Success Amidst Chaos

 Every week I hear from law students and lawyers who have found opportunities in non traditional ways.  They applied the legendary motto of the United States Marines - the adapted, improvised,, and they overcame. Through diligence, persistence, creativity, spontaneity and with they found opportunities when others simply abandoned the path exhausted and dejected.   Eight of my favorites follow, some names omitted in the interest of confidentiality.

Kristina Juntunen is a 2003 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. A few days before she graduated she received a letter from her about-to-be firm Altheimer & Gray notifying she and her classmates that they had been terminated in advance of their arrival. No $50,000 farewell bonus.  No internship. No Deferral.  Just good-bye.  The firm folded shortly thereafter having flamed out like the mythical legend Icarus reaching for the stars when it should have stayed closer to familiar more pedestrian ground.  For Tina and her classmates this was a debacle.  The market was terrible - the economy was beginning a slow crawl out of the two pronged tech wreck /9-11 recession but firms were basically full. 

This did not stop one my favorite Wolverines.  Sure she was scared. Offended.  But Tina, because of her Spartan and Wolverine roots is tenacious and practical. She developed a Chicago plan and a New York plan. Skipping the details (which we will save for the movie - where I assume she will played by Hillary Swank), the Chicago strategy was tantalizingly close but not successful.  On to the D.C. and New York strategies. A couple of months later I received one of the most memorable calls of my career.  On her own - no entre, no magical connection, no headhunter, she joined with New York’s White & Case.  Story over? Hell no.  Just warmin’ up.

She spent 2.5 very successful years with one of the best and toughest law firms in the world.  But she took the city by storm.  If there is someone more involved in the pulse of the Big Apple I’d like to meet her.  Organizations, galleries, friends galore, restaurants, events, causes,  neighborhoods - she does it all.  She moved from White & Case to Kasowitz  Benson, akin from moving from the Green Berets to the Delta Force and in short order established herself in that firm.

She’s been seconded to a foreign client, worked on major cases, returned to Ann Arbor last year to talk with second year students taking the same journey, and again has made the leaps and bounds that might have surprised some. It didn’t surprise me in the least. She’s what Sinatra had in mind when he sang “New York, New York.”  I’ve worked with 10,150 lawyers and students. 100 are in my Hall of Fame.  Most of the 100 rank lower than this Wolverine.

Young law school graduates can never start too early in positioning themselves as authoritative voices in their field.  Becoming a successful and sought after attorney isn’t just about your law school grades and activities; it is also about how your peers view you.  Below are few suggestions on how you can begin to manage your reputation and mold your professional image, even if you are still struggling to land your first job:

Get accomplished and involved in the bigger world using your attorney skills and knowledge and then let others know about it.  Even if you are still struggling to land your first official job outside of law school, consider volunteering your time as an attorney to non-profits in your local area.  Don’t just look at the big non-profits, take a look at the grassroots organizations and find out how you can use your skills to help them. 

Start blogging and writing articles about your profession.  Got an opinion about the latest developments in the legal industry, take the time to write about it from a young attorney’s perspective.  Keep it professional and interesting and you could grow quite a following.

Get plugged into social media as a young professional attorney.  Online connections aren’t just about staying in touch with family and friends; take the time to begin to build an online network with others in your profession. Don’t forget to connect your blog and tweets to your online accounts such as LinkedIn.

Gain exposure the old-fashioned way…via print.  Consider submitting articles to print publications that target other attorneys.  Remember, many people still get their news from offline sources, make sure you make your presence known in those offline mediums.

Finding a job in this recession has become a long-term endeavor, that’s why job seekers need to be prepared for the long haul.  Whether you became unemployed yesterday or 99 weeks ago, below are a few tips that can help you survive the long-term job search you may be facing:

Create a bare bones budget.  This budget should tell you how much need to spend to survive with the bare essentials.  Rent, food, utilities, car expenses, health insurance and other essentials should be included in this budget.  Do not include things like cable TV, health club memberships or other non-essentials.  It is recommended that you get on this bare bones budget immediately after becoming unemployed or even before you become unemployed if you know that a layoff is coming down the line.

