| Something Different
| April 2010
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Welcome to the April issue of Something Different!
NALP 2010
The 2010 National Association of Law Placement (NALP) Conference is only a few weeks away. If you attend the conference, please visit my booth - BOOTH #1- on April 28-29. I will have materials about my new books based on The 6Ps of the BIG 3™.
I will also conduct a live demonstration in the NALP Exhibitor Classroom on Wednesday, April 28 at 4:00 p.m. Stop by to preview how recruiters and candidates can use the BIG 3 social networking sites in legal recruiting.
The 6Ps of the BIG 3™
I continue to provide updates about my forthcoming books on The 6Ps blog. I also update the blog with news and tips about using social networking in your job search, the subject of the books. The blog posts since the March newsletter include:
Proud To Be Solo Scholarship Contest
To celebrate its one year anniversary, Solo Practice University kicked off its Proud To Be Solo Scholarship Contest. Enter by April 19 for a chance to win over $12,000 worth of cash, products and services.
The 140-Character Novel Contest
I am one of the judges for the State Bar of Texas Writing Contest: The 140-Character Novel. The contest, a brilliant idea by Michael Maslanka (@worklawyer on Twitter), challenges lawyers to write a short novel, Twitter-style, in 140 characters. The contest is open to all lawyers - not just Texas lawyers. Click here for details and enter by May 1. And, read Brevity is Bliss to Clients, Employers for tips on Twitter-style writing.
Something Different ... GlassDoor.com for Salary Info
For your dose of something different this month, you may want to explore
GlassDoor.com, a web forum where users share
employment-related information such as salary and bonus information. I learned about the site during a SXSWi session for laid-off workers. The site covers all
sectors, including the legal industry. For example, I did a search for "Counsel" and here's a glimpse of the
results I found.
And, remember, sites like GlassDoor.com are not just for job
seekers. The information contained on
these sites is just as helpful for law firm HR/hiring authorities to see what your competitors are paying their employees.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions.
Amanda
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Where's Amanda?INK |
April 9, 2010 - Frisco Bar Association presenting The 6Ps of the BIG 3™
April 26-May 1, 2010 - attending NALP 2010 Annual Education Conference in San Juan, PR. Stop by BOOTH #1 to hear about The 6Ps of the 3™and pre-order books at a special rate.
May 27, 2010- New York City Bar Association presenting The 6Ps of the BIG 3™
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Brevity is Bliss to Clients, Employers
by Amanda C. Ellis, Esq. |
Does your resume or client
letter contain the following?
Doug Williams of Fuse5 Communications provided some powerful writing statistics and tips during his panel
presentation at the Texas Women Lawyers' 2010 Conference. While his presentation focused on writing tips for client development purposes, the same rule applies to job-seeking lawyers writing resumes and cover letters:
Keep it simple with nickel words,
sentences under 22 words and
sixth-grade readability.
I found
three tools to help you follow Doug's sound advice.
Nickel Words
Doug urged lawyers to use
nickel words, one-syllable words that are simple and direct. Every word won't be a nickel word but we
should use them when we can. As they
teach in journalism school, "never use a 10-cent word when a nickel word will do."
Tools
Think of words you use in client letters or on your resume and see if there is a nickel word substitute. Some examples include:
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Instead of
10-cent words ...
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Choose nickel
words!
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Order
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Rule
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Terminate
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End
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Argue
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Feud
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Money
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Funds
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Injury
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Harm
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For more nickel words,
click here for a list of one-syllable words.
Short Sentences
Doug also shared that sentences between 1 and 8 words have near
100 percent comprehension -- thus, readers understand them instantly on a first
read. Readers continue to comprehend sentences with 20-22 words; there's about 75
percent comprehension. However, comprehension drops to 8% for a 44-word
sentence. The lesson? Write short sentences if you want to be understood.
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Words
per sentence
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Percent
comprehension
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1-8
words
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100%
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15 words
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90%
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22 words
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70%
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20 words
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50%
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35 words
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32%
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44 words
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8%
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Tools
If you
draft documents in Microsoft Word, use the Word Count feature to check the number of words in a sentence or paragraph. Highlight the selected text and click Review in the main menu, then Word Count.
The Word Count box tells you how
many words are in the selection.
Sixth-Grade Readability
Finally, Doug encouraged
lawyers to speak the language of their audience. A sixth-grader should be able to understand your client letters, form documents and resume.
Doug shared the following examples to
illustrate readability mistakes common in correspondence to clients:
- Pursuant to our conversation
of December 20, 2001, I have conducted legal research on the question as to
whether your arbitration claim was timely under the Texas Seed Arbitration
Act. According to Texas common law
construing the Act, the court would apply the plain-meaning canon of
construction. (Grade Level: 14.4)
- Unfortunately, this
conclusion is not guaranteed and is subject to certain qualifications
discussed herein. (Grade Level: 15.1; 100% Passive Sentences)
Attorney job seekers should
also draft resumes and cover letters that a sixth-grader could understand. Remember, the first
person to read resumes at a firm or corporate legal department is most likely
not a lawyer. Why risk rejection over
readability? Revise your resume to pass
the sixth-grade readability test. For example, choose descriptions in column B over column A.
