Before signing up, however, find out about the agency. Here are just a few questions you’ll want to have answered:
- What is the agency’s success rate for placing entry-level or experienced paralegals?
- Does the agency also offer temporary or temp-to-full-time opportunities?
- What is the agency’s reputation within the legal community?
- What is the background of the recruiters? Are they from the legal field?
- What is the agency’s policy toward temporary employees? Is there a personal touch? Or are you “just a number”?
- Does the temporary division pay competitive rates?
- What happens when you call? Does anyone know who you are? Is the call taken or ignored?
- Who are the agency’s clients? Are these the firms or corporations on your target list?
- Is the agency employer retained? (This means all fees are paid by the employer.)
Employers utilize staffing organizations for several reasons:
- They do not want the general public to know there is a position open within the firm.
- It is easier, faster, and cheaper to use a staffing organization rather than to place an ad in the paper or to use other traditional recruiting techniques.
- They may want to try a candidate on a temporary to direct-hire basis and want to go through the staffing organization.
- The firm wants to take advantage of a guarantee period if you don’t work out as expected, the firm will get a refund or a replacement.
- Many of the more qualified candidates go through staffing organizations.
- Treat the staffing organization as you would any other potential employer. In effect, these organizations are your “agent” and it is important to impress them with your skills, ability, and professionalism so they, in turn, can present a positive image of you to their clients. The more impressed they are with you, the better sales job they can do about you. Staffing organizations are impressed when you show up for their appointment
- On time, ready to fill out the paperwork
- Complete with resume, references, and writing samples
- Dressed professionally as though you were going to an interview
- With a positive and open mind, asking appropriate questions.
Ask your recruiter how their organization works. (Almost all staffing organization fees these days are paid by the employer. Be very careful if an agency asks you to pay a placement fee.) Some would like you to check with them weekly; some will tell you they will call you instead. Most should check your references prior to arranging an interview and particularly if you are also seeking employment as a temporary employee. The staffing organization handles the arrangements for setting up the interview and often will negotiate salary for you. Do not call the employer directly for anything. Employers choose to use staffing agencies so that they do not have to be on the firing line. They want the agency to handle all inquiries from candidates.
In most instances, if the firm decides to hire you, the staffing organization will also present the offer to you. When a recruiter does call with an appointment for an interview, ask them to give you as much information as they can about the firm:
- Have they placed paralegals in this firm before?
- What is the firm’s specialty; how many attorneys/paralegals are in the firm?
- What are the minimum billable hours?
- How long has the firm been in existence?
- Why is this position open?
- What are the benefits?
- What are the responsibilities of this position?
- What software programs are you expected to know?
- What is the firm’s culture?
- Exactly where is it located, and where do you park?
- What is the salary range for this position? Does the position pay overtime? Bonus?
- Who does this firm consider to be an ideal candidate?
Most recruiters want you to call them immediately after the interview before they talk with their client about you. They will want to know if there were any “red flags” and if you have any other questions. They will want to know if you discussed salary. They will ask if the firm indicated there was to be another interview. They should pick your brain for exactly what occurred in the interview so that they can successfully negotiate the deal. Be sure your recruiter is skilled, polished, and savvy in the ways of the legal field. Nothing is worse than to have a job opportunity crushed simply because the firm did not like the recruiter.
Establishing a long-term relationship with a staffing organization is good for your career. Once the staffing organization is familiar with you, they will call you from time to time even after you have found a position to present other opportunities to you. Although you may not be ready to make a move at that time, it is always good to know what the market is like. When you are ready to make a move, you already have an advocate in your corner. And, as your career develops and you become the hiring authority, you already have established a good working relationship with a staffing organization that you trust. In that vein, a good recruiter will already know to call you to present the very best and most qualified candidates to you before those candidates get out into the marketplace. A good solid bond with a staffing organization can be a very healthy relationship for all involved.
GUIDE TO LEGAL STAFFING ORGANIZATIONS
Alabama
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc. Bordwell 8c Associates
Birmingham, AL 901 Dove Street, Suite 190
(205) 870-3330 Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 724-1466
Special Counsel Cushing & Bickerton
A Division of Modis 595 Market Street, Suite 2500
Birmingham, AL san Francisco, CA 94105
(205) 870-3330 (415) 495-1492
California
The Affiliates
A Division of Robert Half
International
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 812-9790
Bordwell 8c Associates
901 Dove Street, Suite 190
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 724-1466
Cushing & Bickerton
595 Market Street, Suite 2500
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 495-1492
The Estrin Organization
1901 Avenue of the Stars,
Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 284-8585
Fax: (310) 284-5733
E-mail: estrin@estrin.com
Landmark Legal Professionals 2055 Gateway,
Place, Suite 400 San Jose,
CA 95110 (408) 451-3911
Paralegals for Business and Law Los Angeles,
CA (310) 474-1375
Special Counsel A Division of Modis Los Angeles,
CA (310) 649-6389
Special Counsel A Division of Modis Palo Alto,
CA (650) 833-5500
Special Counsel A Division of Modis San Francisco,
CA (415) 392-9246
Colorado Special Counsel A Division of Modis Denver,
CO (303) 293-0344
Templeton & Associates Denver, CO
(303) 571-0311
District of Columbia
The Affiliates A Division of Robert Half International
Washington, DC (800) 870-8367
Kelly Law Registry
Fax: (202) 466-8985
E-Mail: McKinro@ kellylawregistry.com
Marsha Levey & Associates
(202) 659-0877 or (703) 519-0900
Paralegal Personnel, Inc.