File for unemployment insurance benefits immediately.  Many people mistakenly believe that unemployment is a form of charity and it is not.  You and your former employer have paid into unemployment, take advantage of this benefit immediately after becoming unemployed. Do not delay.

Try to reduce expenses for essentials such as utilities, insurance (life, health, car etc.) and food by shopping around and/or applying for programs targeted for low-income people.  Once again do not allow your pride to prevent you from applying for these programs while you are unemployed.  These programs will help you become better prepared to financially withstand long-term employment and to find a job that will be suited for you not just take a job out of desperation.

Most recruiters have already heard about the value of online social networks; but the reality is that few recruiters have truly been able to maximize the value they receive from these networks. What typically happens is that most recruiters will amass a number of contacts on LinkedIn and other social networking sites which they fail to develop.  Why is that?  Well when people talk about the value of social networks, they often fail to mention the work that is required to truly reap the rewards that online social networks can deliver.  Below are a few tips on how to maximize the value of your online social networks:

Accept that you cannot connect to and develop deep professional relationships with everyone.  While you can connect and maintain some type of contact with most or your entire online social network you can only develop close professional ties with about 7 to 10 individuals at any one time.

Triage your online social connections.  What is the true value of each social connection in your online social network?  This value should be measured by your needs, wants and the value that the individual connection can bring to your business.  Any connections in your online network that bring a value of “zero” should be eliminated completely. Connections in your online network that bring high value should be given immediate and ongoing attention. Those connections that have some value or can offer potential value should receive some ongoing attention that is automated. For example, you may want to send out a monthly newsletter to those individuals or notify them when your blog is updated.

Do not limit your contact with your online social network to only the internet.  If you have made connections online and wish to further develop that relationship, consider having a telephone conversation with the contact or if you are in the same city set up at face-to-face meeting.  This should be done only for those contacts who offer the most value to your business.

For independent recruiters working from home, having a home office that promotes efficiency and productivity is important.  Below are a few tips on how recruiters can create the ultimate home office:

Don’t try to make your work style and needs fit your existing space, sculpt the space to fit your work style and needs.  Even if you are only using part of a room, start with an empty space and a sketch pad and pencil.  Ask yourself: What do I want this room/space to do for me?  Where do I want to sit? What things do I need at my fingertips at all times? Jot down on the pad in what part of the room you want to do certain things.  Afterwards imagine what type of supplies you need for certain activities and make note of it in those areas of the room (on your sketch pad).

Make sure you use office furniture that fits your needs.  For example, don’t use a filing cabinet that is too small.  First find out how many files you have and purchase a cabinet that will be big enough for those files and more as you grow.

Once you have the physical space setup, make sure that you keep the space clutter free.  This will be easy to do if you have the right furniture to hold your supplies and records.

Make sure that you keep your personal and business spaces as separate as possible to minimize distractions and confusion. 

GENERATION NEXT  and  How would the Greatest Generation of Lawyers Fare Today ?  

Generation Next - They’re a fascinating group. Highly motivated. Extremely competitive but willing to share. They are the generation that will banish racism and sexism in this nation. We had our shot - we made progress - but they’re going to kill the beast. Yes - today they are frustrated, angry, scared, confused about where the career path will lead them. And in their ranks are some sycophants, weirdos, high maintenance jerks, and worse. In that respect they mirror our elders.

I have the privilege of meeting with hundreds of law students from the nation’s leading schools every year - and in 35 years I have interviewed, hired, placed, or counseled 10,000 more.  This generation is fantastic and they will accomplish more for our profession than we can possibly imagine. In their words, “this is how they roll.”

I was on a Southwest flight from Little Rock to Chicago a week ago - every seat taken and a young man in his early 20's, buzz cut, and a back pack said “Sir may I have that seat.”  I know the back pack - it’s standard issue for the Army. We chatted most of the flight - here’s what I learned. Raised in Vermont he joined the National Guard to be a soldier but also because when he’s not deployed they fight fires and run rescue operations on lakes and rivers.

He was heading to Fort Campbell to begin specialized training. I asked him about his long-term plans and he said he wanted to become a Sergeant and earn three patches for his uniform - Ranger, Airborne Ranger, and 10^th Mountain Division - he already had his Combat Infantry Badge from Middle East deployments.

