treat summer associates. But in most cases, the fault lies with the summer associate. Some of my favorites (regrettably true stories, names omitted to protect the guilty) are the

summer associates who

  * Said he had trouble keeping track of time and wondered if the firm could buy him a watch ---- on his then healthy salary of $1,200 a week (perhaps a talking watch that says “time to get a new job” would have been better?);

  * Wondered why the firm would not charter a bus to visit a local amusement park — (why not just go on your own on the weekend?);

  * Would not carry books from the library to her own office and insisted that it be done by the messenger staff (her office was 100 feet away on the same floor as the library);

*   Declined an assignment to work on a cutting edge injunction matter because “he would have to cancel his tennis lesson;”

*   Decided he did not like what was offered at a firm sponsored informal cocktail party at a local restaurant and proceeded to order platters of shrimp (his nickname became

shrimp boat);

* Wore a concealed tape recorder to keep track of assignments and was offended when a senior partner was troubled by being taped without his consent;

* Cried because of her perception that there was a “secret lunch program” when in fact her peers had snubbed her because she was “difficult;”

* Did not complete her time records by the end of each month but found time throughout the summer to complain about compensation, office size, dress code and other requirements

*   Sent repeated e-mails to a partner and was cranky that this partner did not live in the eworld- and thought it was ‘unreasonable’ that the partner wanted to meet in person rather than engage in an e-mail dialogue;

  * Complained about sharing an office with another summer associate - even though the complainer arrived in the middle of the summer when space was very tight and there was no other practical way to accommodate her ‘needs’;

  * Complained bitterly that the firm’s computer system was not as ‘fast,’ ‘versatile’ etc. as the firm where he had spent the first half of his summer;

  * Argued that the firm was ‘out of line’ to discipline associates for conducting alcohol fueled chair-races in the hallways of a building with floor to ceiling windows at the end of all the hallways;

  * Had sex with their S.O. on the floor of the conference center after the weekly firm cocktail party - or in the back of the chartered bus on the way home from a firm event;

  * Drove a golf cart into a swimming pool at the firm summer outing;

*  Dressed in a 3 piece suit and jumped off the high dive board at the firm summer outing - and went to the bottom of the pool at which point he had to be dragged out by a woman

partner because the jumper was drunk and could not swim.

* Got in a fist fight with a woman at a bar after a firm event (he lost - she was a hockey player who definitely had game).

  * Complained that the custom, monogrammed, leather portfolios given to all summer associates were available only in black and not other ‘more fashionable’ colors;

The signals sent by such behavior are powerful indicators of how a summer associate will act in practice when they are working with clients. As a hiring partner, I viewed people like this as a substantial risk. It makes no sense to hire someone who will become an over-arching, demanding, needy jerk. One of the tragic ironies here is that those who behave like this – usually 5-10 percent of a given summer program don’t realize that what they are doing is wrong. In fact, many are proud of it and probably behave this way outside the office and expect the world to cater to their unusual needs.

When a hiring committee decides who receives an offer, it is rare that the question on the table is whether the student is ‘smart enough.’ Law firms do a good job of screening for raw brainpower. When a student’s future is decided the themes tossed around the table are more intangible – and bear on attitude, commitment, dedication, selflessness, team-spirit, intensity, etc.

To be sure, writing ability and analytical skills play a large role in a firm’s decision. But since most summer associates’ performance meet a firm’s standard - the question comes down to intangible factors. Is that fair? I believe it is — because clients evaluate lawyers every day - and their judgments reflect not only the advice delivered but the overall quality of the service provided.

