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Long-Term Planning For a Successful Non-Legal Career Search

Most law firms avoid posting jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn due to high costs. Instead, they publish them on their own websites, bar association pages, and niche legal boards. LawCrossing finds these hidden jobs, giving you access to exclusive opportunities. Sign up now!

published December 26, 2012

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

Once you have tested your ideas about your job search through the networking process, you will want to put together an overall job hunting strategy.

For the overcommitted law student or the working attorney, this is a very important organizational tool. One theory indicates that for every $10,000 in salary that a job hunter is expecting, he or she will have to devote one month of full-time work to looking for a job. Knowing that your time is limited, you should decide at this point how you will put together a strategy to work within your individual constraints. You may want to consider some of the following elements:
 
  1. Action Plan—What are your weekly goals—your tasks to accomplish? How much time are you going to devote to your job search? Be realistic. If you set goals that are too aggressive, you will be less likely to follow through. Make each goal simple, clear-cut and easy to accomplish.
  2. Contacts—Who can assist you in this process? Who do you know who works in the area you are interested in? What contacts did you make during the networking process that could be helpful to you now?
  3. References—Who will you want to use as references, and how can you effectively coach them about your job search? (Remember that references can also be "contacts.")
  4. Letters—How will you write an effective cover or thank you letter that focuses on the skills and qualifications that you plan to use in your new job?
  5. Interviewing—What do you want to say about yourself? How can you become comfortable talking about yourself as it applies to this position? How will you get the interviewer to focus on your skills and the job?
  6. Negotiation—When you are offered a position, how will you effectively negotiate salary and fringe benefits? Have you determined what the salary ranges are for the positions you will be pursuing? Do you know your value in the position?

The Marketing Plan

The job hunting process necessitates putting together a solid marketing plan, as if you were a product that the employer is looking to purchase on behalf of the organization. Remember always that the job hunting process is one of mutual choice; there are always two decision makers along the way.

While it is your responsibility to define and describe your skills and accomplishments accurately, it is the employer's responsibility to "sell" you on the merits of the organization.
United States

The job hunting process can be filled with rejection if you are not careful in targeting your resources and energy toward the appropriate categories. You should continue to discriminate regarding your job choices. One ongoing problem that people have in the job hunting process is that they are not picky enough! Because we so much hate the rejection process of job hunting, we will do almost anything to have it over; so we accept positions that we do not really want.

One of the reasons that writing resumes and cover letters is preferred to personal contact is so that our "paper" will be rejected instead of "us." Unfortunately, it is very difficult to communicate who we really are on paper. If we had more confidence in our abilities and what we would have to offer to specific employers who meet our well-studied criteria, we would have less difficulty dealing with the rejection part of the job hunting process. The job hunt is, ultimately, a threat to our self-image. It is important to remember to build in activities during the job hunting process that will enhance your self-image.
 
  • Maintain a support network. This should include friends, relatives, your spouse, teachers, mentors, or other job hunters.
  • Call in favors. Ask a friend to take you to lunch and describe your positive points. Or have a friend listen to you discuss the difficulties you are having in finding a job.
  • Get daily exercise. This is a way of building in positive reinforcement and taking care of yourself.
  • Take Friday afternoons off. No one makes hiring decisions on Friday afternoons. Treat yourself; go to the park, spend time with a friend or read something mindless.
  • Consider part-time or volunteer positions. If job-hunting is your primary task for some period, consider working part-time or as a volunteer to give your week some structure and to reassure you that you are competent and productive. This volunteer or part-time position could also provide leads and contacts for your job search.
  • Keep track of your accomplishments! Some job hunters like to keep a diary of their activities—employers contacted, informational interviews held, research conducted. This is a way that you can reward yourself and see the progress that you have made.

Remember that only part of the unique individual that is you is presented to employers during a job search. At times in the process of seeking employment, this is difficult to remember. You do not lose your skills, abilities, or your personality when you are out of work!

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
Gain an advantage in your legal job search. LawCrossing uncovers hidden positions that firms post on their own websites and industry-specific job boards—jobs that never appear on Indeed or LinkedIn. Don't miss out. Sign up now!

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