He said “Sir I just want to serve and earn those badges and go home and find the guy who recruited me and order him to do 50 push ups.”  Napoleon once wrote that “it is a amazing what a man will do to earn a small fabric ribbon honoring his service.”  That’s our Next Generation.  America will be fine. So will the legal profession.

General Becton has not met the young soldier who sat between us on a plane ride from Little Rock to Chicago.  But they share the same commitment to service, to excellence, to country, and to completing the mission at hand - no matter what effort is required.  A true source of inspiration to any or all of us. Log on to Amazon and order Becton’s autobiography - Autobiography of a Solder and Public Servant.  Or you can borrow mine. If you don’t return it I’m turning the case over to my new puppy Dakota.  If you smell like chicken she’s got only two questions - is my next meal regular or extra crispy?

How would the Greatest Generation of Lawyers Fare Today ?  

It’s a subject worthy of a seminar or at least an adult beverage or two.  It won’t happen but it would be like those arguments about whether Joe Louis would have defeated Ali (don’t think so).  Could Ted Williams hit .400 today (yep). Caruso v. Pavarotti. Beethoven v. the Beatles. But imagine if you could gather in a conference center the founders of some of America’s greatest firms - here are a few nominees

Many clients ask recruiters to sign non-disclosure agreements which are designed to protect the company by prohibiting recruiters from sharing valuable ideas and information they may learn about the company with competitors. But before a recruiter signs a non-disclosure agreement they need to make sure of the following:

The non-disclosure agreement should specifically define what information is covered by the agreement.  Valid non-disclosure agreements will define what information is confidential and what information can be shared.  By defining what information is confidential and what is not, the recruiter will have a better sense of what can be shared and in the end protect themselves from litigation arising from inadvertently sharing trade secrets due to a poorly written non-disclosure agreement.

The non-disclosure agreement should spell out the obligations of the recruiter in protecting the confidential information. Generally speaking, what measures is the recruiter expected to take to make sure that the trade secret is not leaked due to their negligence.

The non-disclosure agreement should define the period of time that the agreement is valid.  Many non-disclosure agreements have a clause that states confidentiality must be maintained indefinitely or until the information no longer qualifies as a trade secret.

1. It’s free.  Well not exactly free; but recruiters don’t get paid until you get a job.  And when they do get paid, they are paid by the employer via a percentage of your first year’s salary.  That means that you won’t have to pay a cent out of your own pockets and they only get paid for the results they provide.  That’s a huge incentive for them to find you work and to make sure that you get paid as much as possible.
2. The best recruiters have extensive contacts and relationships with employers in your field.  By having a recruiter present your resume to an employer your leverage that recruiter’s reputation and relationships to get the job you want.
3. Recruiters have access to many jobs that will never be listed on a job board.  And if the jobs are listed on the job board it is only after the recruiter has sent his/her selected applicants to the employer to be interviewed.  By hiring a recruiter you give yourself a chance to get access to jobs before they become public knowledge.
4. Hiring a recruiter allows you to maximize your job search ability.  A recruiter works as a second pair of hands out there searching for job opportunities which can reduce the amount of time it takes for you to land your next job.

The recruiting business is not just a business designed to fill job orders and source candidates, it also about building relationships with hiring managers so that recruiters can work as a partner in helping the employer meet their long-term talent needs and by extension their business objectives. Below are some of the key ingredients recruiters need to build strong relationships with hiring managers:

1. Recruiters who have a strong relationship with an employer’s hiring manager will have a position at the table when employers decide which jobs need to be filled to help them meet their business objectives.  When a recruiter is working as a partner with the employer they will know well before the job order is placed which positions are vacating, which are being created and which are being discontinued. If you do not have this type of relationship with an employer yet, begin facilitating the relationship by asking on a periodic basis about which jobs are being vacated or created.
2. Recruiters who have a strong relationship with an employer’s hiring manager will be included in the workforce planning process and will be asked to contribute their opinions as decisions are being made.  One way to begin building this type of relationship with employers is by offering this type of service to current clients.  Let them know that you are available and able to offer your professional input when they are engaged in workforce planning.
3. Recruiters who have a strong relationship with an employer’s hiring manager will remain in the loop well after the job candidates has been hired and will receive feedback on how the new hire is performing. A great way to get employers into the habit of giving you feedback after a new hire has been onboarded is to include feedback as an automatic part of your recruiting process.

