Firms looking for experience, expertise, connections
Employers in the legal field are taking their time selectively filling open positions, found a recent survey.
Firms typically take eight weeks to fill management-level positions and six weeks to fill staff-level roles, found the survey of 350 lawyers in Canada and the United States by Robert Half Legal.
"Law firms and corporate legal departments are hiring selectively — they want the right skills match and the right fit for their work environment," said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "In addition to tenure, employers look for a combination of professional experience, practice area expertise and business connections."
But employers shouldn't delay making hiring decisions as they may miss out on the best prospects, he said.
"Senior-level associates with experience in high-demand specialties, such as corporate law, litigation and foreclosure/insolvency, are in particularly strong demand and may receive multiple offers."
Try a variety of recruitment tools: In addition to referrals from employees and colleagues, use a range of resources such as personal connections, alumni groups and online networks to reach prospects and advertise job openings.
Fine-tune the job description: If a job posting is too vague or general, it will attract a flood of applicants, many of whom may not possess the necessary requirements. Highlight key responsibilities and summarize the skills needed for success in the position.
Work with a specialized staffing firm: Such firms have a pipeline of candidates they've interviewed and tested for critical skills, and can help quickly find good prospects.
Streamline the screening process: For candidates who make it past the first interview, consider having follow-up meetings with a hiring committee, rather than holding several individual meetings with the prospective employee.
Use the temporary-to-hire approach: This allows for first-hand observation of candidates' work styles and whether they are a fit with the firm's culture. Consider hiring professionals on an interim basis until a job is filled to help handle workload spikes or specialized, time-intensive projects.
