Knowing Recruiters’ Ins and Outs Enhances Legal Job Searches
Amy Goldstein of Grayson Allen shares tips for legal job hunts
Ask recruiters questions and explore multiple search avenues
Recruiters are an integral part of many job searches. It is important to build relationships with them. Understanding the role they play, the types of engagements companies and firms use, and how to interact with and evaluate recruiters will help you maximize opportunities.
As I’ve seen in my own recruiting practice, such an approach should minimize frustration during what is often a long and tedious process. That said, you shouldn’t depend on recruiters alone when seeking a new position with a law firm or in-house department.
Why can’t you rely only on recruiters to find a job? Not all jobs go to recruiters, and you will miss out on great opportunities if you always wait to be contacted.
To cover the market, keep an eye on job boards such as goinhouse.com and lateralhub.com. And be social; networking is key. Attend conferences and bar events, and schedule coffees and lunches.
Who is handling the search if recruiters aren’t involved? Many companies recruit directly with internal talent acquisition teams. While some of those teams do research and outreach just as recruiters do, many post jobs on company websites and job boards, then manage resume submissions.
Company employees sometimes also have a recruiter title. It can be confusing, but an email address or signature line usually indicates whether the person works directly for the company or is an external recruiter.
Some law firms and companies lack a dedicated talent acquisition team and rely on their human resources departments or the hiring attorney to handle the search.
Law firm searches. When making a move between firms, have one recruiter cover the market for you. Firms tend to cast a wide net when working with recruiters and will rarely turn down a resume even if it’s from a recruiter they haven’t worked with in the past.
This approach helps the recruiter stay objective and incentivizes them to work hard for you. If a recruiter knows you are working with others, they may prioritize candidates who work with them exclusively, which makes a placement more likely.
However, if multiple recruiters have exclusive searches, it will be advantageous to work with more than one.
In-house searches. When looking for an in-house role, expect to work with multiple people. Companies that work with recruiters usually limit the number of recruiters they use to one or two, so you should plan to work with the person who has the job you are interested in pursuing.
In-house moves also require you to do more than connect with recruiters. There are many companies with talent acquisition teams or that use HR departments or the hiring attorney to manage searches. When a recruiter isn’t involved, you will need to submit your own resume to the company.
Types of recruiter engagements. If a company or firm is using a recruiter, the engagement can be retained, exclusive, or contingent. A recruiter will most likely share if they are “retained” (payment is guaranteed and includes an upfront fee) or “exclusive” (there are no other recruiters working on the search, but the recruiter must make the placement to be paid).
Most recruiters work on “contingent” searches. This means they may be one of several people working on a search, and they only get paid if their candidate is hired.
How can you tell good recruiters from bad? Ask questions, including what type of relationship the recruiter has with the client; the tenure of the working relationship; whether they’ve made prior placements; and if they know details beyond the job description about the role, team, and company.
A good recruiter should be able to answer questions even for a new client. Think twice about giving any recruiter who stumbles over their answers consent to represent you.
You’re the one who controls your search, and you aren’t obligated to give consent just because someone told you about a job or sent you an email. If you don’t feel comfortable with the recruiter pitching a job, or if you get several emails about the same role, take a moment before saying yes or even before responding.
If you know a recruiter you trust, reach out to them to see if they are working on the position. The first person to reach out should only be the recruiter you choose if you trust that they will be the best one to represent you. The National Association of Legal Search Consultants is a great resource for reputable recruiters.
Why respond to recruiters if you aren’t looking? It is unlikely you will work for the same employer for your entire career. This means you will be in the market at some point.
Build relationships with reputable recruiters before you need them. That way, when you are interested in a move, recruiters you trust can advise you.
Why don’t recruiters respond when I reach out? Many recruiters, especially those who do in-house work, are client-driven. They will add your resume to their database but typically don’t have time for a call if you aren’t a candidate for a current search. This is the nature of their jobs, so don’t take it personally.
Recruiters are amazing market resources and often are gatekeepers for dream jobs. Make sure to take their calls and build relationships, but remember that it is just one of several paths to finding a new role.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax, or its owners.
Author Information
Amy Goldstein is founder of Grayson Allen and provides executive legal search, talent acquisition consulting, and career coaching services.