Some companies require new employees to sign non-compete agreements in an effort to protect their business interests.  But sometimes non-compete agreements can make it difficult or at least challenging for recruiters to place job candidates.  Here’s what you need to know:

A non-compete agreement will restrict a job candidate’s ability to work in a certain capacity, field, job function and even geographic area for a set period of time. In other words they cannot work in a way that would put that job candidate in direct competition with the employer with whom they signed the non-compete agreement.

Not all non-compete agreements are valid.  In order for a non-compete agreement to be considered valid it must be reasonable in scope.  For example, saying that a job candidate cannot work in a certain capacity for five years is not reasonable.  Most non-compete agreements only last about one year after employment.  Also, a non-compete agreement that restricts a job candidate from working anywhere in the world, would not be considered reasonable or valid.

Recruiters need to require that job candidates disclose non-compete agreements before they begin submitting their resume to employers.  If a recruiter attempts to place a job candidate with a company that is restricted by the non-compete agreement, it could be an embarrassing situation to say the least.

Attracting prospective clients is just the first step in creating long-lasting client/recruiter relationships that can support your business.  Successful recruiters know that their continued success requires the ability to convert tire kickers into paying clients.  Let’s take a look at how recruiters can do just that:

Step 1:  Assess the prospective client’s ability to do business.  Do they have the cash and the authority to do business with you?  Many times recruiters make the mistake of wasting time on prospective clients who can’t do business with them even if they wanted to, either because they don’t have the funding or they are not the decision maker in the company.

Step 2: Assess the needs and wants of the prospective client.  Are you able to provide the services they are looking for?  Or would they be better off looking elsewhere?  If you can prove to the prospective client that you can provide the services they need and want, then you will be one step closer to converting them into a paying customer.

Step 3: Keep in contact with prospective clients.  Every prospective client does not buy right away.  You may need to make up to 20 different connections with them over time before they will be willing to buy.  Setup a system where you can automatically touch base with them every so often.  Consider asking them to sign-up for your monthly newsletter, blog or connect with them via your online social network.

Generation Next vs The Greatest Generation

I’m not so worried about Generation Next - our junior associates and their law school counterparts. Older generations have always discounted the ability of those who follow - lamenting their character, their commitment, their fashion, music, common sense, haircuts, dancing and all the rest. It’s easy to have a negative simpleminded reaction to younger professionals. Consider some of their most irritating traits

Yo, Dude, wassup with the hair gel?

If I hear the word “like” one more time I’ll hang myself in the shower; 

They love to multi-task and make it look easy;

They text, tweet, talk, order lunch, and criticize our lifestyles at the same time;

They accept the enormous amount of money we paid them and don’t offer to pay it back;

They want more out of life than we did - and they want to talk about it now;

They know a better way to do everything- and dammit if they’re not right most of the time;

They have no sense of history but they love Wikipedia;

They think sushi is one of the four basic food groups - not doughnuts, ice cream, pizza, and beer;

They use Dude as a greeting, noun, verb, gerund, and warning -sometimes in the same sentence;

They’re so impatient that they want tomorrow to be yesterday; and

They want to have a family and spend time with their family and don’t admire serial disorders or their “starter marriages”;  

            The Greatest Generation - The first reason I’m not worried is that I’ve met the Greatest Generation. The smartest toughest guy I ever knew was a kid in the Depression, joined the Marines in 1941, came home to a recession that cost him his job and raised four kids on a modest income and came into his own professionally during the 1960's. He sent me a note when I joined Shearman & Sterling which I still have today

Dear Franklyn,

Congratulations on your job with Shearman & Sterling. It sounds like a great firm and a great place to begin your career. I know that they’ve said they will pay you $25,000 a year. But if when you get there they can only pay you 10 or 15, keep the job - because it’s a great job. Play for the long term. That’s what matters. Ignore the potholes and keep on driving.