Attracting and keeping quality candidates is a skill in its own right.  The best and most experienced legal recruiters understand that quality candidates are the lifeline of their business.  Below are four easy steps that can help any legal recruiter attract and keep quality candidates:

1. Indentify.  The first step to attracting quality candidates is to identify how you can best meet the needs of quality candidates.  Take the time to identify their wants and needs and then figure out how you are the best legal recruiter equipped to fulfill those wants and needs.
2. Client matching.  Once you have completed step one, take the time to identify the clients who are best fit for your top candidates.  This should be done rather quickly because the best candidates do not remain available for long.
3. Expedite.  Your top candidates should receive expedited treatment throughout the recruiting process. As quickly as you can, move them to the interview stage with employers.
4. Make sure you communicate often and clearly with your best candidates.  Keep them in the loop about the hiring process of companies they have already interviewed with and even if you have not found a perfect match for them, touch bases often enough to keep your recruiting services on their radar.
5.  

The tax filing deadline is just around the corner; but there is still time for self-employed recruiters to take advantage of many tax deductions.  Did you know that besides big deductions like your travel expenses or home-office there are plenty of smaller deductions that when combined can add up to huge savings? Below are a few tips:

1. Self-employed recruiters may be able to deduct some of their cell phone costs if they use the phone for business at least 50 percent of the time.
2. Self-employed recruiters may be able to deduct their web hosting and internet charges from their taxes.
3. Self-employed recruiters may be able to deduct the cost of business-related books, magazines, and newspaper subscriptions.
4. If a self-employed recruiters uses his/her vehicle for business, they may be able to deduct work-related expenses for gas, maintenance, insurance, and other costs, either using the IRS's standard mileage rate or by calculating the actual costs.
5. If a self-employed recruiter has invested in equipment, vehicles, or software up to $250,000 in costs can be written off immediately, rather than depreciated over future years.

Many recruiters have experienced presenting a high quality candidate to an employer only to watch the employer blow their chance at snagging the prize.  Below are three major reasons why employers make bad hiring decisions and some suggestions on how recruiters can help them avoid these mistakes.

 Many employers use their job descriptions in a very rigid way, excluding many quality candidates who may not have certain direct experience but who may have transferrable skills.  Recruiters should remind employers that job descriptions should be used as a guide not a rigid rule. Excluding candidates with indirect work experience could cause them to lose out on a good hire.

Many employers grab the attention of high quality candidates only to drag their feet in the hiring process.  Recruiters should remind employers that high quality candidates are often in high demand and that hiring delays could end in a loss for the employer.

All of the interviewers are not on the “same page.”  Oftentimes companies who conduct panel interview suffer from having interviewers who understand the job very differently.  Recruiters should remind the employer that it is important that the interviewer panel present a cohesive vision of what the job will entail.

So your resume has passed muster and a potential employer wants to sit down for an interview with you.  You know you have the skills and experience to do the job; but how do you convey that message during an interview?  One of the most basic tools successful interviewees use to secure the job is body language.  Below we will look at a few tips about want to do and not to do with your body during an interview.

1. Don’t hunch over or slump down in your chair during an interview.  Doing so can give the impression that you are either disinterested or lack confidence.
2. Do sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor or with your ankles crossed which will give the impression that you are confident, alert and comfortable.
3. Don’t crowd the interviewer.  Give the interviewer at least 2 to 3 feet of personal space at all times.
4. Do make eye contact with the interviewer on a regular basis and answer their questions in a slow and confident voice.
5. Don’t avoid eye contact or engage in eye contact that is too prolonged.  Staring into the eyes of an interviewer for longer than 10 seconds could make them very uncomfortable and be quite intimidating.

Essential Reading 

The name of the game is not to memorize the publications or to spend dozens of hours. It is to make you conversant with trends and developments in the community. Five hours a week is a small investment compared to the 40 year career you are about to begin.

            All young lawyers should read - ❏ The American Lawyer (the best monthly national magazine on large firm practice) ❏ the New York Times ❏ Wall Street Journal ❏ The National Law Journal (an outstanding weekly national newspaper), For now I’ll let you skip The Financial Times.