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A
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B
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Charged with interviewing
clients
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Interviewed clients
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Attended and actively
participated in mediations for the purpose of settling several multi-million
dollar high-profile securities fraud cases
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Settled multi-million
dollar securities fraud cases at mediation
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Made court appearances to
argue and defend motions and judgment proceedings
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Argued __ (insert quantity)
___ (describe type) motions resulting in favorable outcomes
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Tools
You can test the readability level of your resume, client letter or form document with the Readability Statistics feature in Microsoft Word.
Set the Readability Statistics feature by clicking on the Office Button at the top-left of the screen. Select Word Options.
Select Proofing.
Scroll down to When correcting spelling and grammar in Word and check the Show Readability Statistics box. Click OK to save this setting.
Now, you can check the readability level of any Word document. (Note: you only have to complete the above steps once and then save the settings)
To check the readability level of a document, click Review from the main menu and then Spelling & Grammar.
The Readability Statistics box appears and identifies the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level as well as the percentage of passive sentences.
Conclusion
Use nickel words and short sentences to create client letters, documents and resumes that a sixth-grader could understand. Use the tools available in Microsoft Word to grade your progress. And, practice writing in 140 characters on Twitter; it can make you a better writer. Perhaps you'll even enter the State Bar of Texas Twitter Novel Contest!
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Working with a Legal Recruiter
by Amanda C. Ellis, Esq.
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1.
Understand
the terminology.
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Recruiter/Headhunter/Legal
Search Consultant/Placement Director: work for law firms; help law firms fill attorney
openings/positions. The law firm is the
client and pays the recruiter.
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Career
Counselor/Consultant/Coach: work
for individual attorneys; help attorneys find jobs. The individual attorney is the client and
pays the career counselor.
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Client: the law firm with an open attorney position
the recruiter is trying to fill.
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Candidate: the individual attorney the recruiter
recruits to fill positions at law firms.
2.
How
do I find a legal recruiter?
The National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) is the only national
organization for legal recruiters; all recruiters who join NALSC agree to abide
by the NALSC Code of Ethics®.
There is a searchable directory on the NALSC website where you can find
a NALSC recruiter in your geographical area.
Another group you might find interesting is
the Attorney Recruiter Consortium Group on LinkedIn. The group is
comprised of attorney recruiters and individual attorneys and is a great forum
where candidates can interact with recruiters and learn from them about the
industry and recruiting trends.
Finally, talk to friends and colleagues who
obtained their positions through a recruiter and find out which recruiter they
used.
3.
What
qualities should I look for when working with a recruiter?
Transparency/Honesty: A legal recruiter should provide you with the
name
of a law firm and obtain your approval before
submitting your resume to any firm. A
recruiter should also be able to tell you whether the firm has an actual
opening for which he/she is submitting you or whether he/she is simply
marketing you to the firm.
Knowledge: You want a recruiter who understands the
legal industry and, preferably, your practice area. How can a recruiter "sell" your background to
a firm if the recruiter doesn't understand the key points in a particular
practice area? For example, a good
recruiter submitting a candidate for a commercial bankruptcy attorney
position would know that "Chapter 13" is not appropriate to discuss with the
candidate or firm since Chapter 13 is the Code's section for consumer
bankruptcies.
Connections: If a recruiter placed other attorneys at the
firm you are interested in joining, it is likely the firm has strong
connections/working relationship with the firm.
4.
Can
legal recruiters help any attorney?
No - remember, the recruiter works for the
law firm so it depends on what the law firm is seeking. Typically large firms will only look at
candidates with strong academic backgrounds (i.e., top law school, high GPA and
class rank). And, both large and small
firms typically look for candidates with at least two years of
experience (meaning two years of experience working as an attorney since
becoming licensed - clerkships and clinical experience do not count toward this
experience).
NEW Development - Recruiters may not be the
best resource of laid-off associates:
Because of the large number of attorneys laid off during the 2009
economic recession and, thus, the large number of attorneys available for open
positions, many large firms no longer accept resumes from recruiters if the
candidate is unemployed, including laid-off.
In this case the supply of attorneys exceeds the demand and, therefore,
firms don't have to pay a recruiter's fee to find the talent.
Recent law school graduates: Most recruiters aren't able to place
entry-level attorneys, including recent graduates, attorneys coming out of
clerkships and attorneys who have not worked for at least one year as an
associate in a law firm or as counsel in a corporation. Again, most firms can't justify paying a
recruiter's fee for someone inexperienced.
5.