Pretty good advice. He was one of four Marines in the Second World War to earn the Distinguished Flying Cross three times - for landing his DC-3 at night, under fire, unarmed, to deliver ammunition and evacuate wounded Marines. He did this more than 200 times. He did it to serve his country and he was paid $62 a month. His Marines called him Captain. I called him Dad.

So you’ve gotten past the gatekeepers who reviewed your resume and cover letter and determined that you were good enough to make the cut for the company’s first round of interviews.  Well don’t break out the champagne yet, getting the interview is only half the battle and surprisingly that’s where many job candidates “flunk” out when trying to answer some seemingly simple interview questions. Below is one of the three seemingly simple interview questions that if not answered carefully could become the reason why you don’t get a call back for a second or third interview.

Question: What motivates you to do your job well?

Wrong Answer: Good pay, benefits, opportunities to advance in my career or anything else that is related to your own personal needs. No matter how nicely you put it, telling an employer that you are simply motivated by money will not land you the job. And just in case you were considering it, saying that you are motivated by the fear of losing your job, won’t get you hired either.

Better Answer: You enjoy meeting a challenge. You are passionate about your career; you enjoy helping others or anything else that has to do with your higher needs, preferable those in the “self-actualization” category of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  You can even elaborate by telling a story about how your passion, desire to help others etc. has produced positive results in former jobs.

Stay tuned for Part II: What is your most valuable strength?

Recruiters working on contingent searches for employers may be asked to sign non-solicitation agreements.  What is a non-solicitation agreement?  A non-solicitation agreement is a contract between a recruiter and an employer that states that the recruiter will not attempt to recruit any of the client’s employees for work elsewhere.  Also, non-solicitation agreements often state that a recruiter agrees to not “re-recruit” a candidate to later leave the job if hired and go to another job at a different company.  Things you should consider before signing a non-solicitation agreement:

The non-solicitation agreement’s scope. Before you sign a non-solicitation agreement make sure that the scope (duration, market description, geographic region) of the agreement is reasonable and fair.

Consider refusing to sign the non-solicitation agreement and see if the client is willing to work without one.  Signing a non-solicitation agreement can place a very real restriction on your ability to recruit. So before you sign a non-solicitation agreement make sure that the client can justify their need for one.  Ask them what exactly they are trying to protect with the agreement.

Remember that a non-solicitation agreement is fully enforceable in court.  Do you have the time and money to fight it out in court if you are accused by the client of violating the agreement? Are you able to afford the damages associated with losing in court?  If not, carefully consider if the client is worth signing the agreement.

1.     Do a search by the candidate’s email address, not just their name.  All of the online networking sites use email addresses to identify their members. By doing a search using their email address you can find out what the candidate has said on forums and groups

2.     Check out the job candidate’s LinkedIn profile.  Does their stated experience match up with the contacts they have linked to?  If all or most of their candidate’s LinkedIn connections are in an unrelated field, the candidate may not have the type of experience that they claimed to have.

3.     Take a visit to the job candidate’s Facebook page. Is there picture appropriate?  Granted that many people use Facebook to make personal connections to family and friends, most decent candidates won’t post photos of themselves in compromising positions or holding alcoholic beverages.

4.     If you come across a job candidate’s postings in forums and groups, take the time to read a few.  Do they say things that could be a liability for your client?  Do they say things that morally repugnant? Or, do they make statements that confirm that they are in fact a quality job candidate?

Working with a recruiter can be a great opportunity to expand your network of job opportunities. But before you enter into a candidate/recruiter relationship there are a few things you should know:

Does the recruiter have the background, work experience and contacts needed to get you the job you want?  Don’t just depend on the recruiter’s word, do a little research and find out where they’ve worked, who their connections are and how respected they are by the players in your industry.

How does the recruiter circulate job candidate resumes?  Good recruiters will be sure to not flood the market with your resume and will only send your resume to carefully selected employers whom they believe would be a good match.  It’s important to connect with a recruiter who understands and respects your need to avoid the mass distribution of your resume so that it does not lock you out of job opportunities with employers who might not want to pay a recruiter’s fee.

