Managing Your Legal Career
King County Bar Bulletin
Working With Recruiters / Informational Interviews
By Karen J. Summerville
Q. Yesterday I had a telephone screening interview with an in-house recruiter for a technology company. This morning she called to tell me that I was one of three attorneys who would be brought in for interviews with the general counsel. I am delighted, and I am doing everything I can to prepare. One of my concerns, however, is what to wear to the interview. I have an acquaintance who works at the company, but not in the legal department. He assures me that no one ever wears a suit or tie. He suggested that I just wear a pair of khakis and a polo shirt so I would look as though I already work there. What do you think?
Q. Last week I got a call from a legal recruiter asking if I would be interested in an in-house position with a local company. I am a fifth year associate at a large firm, and I am not actively looking for a new position. Naturally, I was surprised by her call and I am not sure that I left her with the best impression. Any suggestions for dealing with this situation in the future?
A. First of all congratulations! Getting a call from a legal recruiter is confirmation that you have established yourself in the profession and that you have an excellent reputation. Recruiters do not call unless they have heard good things about you. Because it is not uncommon for attorneys to change jobs as many as three to five times in their careers, recruiters can be a valuable resource should you decide you would like to consider a move.
In the future, if you get a call from a recruiter, find out as much information as you can about her. Is she trustworthy? If possible, try to find out more about the firm or company for whom she is recruiting. Unless you express a genuine interest in the position, she will probably not reveal the name of the company or the specifics of the position. If you do agree to send her your resume, be sure to ask for confidentiality and insist that your resume not be sent to anyone without your approval. Even if you are not interested in making a career change, you will want to leave a favorable impression because you never know when you might decide to make a move.
Before you decide to work with a legal recruiter, you should also know more about how they work. They provide a professional service to law firms and corporations, who are their clients. They are paid by the firm or company and never charge a fee to the individual (candidate). Recruiters work on a contingency or a retainer basis. On contingency, recruiters receive a fee only if one of their candidates is hired. If the recruiter is on retainer, he or she charges for his or her time and effort in the search.
You should also understand that legal recruiters are not career guidance counselors. They do not help attorneys figure out what they want to do. Instead, they are hired by the firm or company to find the ideal candidate. For those who would like to get a call from a recruiter, the best advice is, "Be visible!" Speak at CLEs. Participate in bar activities. Increase your network. Write articles for publication. Maximizing your potential in your current situation is the best way to come to the attention of a legal recruiter. They are looking for attorneys who excel!
Q. I just returned from an "informational interview." It was such a negative experience that I am practically shaking. The attorney with whom I spoke has an excellent reputation, and a colleague recommended that I talk to her about my career search. She looked at my resume and told me that I didn't have much to offer any law firm or company. She suggested that I start over at a big firm to get my career on track. I have six years of varied experience in civil litigation. I think she was trying to be helpful, but it was a real blow to have someone tell me to my face that I had nothing to offer. What did I do wrong?
A. Nothing! Unfortunately, not all informational interviews are helpful. My experience and that of my clients is that only about one in four informational interviews is actually valuable. About one in four is very negative, and the other two are only moderately helpful. Not all individuals are willing or able to help someone who is searching for a new career. Does this mean you should quit networking? No! To the contrary, you should go out and talk to more people to increase the number of valuable contacts you make. It would be great if we could predict who would be helpful and who might be hurtful, but that is not always possible.
I remember one client who was disappointed after talking to an attorney about career opportunities in environmental law. The attorney was very discouraging and told my client that her chances of finding a good position in environmental law in the Seattle area were slim to none. Shortly thereafter she was introduced to another attorney engaged in environmental law who offered her a position. She later discovered that the attorney who told her there were no opportunities was married to the attorney who offered her a job!