            Keith Ferrazzi  - Never Eat Alone - this is the best book I’ve ever read on networking for high end professionals. The youngest partner in the Delloitte Management Consulting Firm he became the Firms’ Chief Marketing Officer, moved to Starwood Hotels in the same function, and the launched his own incredibly successful firm. The book is brisk, readable, inspiring, concrete, and useful. I’ve given away 290 copies of this text to lawyers I work with - no better book in the field

            Curious historians should read Marc Galanter and Thomas Palay, Tournament of Lawyers (Univ. of Chicago Press 1991)(a detailed analysis of the evolution of large law firms) and Paul Hoffman, Lions in the Street: The Inside Story of the Great Wall Street Law Firms, (1973, Signet) (the first book  to discuss the genesis of Wall Street firms).

            To learn more about interviewing skills and techniques read Arnold B. Kanter, The Essential Art of Interviewing — Interviews from Both Sides of the Table (New York Times Press 1997)(Banter was for years the hiring partner of Chicago's Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal firm. For fifteen years he has been a management consultant to law firms and investment banks nationally on all aspects of hiring)

            Harvey Mackay, Shark Proof - Get The Job You Want, Keep the Job You Love (Harper Business 1993)(Mackay's book is a wonderful compendium of real life stories of people who put networking and contact theory to work in business. It lends credence to many of the theories you may find foreign or unpersuasive. Readable and memorable);

            Anthony Medley, Sweaty Palms —The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed (Ten Speed Press 2002 (this brief but excellent book focuses on the give and take of interviews.)

            Freund, James C., Lawyering—A Realistic Approach to Legal Practice (Law Journal Seminars Press 1979).(This is the single best volume on the nature of the partner associate relationship in law firms. Freund, a former senior partner with Skadden apps, walks the reader through every aspect of attorney development. The book is practical and insightful)

1. Reassess and revise your recruiter strategic plan.  Put together strategies you can implement if you need to suddenly increase your talent pool or begin competing aggressively for the most talented attorneys in case of a sudden economic turnaround.  While the economy is sluggish, it may be a little easier to find quality talent; but once things improve, good talent will be once again hard to find, so you need to be prepared.
2. Invest in increasing your knowledge and skills and improving the technology you use in your business.  These investments will have a long term positive impact on your business and will leave you better positioned when the economy improves and job orders increase.
3. Create and implement “business-impact metrics” that will help you measure the quality of a new hire and their possible impact on a client’s business.
4. Keep abreast with the latest trends, news and happenings in the legal industry so that you can better identify which skills and experiences will be most sought after in the expanded job marketplace.
5. Stay abreast of candidate expectations, wants and needs which often change during a downturn.
6. Don’t allow your referral program to die.  Always encourage candidates to refer other high quality candidates to you.

1. Recruiters should be completely upfront about the status of a job opportunity.  It is important that recruiters are transparent when it comes to job availability.  Clearly state to job candidates the status of jobs and the time frame in which the job order may be filled.
2. Offer accurate job descriptions. Recruiters should make sure that they offer job candidates a complete list of the skills, experience and other qualities required for a particular job. 
3. Offer job candidates as much information about the hiring company as possible.  This should include when possible the name of the people the job candidate will interview with or work under should they eventually be hired.
4. Offer a thorough explanation of the hiring process.  Both the recruiter’s process and the employer’s process should be explained to the job candidate.  The candidate needs know how the hiring process works and how long it will take approximately.
5. Every recruiter should take the time to update the job candidate on the status of their job application with the employer.  Ideally, if a candidate was rejected for a job opportunity after an interview, the candidate should be given a reason why they are not being considered.
6. Recruiters should indicate to the job candidate the level of confidentiality they can expect.  Many job candidates want to carry on a discrete job search especially if they are still working with an employer. Recruiters should make clear what level of confidentiality they can effectively provide.