Washington, DC (202) 861-0100
Pat Taylor & Associates
Washington, DC (202) 466-5622
Special Counsel A Division of Modis
Washington, DC (202) 737-3436
Spherion (202) 347-0646
Stone Legal Resources Group
(202) 466-7560
Florida
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International Miami,
FL (305) 447-4550
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Fort Lauderdale,
FL (954) 764-5474
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Jacksonville,
FL (904) 737-3436
Georgia
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International
Atlanta, GA (404) 264-0810
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Atlanta, GA
(404) 872-6672
Illinois
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International
Chicago, IL (312) 616-0220
Paralegal Personnel, Inc.
Chicago, IL (312) 782-8800
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Chicago, IL (312) 814-0240
Templeton & Associates
Chicago, IL (312) 644-8400
Indiana
ManPower Indianapolis,
IN (317)298-3230
Louisiana
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
New Orleans,
LA (504) 522-0133
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis New Orleans,
LA (504) 522-0133
Maryland
Paralegal Personnel, Inc.
Baltimore, MD (410) 783-1234
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Baltimore,
MD (410)385-5350
Massachusetts
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International Boston,
MA (617) 204-9100
Bickerton & Gordon Legal Placement
Consultants Boston,
MA (617) 371-2929
Paralegal Placement Consultants
31 Milk Street Boston,
MA 02109 (617) 482-8515
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Boston, MA (617) 338-7700
Stone Legal Resources Group
Boston, MA (617) 482-8515
Michigan
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Detroit, MI (248) 593-6999
Minnesota
The Affiliates A Division of Robert
Half International Minneapolis,
MN (612) 349-2810
Esquire Search Minneapolis,
Templeton & Associates 10
South Fifth Street, Suite 990 Minneapolis,
MN 55402 (612) 332-8079
Today’s Legal Staffing Minneapolis,
MN (612) 339-2772
Mississippi
Amicus Legal Staffing,
Inc. Jackson, MS (601) 949-3000
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Jackson, MS (601) 949-3000
Missouri
The Affiliates A Division of Robert
Half International St. Louis,
MO (314) 621-2223
The Esquire Group 8860 Ladue Road,
Suite 120 St. Louis, MO 63124
(314) 862-1922
New Jersey
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Woodbridge,
NJ (732) 750-3331
Topaz International West
Orange, NJ 07052 (973) 669-7300
Update Legal Staffing Newark,
NJ (201) 622-7575
New York
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International
New York, NY (212) 557-7878
HireCounsel 575 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022 (212) 605-0570
fax (212) 605-0368
E-mail: hirecounsel @earthlink.net
The Law Registry A Division
of Kelly Services New York,
NY (800) 248-4LAW
Legal Assistant Corp.
New York, NY (212) 557-7900
Legal Options 826
Broadway, 9th Floor New York,
NY 10003 (212) 505-8776
Robert Hadley & Associates
New York, NY (212) 888-9090
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis New York, NY (212) 245-5599
Update Legal Staffing
New York, NY
(212)921-2200
North Carolina
The Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Charlotte, NC (702) 529-5590
Legal Placement Specialists,
Inc. Raleigh, NC (919) 829-2550
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Charlotte, NC (704) 529-5590
Ohio
Major Legal Services 510 Park Plaza
11111 Chester Avenue Cleveland,
OH 44114 (216) 579-9782
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Cincinnati, OH (513) 721-4400
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Cleveland, OH (216) 622-2100
Pennsylvania
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Philadelphia, PA (215) 569-0999
Templeton & Associates Philadelphia,
PA (215) 772-0555
Tennessee
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Knoxville, TN (423) 524-0008
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Memphis, TN (901) 762-0111
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Nashville, TN (615) 320-7700
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Memphis, TN (901) 762-0111
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Nashville, TN (615) 320-7700
Texas
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Austin, TX (512) 494-9111
Amicus Legal Staffing, Inc.
Dallas, TX (704) 529-5590
kforce
Houston, TX (713) 439-1077
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis Dallas, TX (214) 698-0200
Update Legal Staffing, Inc.
Houston, TX (713) 650-1000
Virginia
The Affiliates A Division of Robert
Half International Alexandria,
VA (800) 870-8367
Marsha Levey 8c Associates
(703) 519-0900
Washington
The Affiliates A Division of
Robert Half International Seattle,
WA (800) 870-8367
National
The Affiliates A Division
of Robert Half International
(800) 870-8367
www.theaffiliates.com
Co-Counsel A Division
of Olsten (415) 392-1414
www.oIsten.com
kforce
425 California Street, Suite 1200
San Francisco, CA 94104 (415)
434-2410 www.romac.com
Law Corps
(888) 5LAWCORPS
www.lawcorps.com
The Law Registry A Division of
Kelly Services (800) 248-4LAW
www.kelleyservices.com
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis (800) 737-3436
www.specialcounsel.com
International
London, England
The Garfield Robbins Group
London, England 44 171 417 1400
Special Counsel A Division of
Modis London, England 44
171 583 0073
Sydney, Australia Dolman
Sydney, Australia 61 2 9231 3022
