Today’s job market is improving; but it’s still tough for even the most experienced and skilled lawyers. That’s why attorneys who want to gain an edge in a competitive job market run their job search like a business. Let’s take a look at a few tips:

1. The most successful businesses, like the most effective job seekers conduct thorough market research before launching their product. What’s the product? You.  Attorney’s should find out what the market is looking for, what’s hot and what’s not, which firms are hiring and which are making employee cuts.  This type of thorough market research will increase the effectiveness of any attorney’s job search.
2. Attorneys who successfully compete in the job marketplace also make sure they are conveying a clear message about professional brand to hiring managers and legal recruiters. One of the mistakes that some lawyers make when sending out resumes and cover letters is trying to be too many things to too many people.  Being concise and clear in what you have to offer to prospective employers will be the most effective in selling “brand you.”
3. Top companies such as Microsoft and Apple understand that it is not enough to simply convey who they are to the marketplace.  Businesses, like job seekers, must also let their target audience know what their unique selling proposition is; in other words show how they are different from competitors. Attorneys are competing with many skilled and experienced lawyers so they need to make sure that they prove that they are unique from the rest and use their unique qualities as the selling point.