1. Focus on your seasoned skills.  Many older job seekers make the mistake of downplaying their years of experience; but most employers will value the experience older attorneys bring to the table.  The best move older job seekers can make is to focus on their set of niche skills which are the most developed and highlight their years of experience.  They must also demonstrate their ability and willingness to seek and absorb new skills and knowledge.
2. Create an online presence.  Many older job seekers shy away creating an online presence; but this can be detrimental to their job search.  All job seekers need to have an online presence which should at least include a resume and membership in one or more of the online social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook.
3. Stay up-to-date on your industry and connect with your peers.  Many employers and some recruiters assume that older job seekers may tend to lose touch with current trends and changes. It is important that older job seekers demonstrate to employers and recruiters that they are connected to the current happenings in their industry. 

1. Recruiters should be completely upfront about the status of a job opportunity.  It is important that recruiters are transparent when it comes to job availability.  Clearly state to job candidates the status of jobs and the time frame in which the job order may be filled.
2. Offer accurate job descriptions. Recruiters should make sure that they offer job candidates a complete list of the skills, experience and other qualities required for a particular job. 
3. Offer job candidates as much information about the hiring company as possible.  This should include when possible the name of the people the job candidate will interview with or work under should they eventually be hired.
4. Offer a thorough explanation of the hiring process.  Both the recruiter’s process and the employer’s process should be explained to the job candidate.  The candidate needs know how the hiring process works and how long it will take approximately.
5. Every recruiter should take the time to update the job candidate on the status of their job application with the employer.  Ideally, if a candidate was rejected for a job opportunity after an interview, the candidate should be given a reason why they are not being considered.
6. Recruiters should indicate to the job candidate the level of confidentiality they can expect.  Many job candidates want to carry on a discrete job search especially if they are still working with an employer. Recruiters should make clear what level of confidentiality they can effectively provide.

Social Events

Summer associates are inundated by invitations to lunches, dinners, in-firm programs, and social activities outside the firm. Particularly in a summer when the economic outlook is uncertain, summer associates must  act with care and discretion at firm sponsored social events. Almost invariably misconduct involved excessive late night drinking. Someone once said “nothing good happens after midnight.” They were right.

            First, understand that the primary purpose of the events is a good faith effort by the firm to entertain summer associates and convince you to join the firm following graduation. It is not a secret effort to see how you behave in a social setting, whether you can order from a menu written in a foreign language, or how much beer you can consume at a Cubs game.

            Second, how you behave at social events will be observed (and remembered). So a summer associate is always wise to behave with caution as if you were in the middle of a 12 week interview (because you are). It should go without saying that drinking to excess, being too loquacious and entertaining, or behaving in any way that becomes memorable is an obvious no-no.

            Third, it is up to you to strike a balance during the summer. Your work comes first. Period. You do not want to be known as either the party animal or dullard of the summer program. You should be able to exercise some adult judgment about the appropriate balance.

            Fourth, I have never seen a ‘no offer decision’ made because someone worked too hard, or was a bit less socially active than others in a summer program. But I do recall many situations where someone’s conduct at social events was consistent with a generally poor performance during the summer and it became one of many ingredients in a no-offer decision.

            Fifth, if you are invited to an event, R.S.V.P. promptly and don’t change your mind at the last minute or simply no-show. Whether it’s an event at a partner’s home, a program being held to showcase a department, or a group heading to a baseball game, don’t be one of those annoying summer associates who is a no-show. Don’t of course do any of the following (actual behavior of summer associates in recent years - names omitted to protect the guilty)

• RSVP and no show;

• Don’t RSVP and show up anyway;

• Change the name of your guest three times (because you and Fred are having

“relationship issues”);

• Bring your “crew” with you unannounced ...because “that’s how you roll”;

• Decide you like another partner’s party better and go there unannounced instead;

• Getbombed beyond comprehension and make a pass at a partner’s spouse;

• Arrive intoxicated and snort coke in the bathroom of a partner’s home;

• Get in a fight with your S.O. on the patio of a private dining room for a firm event; or my

personal favorite

• Send a long note to the head of administration complaining about the food at the senior

partner’s home, your seating assignment, and the fact that her golden retrievers jumped on you.