What
is this "recruiter's fee" that sometimes prohibits firms from hiring candidates
submitted by recruiters?
The law firm (client) compensates recruiters by
paying them a placement fee for each successful placement. Fees are typically calculated as a percentage
of the candidate's starting base salary.
In some situations (as outlined above), paying a recruiter's fee is cost
prohibitive.
6. Can I
work with multiple recruiters?
Nothing prohibits you from working with multiple recruiters.
However, you should note that candidates who work with one recruiter typically
have the most success and the least chance of getting "bounced" as a result of
dual submissions.
The general rule in the legal industry is that law firms keep a
candidate's resume active for a 6 month to 1 year period. The person who first
submitted your resume to the firm during this period is the person who has
priority. Thus, if you are working with multiple recruiters, it is imperative
to keep detailed notes outlining which firms you or another recruiter has
contacted; moreover, you should share this information with each recruiter
working on your search.
7.
What
if I don't hear back from a recruiter?
If you submit a resume to a recruiter and
don't hear back, you should follow up at least once. Keep in mind, however, that recruiters can't
help every candidate. They may have
decided based on your resume that you are not qualified for the position. It's often time-consuming for recruiters to
notify everyone who submitted a resume so many don't call candidates unless
they have a need for the candidate.
Remember, the recruiter isn't working for the candidate and has no
obligation to find the candidate a job.
8.
Why
should I authorize a legal recruiter to submit my resume to a firm rather than
submitting my resume myself?
Go
Solo:
You should submit your resume directly to
the firm if the firm is not accepting resumes from recruiters for the particular
position. Law firms typically indicate
on their website whether they are accepting resumes from recruiters for the
particular position.
Additionally, if you have strong
connections to a firm, you may want to go through your connections to get
introduced to the appropriate hiring authority.
Go
with Recruiter:
If you are relocating to a different legal
market, a legal recruiter can be instrumental in your job search, especially if
you do not know much about the new market and do not have time to perform the
requisite research.
A recruiter can also help if
confidentiality is a concern for you.
For example, if a partner at your current firm is married to a partner
at the firm you're interested in joining, a recruiter can bypass the partner's
spouse and make sure your resume does not land on that partner's desk.
Recruiters are also helpful when a
candidate is looking to move from a large firm to a small firm because the
candidate might not know as much about small firms.
9.
But,
do small firms even work with recruiters?
YES!
Many small firms rely on recruiters to fill positions because the small
firms don't have internal recruiters to handle the firm's hiring needs. Additionally, small firms don't receive as
many unsolicited resumes from candidates and, therefore, don't always have a
pile of candidates on hand like many large firms do.
10.
Why
should I even bother reading a recruiter's email or talking to a recruiter on
the phone if I know I'm not interested in leaving my current firm or if I know
I'm going to conduct my own job search?
Recruiters know a lot of attorneys and,
therefore, are people you want to know and with whom you should develop strong
relationships. A good recruiter will
often tell other attorneys about open positions even if the recruiter isn't
working to fill the position.
Additionally, recruiters can be an incredible referral source. Frequently, lawyers and law firms turn to
recruiters when they need a recommendation for local counsel in a particular
market because they know that recruiters know a lot of attorneys. If you have a good relationship with the
recruiter, the recruiter might refer the business to you which will help your
client development.
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| ABOUT US |
 Amanda Ellis Legal Search was founded by Amanda C. Ellis, a former practicing bankruptcy attorney and an accomplished attorney recruiter. Amanda was previously with Special Counsel, the largest provider of legal staffing services to corporate legal departments and law firms nationwide, where she was the top producer for direct hire attorney placements. Amanda formed Amanda Ellis Legal Search to implement a focused approach to legal recruiting. Amanda Ellis Legal Search focuses on the placement of bankruptcy attorneys in law firms nationwide and, as of January 2010, on the placement of all attorneys in Dallas, Texas.
Inspired by the idea of doing something different or new each month in 2009, Amanda Ellis Legal Search launched Something Different in January 2009. The monthly newsletter outlines a new or different service or resource available to legal professionals in each issue. The newsletter often covers topics on social networking (still new and different to many attorneys) and how attorneys can incorporate social networking in their job searches or business development. In addition to writing about social networking in Something Different, Amanda frequently speaks to law schools and law firms about incorporating social networking in job searches and business development. In 2009, Amanda created The 6Ps of the Big 3™: Using Social Networking Sites in Your Job Search
and presented the program to lawyers, law firm recruiters and law students in
California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and New York. Amanda is finalizing two books based on The 6Ps of the Big 3™and scheduled for release in 2010.
Contact Amanda:
www.aellislegal.com
214.361.0070 |
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© 2009 Amanda Ellis Legal Search.
This material may not be reproduced, republished or redistributed in whole or in part
without the expressed written permission of Amanda Ellis Legal Search.
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