How well does the recruiter acts as an advocate for the job candidate when submitting their resume for a job?  While a recruiter has an obligation to the employer to present only the most appropriate candidates for a job order, they also have obligation to the job candidate to assertively promote them to jobs for which they feel the job candidate would be appropriate.

Is the recruiter good at communicating with job candidates?  Do they let them know where they are in the recruiting process after an interview? Or, do they often leave job candidates in limbo?  Job candidates are best served by recruiters who are willing to communicate clearly to them whether or not they are being considered for a job especially after an interview.

Conducting an informational interview can be beneficial to job seekers, especially recent law school graduates and seasoned professionals looking to change fields.  Below are a few ways you can maximize the benefits of an informational interview:

Be prepared to conduct the interview immediately upon first contact.  While it would be ideal to meet with the interviewee in person, some people may be too busy to fit you into their schedule.   If this is the case, be prepared to ask them for 10 minutes of their time over the phone and be ready with your quick questions.

Make sure that you do your research on the company and the individual you are interviewing before you call them to schedule an informational interview.  Nothing will make a worse impression than showing the interviewee that you didn’t even bother to do your research before calling them.

Only ask questions that are relevant to the information you need.  For example, if the purpose of your informational interview is to find out what is like to work at a certain company, make sure your questions are geared towards exploring the culture of that firm.

Follow-up with your interviewee afterwards.  Send a thank you note and give them periodic updates on your progress; but don’t overwhelm with too much contact.  Keep it brief and just frequent enough to remain on their radar.

At the end of the summer, some students will not receive offers. If you are hit by this truck, please read this section. First, your professional career is not over. Second, the profession is full of outstanding lawyers who hit a bump in the road early in their careers. Do not conceal, mis-state or paper over the truth.         

Lying about receiving an offer will be detected and may lead to suspension from school or inability to be admitted. Concocting a story that you ‘withdrew’ your name from consideration has no credibility. Face the bad news head on. That’s something excellent lawyers must do every in their practice. Papering over the truth or being obtuse does nothing to advance your career.         

Do not attempt to re-litigate the issue. The firm’s decision is final. Running around seeking second opinions only makes you look immature and foolish. Try to learn why the decision was made. Most firms will give you a pretty clear explanation of why they made their decision. In a healthy economy where most firms need to expand their ranks quickly the summer associates fail because of ❏ poor work habits ❏ blowing important assignments for important clients  /  partners ❏ attitude and behavioral problems ❏ apparent lack of commitment to the firm, the city, or the firm’s clients / practice ❏ inability to respond to constructive criticism.         

Ask if the partners who ran the summer program will, nevertheless, provide a favorable reference. This is a tough and complex area. This asks the firm to do something that is somewhat counter-intuitive. And, firms have concerns (excessive in my view) that providing a reference exposes them to risks. Obtaining a reference is critical. And, if the firm will not provide a favorable reference you still must be able to give the name of a partner with whom another employer may speak.         

Perhaps the day will come when law firm X sues law firm Y for giving a bad reference about a summer associate. I suspect that when that day arises it will involve a summer associate whose behavior at both firms was atrocious, incompetent, or criminal — not just someone who did some substandard work for one or two partners.         

When you are interviewed by other firms, your description of your summer experience must be brief, direct, and not hostile. The following would be appropriateI did not receive a permanent offer from Smith & Barrow. I did, however, work for a variety of partners would encourage you to call Amy Hamilton, one of the partners who ran the summer program in the corporate area. She is familiar with my work. Her direct dial number is on page 2 of my resume.You may be pressed for ‘the real reasons’ or the ‘real story.’ If the firm explained, for example, that you did not receive an offer because of negative reviews from two partners, you should acknowledge his but try to put the best foot forward           

My reviews were mixed. During the summer I worked for 13 attorneys, including six partners. I think Amy Hamilton is in the best position to comment on the quality of my work and I encourage you to speak with her. If the statistics are in your favor, it would not hurt to say “I understand that Smith & Barlow gave permanent offers to only 50 percent of the summer associates.” But make certain your information is correct beforehand. Next, do not burn your bridges with angry, insolent, or immature reactions. Do not head back to campus and tar and feather your former firm. You look stupid doing that — even your best friends will tire of your tales about all the jerks at Smith & Jones — and the word will get back to your firm. 