1. How your skills and your experience make you uniquely qualified for the job.  While this may seem obvious at first glance, most job seekers fail to effectively include this pertinent information in their cover letter.  Take the time to understand what the employer’s needs are then meticulously articulate how you can fulfill those needs.
2. Highlight only those skills that will help you fulfill the employer’s needs. For example, if the employer is searching for an attorney who has experience in family law, it would be unwise to highlight in your resume the years of experience you have in corporate litigation.  And while it is okay to highlight other work experience if you are changing careers, you must be careful to relate that experience to the employer’s needs.  When changing careers it will be your number one priority to convince the employer that your skills and experience are transferable.
3. Emphasize you willingness to learn new skills and adapt yourself to the company’s culture.  This is something that most job candidates fail to address in their cover letter.  While every employer wants to hire someone who has the skills and experience, they also want a job candidate who is going to fit in well to their existing corporate culture.
4. Indicate your knowledge about their company.  This is rarely done.  Most job candidate fire off generic cover letters and wonder why they don’t get a response.  If you want to stand out from the crowd, make sure you include information about the company.  For example, you may want to congratulate them on a recent expansion, award or some other accomplishment.  Or, you may want to mention an article you saw written about the company or about one of their associates.  The choice is up to you; but just make sure you let the employer know that you have done your homework and that the cover letter is specifically written for them.

1. A flexible working policy.  Because most women still take care of most or all of the household responsibilities such as caring for children, a flexible work schedule is important.  A sick child, teacher conference or even a snafu with a babysitter may require women attorneys to take more time off.  But a flexible working policy can allow them to come in earlier, later or on the weekends to make up for lost time.
2. Part-time partnership programs.  Some law firms are now instituting part-time partnership programs where a new partner is hired to work on a part-time basis on a known track. Attorneys enter the program as salaried partners and can advance to become equity partners while working part-time for a certain number of years. As many studies have shown, women are more likely to work part-time or drop out of the workforce to raise children.  Part-time partnerships allow women to make partner while working part-time if they choose.
3. Remote work.  The ability to work from home may offer the best flexibility for women attorneys who have families.  Like flexible working, a work-at-home arrangement can offer flexible hours a woman attorney may need.
4. Mentorship opportunities.  Creating a viable network is imperative for any attorney, especially if they want to advance to partner.  Mentorship programs that match women attorneys with seasoned lawyers can be helpful in creating a strong career network foundation.

Working with a legal recruiter should be treated with care.  There are certain habits and behaviors that can almost guarantee a positive experience with a legal recruiter and there are certain behaviors that will almost guarantee that the relationship is doomed from the start.  Below we take a look at five things that can damage your relationship with a recruiter:

1. A sloppy, inaccurate or inappropriate resume.  Take the time to create a resume that is appropriate for the positions for which you’re applying and take care that there are no errors.  Avoid exaggerating the truth by fudging employment dates and titles. Also, resist the temptation to inflate your prior salary.
2. Unprofessional voicemail.  While having the latest pop song on your voicemail is acceptable when only your friends and family are calling, doing so when you’re searching for work can hurt your chances.  Remove informal greetings and pop music from your voicemail and replace it with a simple, brief and professional greeting.
3. Demanding to know exact salary information immediately.  Resist the temptation to demand to know exact salary information when you call a recruiter about a job.  The salary you’re offered will depend on many factors and can’t be determined before you’ve at least interviewed with the company.  Although, the recruiter may be able to give you a ballpark salary figure, he/she can’t offer anything concrete. 
4. Failing to do what you promised to do.  If a legal recruiter schedules you for an interview do your best to show up on time. If something happens that will cause you to be late or miss the interview, please let the recruiter and/or the employer know immediately.
5. Failing to be transparent about your independent job search.  A common problem many legal recruiters experience is when candidates fail to be transparent about their independent job search or their work with other recruiters.  This can often cause double submissions which can end in commission disputes or more likely the candidate not getting the job.  Let your legal recruiter know if you or another recruiter has already submitted your resume to a company so they can avoid submitting you twice.