Our legal job board has been up and running for two years
now.
Over that time it has grown
in size and scope.
It’s grown even
more recently as the market began to rebound.
I’ve been able to check in and take a look at jobs AND view
some simple but critical mistakes that job seekers routinely make.
I thought I’d share some of them with
you.
• Protected Email
Address - If you are sending out a resume to a prospective employer, do NOT
use a ‘protected’ email address.
Yes, we all hate spam, but no employer is going to fill out a little
form and send it to you so that you can ‘approve’ the sender. I wonder how many people have missed
opportunities in their effort to combat spam!
• Title of Resume
– I see hundreds of resumes in our job board with the title: Resume. I see titles like ‘November 2010’, ME,
Legal, Christine, Bob and My Resume.
Is there ANYTHING about any of these titles that would entice an
employer to view that resume?
…..Still thinking? NO! The title of your resume should be like
a banner ad. Tell them who you are and about your background in ‘ad speak’. Here are titles that work: Accomplished
Compliance Professional, Highly Skilled Corporate/Regulatory Counsel, Legal
Business Development and Marketing Manager.
• Know Who You Are
Applying To – We receive attorney resumes on a regular basis. We are NOT recruiters, not employers;
we merely host the job board. Those job seekers neglected to see what we do! If
you are a corporate attorney, why did you just apply to a litigation boutique? You need to have some basic knowledge about the firm before you apply. Visit our law firm profiles;
get a look at the overall firm.
Visit their ‘About Us’ page and find out about the individual firm
before you make contact.
• Form Cover Letters
– They go right into the trash.
‘To Whom It May Concern’ means that you couldn’t be bothered to do your
homework. Who is the recruiting
coordinator at the firm? Their
name is generally on the website.
Use it. If you want to
really work at the firm, you will know something about it and use that
knowledge in your cover letter. Flatter them – make them believe that you
REALLY want to work for them!
Jobs are still scarce in today’s market, even though things
are looking up. Competition is
still fierce. If you don’t mind
your manners and do your homework you will lose the fight. An unfocused search is a wasted one. No one likes robo-calls, and a form
cover letter is it’s equivalent.
Attack your job search as if it’s YOUR JOB. Pay attention to details, they can make all the difference!