Recovery and Redemption

If the news is bad develop a strategic plan to improve your marketability. I strongly recommend the following to 3L’s and 2L’s  following a ‘no offer’ decision.   

• Re apply yourself in the classroom. Your remaining semesters are now far moreimportant — not only to your present job search but to your options 1-10 years down theroad.

•  Join a journal, write an article, win moot court,—do anything that demonstrates energy,writing ability, and intellectual excellence. Stay away from non-graded activities which are social or administrative — focus on activities that demonstrate brainpower and hard work.

• Build your references — get to know faculty members who can provide countervailingreferences. Re-evaluate your short term career objectives — there is no harm in not beingable to join the most prestigious large law firm in a major city the day you graduate. In fact, a lot of the lateral hiring done by these firms at the 3-4 year level is of lawyers who began their careers in less famous mid-sized firms.

•  Do not be unrealistic about cities. If you are targeting tight markets (Seattle, Boston, San Diego, Phoenix) what was difficult to begin with may well be impossible in the wake of a ‘no offer’ decision. Act like a trader: don’t fight the tape. 

• Stay away from non-law’ courses. Employers look beyond GPA’s to course selection in evaluating how you did in school.  

• Do not take ungraded electives, soft-law seminars and all the rest. The courses may well have value and be interesting to boot. But they will not help you dig out of the ‘no-offer’ hole. 

• Understand that you learned valuable life and career lessons early -- that you can recover, that the opinion of one employer does not ruin a promising career, and that bad facts can be overcome with candor, persuasion, and persistence.

Many job seekers find that after missing a few years of employment because of personal or unemployment issues, it can be difficult to break back into the workplace.  One of the ways that job seekers choose to address the employment gap issue tactfully and honestly, is by using the functional resume.  But if you decide to use a functional resume, make sure you don’t make the following mistakes:

Mistake #1 – Don’t list the employment gap on your resume.  For example, don’t say 2008 – 2009 “Unemployed” or “Stay at home mom.” It may seem like the right thing to do; but if you feel the need to explain a gap in you employment before the interview, include that on your cover letter not on the resume.

Mistake #2 – Don’t leave off employment dates. Under the “Employment History” section of your resume make sure you include the dates of employment for each job, leaving the dates off can be a red flag for employers.

Mistake #3 – Listing experience that is not relevant to the job first. Keep relevant and irrelevant experience separate.  Even if you are making a career change or have done lots of different things, make sure that you only list relevant work experience under the “Summary of Qualifications” section.  You can create another section “Additional Experience” to highlight other experience you have that may not be directly related to the job but may be beneficial to the company.

Mistake #4 – Failing to include relevant activities you engaged in during your employment gap.  For example, if you attended a class related to your field or volunteered your legal services to a non-profit during your employment; include that on your resume.  This will let the employer know that while you had an employment gap you did remain active.

1. Underestimating your value to the job marketplace.  This is one of the easiest traps to fall into especially after a long-term search only leads to dead ends and frustration. But it is essential to the job candidate’s mental health and job prospects that they fight this tendency any way they can.  If you’re feeling inadequate in the job marketplace, take a class, volunteer or somehow get involved in things that will validate your value and worth.
2. Focusing on the negative and the fact that you haven’t found a job in a certain amount of time.  This is a sure way to make yourself depressed and put the brakes on any job search effort you’re engaged in.  Please make sure that you focus on your job search successes, especially those things you can control, such as how many resumes you sent out or networking events you attended.
3. Commiserating with other job seekers who are not having success in their search.  While it may be comforting at first to complain with others in the same boat as you, eventually it will only serve to create a defeatist mentality.  Instead, take the time to seek out those who have found jobs and use them as your inspiration.

Independent recruiters, acting as a sales force of one, are often paralyzed by their fear of rejection.  We all know the feeling, the fear that when a potential client does not sign you on as their recruiter of choice that somehow that means that it is a personal rejection and that you will never secure work again.  This feeling can stop you and put you on the road to disaster if it is not confronted.  Below are a few tips on how recruiters can overcome the fear of rejection when soliciting businesses:

1. Remember, that sales is a numbers game.  More specifically, the more rejections you get the closer you are to success.  Don’t be afraid to receive a no from someone, just understand that it is part of the process.
2. As a recruiter you must realize that just because your services are not a good fit for one business does not mean that ever business will reject you.
3. Recruiters must treat every new interaction with a potential client as just that, a new interaction.  Do not carry the baggage of your last rejection into the new opportunity.  Understand that there is a potential for success in every new client interaction.
4. Recruiters must remember that rejection is never personal, even if the person rejecting you makes personal comments.
5. Make a commitment to moving forward despite how many rejections you receive.  If you are making sales calls, set a goal of how many calls you will make that day and don’t shorten that list because of rejection.

We have heard many of the benefits of recruiting passive candidates; but what are some of the possible shadow issues associated with candidates who may not be actively searching for work?  Let’s take a look at some of the issues passive candidates may have and how recruiters can discern which passive candidates truly are a good catch?

·       Many passive candidates are perceived as valuable because they seem to have loyalty towards their employer and are willing to remain with the same company over a long period of time.  Since recruiting new hires requires a large investment of time and money employers are looking for someone who is looking to remain with them over the long-term.  However, the shadow side of a passive candidate’s tendency to remain with the same employer for long time is that they may be risk adverse and resist change.  When recruiting passive candidates, recruiters must make sure that the candidates is also flexible, willing to take risks and open to change.

·       Many passive candidates are very valuable to their companies because they understand the organization and add some value to the company.   But the flip side of this value and understanding is that the candidate’s knowledge and understanding may be only limited to that particular company.  Many passive candidates who have remained with the same employer for many years make the mistake of neglecting their professional development in a way that can be transferred to other firms. Recruiters targeting passive candidates need to make sure that the candidate’s skills and knowledge are transferable and valuable in the broader marketplace.

While every candidate is unique, there are some common qualities that all recruiters and employers are looking for in potential new hires.  Below are a three of those essential qualities that every candidate must have:

1.     Passion for their work.  Recruiters and employers aren’t looking for candidates who just want a “job” they want someone who has a calling to do the type of job they are applying for.  Are you passionate about your work?  If the answer is yes, then think of ways that you can prove it to employers.  Maybe you mentor youth who want to work in your field or volunteer your legal skills and expertise to senior citizens.  Whatever you do that proves you are passionate about your work, make sure you share it with potential employers and recruiters.

2.     The ability to learn from their mistakes.  Making mistakes is just a part of life, but what makes the best candidates stand out, is their ability to take their mistakes and transform them into lessons. Employers and recruiters are looking for job candidates who are humble enough and smart enough to admit they have made mistakes and have learned from those errors.  Be ready to share your stories of mistakes that have turned out to be learning moments which have taken you to the next level in your career.

3.     The ability to work well with others.  Recruiters and employers aren’t just looking for candidates who are good “lone guns” so to speak, they are looking for those candidates who integrate well into their existing corporate culture.  Candidates who exhibit the ability to work as a part of the existing corporate culture to achieve the firm’s goals are the most sought after new hires.

One of the biggest mistakes made by recruiters during a recession is that they pull back on necessary overhauls of their brand.  Nothing beats a recession like a strong brand that can attract lucrative clients and valuable talent.  Below are a few things you can do to improve your brand during a recession:

1.     Assess the health of your brand.  What is working?  Are you attracting the type of clients and job candidates you want? Is your brand communicating your company’s intended message?

2.     What do your clients want?  One of the most important jobs of good branding is to convince clients that your company can help them fulfill their wants and needs.  Is your band effectively communicating what your offer to potential customers and how you are different from the competition?

3.     Refocus on your company’s core values and services.  Make sure your marketing materials communicate clearly what you are offering without muddling the message with too much information.

4.     Never cut on quality. Make sure you create quality websites and print marketing materials that remind the customer that you are professional and intend to provide top-notch quality service.