How Attorneys Use Headhunters and Answer Classified Ads

In addition to job prospecting and informational interviewing, scanning the classified ads should be a routine part of your job search. However, studies show that no more than 25% of placements occur through formal mechanisms such as answering ads. While this is an important job search activity, consider how long the process will take if you spend 100% of your time focused on only 25% of the market. It is worthwhile to respond to ads only if:

• the position advertised suits you particularly well and you are in the ballpark of the stated requirements
• you are doing all you can to uncover opportunities through informal methods and want to use spare hours productively

Respond immediately after the ad appears and plan to send a second letter 10 to 14 days later. Do not mention your previous correspondence. The idea behind the second letter is that if you are not already on the short list of people to be interviewed, the second letter, which will arrive after the first rush of applications, may get your name added.


Remember to utilize your contacts. Do any of them work at this organization? Might they know someone who does? Do not make the assumption that because you met with a contact months ago that they will remember that you are still in a job search and will automatically think of you for the position. Use this as an opportunity to reconnect with your contacts and remind them that you are still seeking new opportunities.

Always send a letter along with your resume as well as any supporting materials you believe will enhance your candidacy. In your letter, identify the source of the ad and outline the defined and implied qualifications in the advertisement showing how you meet or surpass the qualifications. The goal of your packet is to entice the reader to want to meet you.

Many ads these days request salary information. Sometimes employers will raise the question so early on in order to speed the process of plowing through a mountain of resumes and cover letters, even if that means missing out on some talented people. The salary question is the area that causes job seekers the greatest anxiety. Job seekers need to decide whether they prefer to risk being prematurely screened out by committing to a salary range up front or by ignoring the question altogether. Either approach is a gamble.

You may want to try to give a broad range, based on your research as well as on the information you uncovered during your networking meetings. A local executive recruiter or your college/law school career planning center also can offer you valuable guidance.

The key to answering the salary question is to understand the question behind the question, and then, using your lawyering skills, to restate the question into one you want to answer. Never simply state a number devoid of a narrative.

Instead of writing:

• "My salary requirement is between $70,000 and $90,000," or
• "My current salary is $87,000,"

Try instead:

• "Based on my research, I understand that a position such as the one described pays in the range of $70,000 to $90,000.1 would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how my qualifications could meet your needs."
  
  
• "While a comparable position in the private sector might pay over $150,000 as compared with $60,000 - $85,000 in the public sector, the added bonus of working within such a collegial and challenging environment makes this position very attractive to me."

Concentrate on ads with company names listed. Call the company to find out the name of the person responsible for hiring. The applicant with a proper salutation will be noticed by employers. The effort illustrates a keen interest in the position because the applicant put time and effort into investigating the organization. If you can not uncover a name, address your letter "Good Morning" instead of "Dear Recruiter" or "Dear Sir/Madam" or "Dear Sirs". Not only does it sound more upbeat, there is also less chance of offending the reader.

Try to determine what department the opening is in and send a separate resume to the head of that department as well. Refer to the ad and indicate that you have already responded to it and are taking this opportunity to introduce yourself personally.

Blind Ads

"Blind ads" or "confidential listing" are used for a variety of reasons. Employers may not want employees to know a position will be created or someone will be fired or an employment agency trying to increase its pool of applicants may place a fake ad. Either way, these types of ads are frustrating to job searchers because it makes it much more difficult to target your cover letter. Again, be creative. Call the post office representing the zip code in the ad. If the rental box application states it deals with the public, the name of the firm is public information and may be revealed by the post office. You can then do your homework about the organization.

Answering ads is not a passive job search activity. Job seekers would be well advised to keep copious notes about where and when applications were sent. Take control of the follow-up by using the telephone. Try saying:

"I sent my resume last week and wanted to call to introduce myself and see if you need any other information from me at this point."

A simple conversation may help to uncover all sorts of information. Perhaps you will learn:

• the position has already been filled
• your resume was never received
• interviewing will not begin until next month
• information about the competition ("We received 400 resumes!")

Whatever the conversation reveals, the more information you have, the better able you will be to develop an appropriate response.

Understand and accept the fact that it may take several weeks for employers to respond to your application-if they respond at all. It is frustrating-it is rude-but it is life! Do not spend valuable energy fretting over non-responses. Use your energy to follow-up on applications. Be careful not to allow your frustration to affect the tone and content of your phone calls. You want to convey the attitude of "How can I help you with the onerous task of selecting candidates to interview?" and not "How dare you not recognize my qualifications and want to meet me!"

Headhunter/Executive Recruiters

Law firms do not rely on headhunters as heavily as they once did. They tend to utilize headhunters when they have an immediate and specific need. Candidates who come to employers via headhunters come with a huge price tag attached (usually 1/3 of the candidates first year salary!) which is why headhunters generally do not work with entry level attorneys. (Employers know they can contact schools directly and avoid the fee.) Candidates who use their contacts to stay in the loop and uncover openings can approach employers directly, eliminate the headhunter's fee and make themselves a more attractive candidate.

With that said, it is still important for job hunters to learn how to incorporate headhunters into their job search activities. Because it is the headhunters business to know what is happening in the marketplace, they can provide valuable information about things like which academic and professional credentials are hot and which geographic regions have increasing legal opportunities. Because of the volatile nature of the legal market, long term careers with one employer are extremely rare. By maintaining ties with those in the know, you may be able to stay one step ahead of the changes.

Refer to the annual pull-out sections of the American Lawyer or the Legal Times for names of executive recruiters. Listed by geographic location, these publications provide information about the company's size, number of attorney placements made and other important information. You may also want to contact the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. And, by all means, if a recruiter calls you, take the call! Keep an open mind at least long enough to hear the pitch and see what you can learn.

Before you decide to proceed with a headhunter, ask what procedures will be followed as well as what precautions will be taken to ensure your privacy and maintain the confidentiality of all transactions. Similarly, if you learn of an opening independently, do not let the headhunter send your resume. Send it yourself and avoid having the price tag attached to your application.

Generally, the process follows a similar pattern. First, you will be interviewed by the headhunter to determine what you are looking for and if any suitable positions currently exist. If so, you will be asked for your permission to send your resume to the employer. The headhunter's task is to present your credentials in such a way as to entice the employer to want to meet you. Once that is accomplished, you can expect multiple interviews with the employer. If the employer determines that you are the candidate he wants to hire, you will begin salary negotiations through the headhunter. It is important to remember that the fee-paying employer is the headhunter's "client" while you are merely the "candidate." The headhunter always works for the client.

Do not work with more than 2 or 3 headhunters at a time. Employers may list openings with several headhunters. Finally, remember that only about 10% of all job seekers obtain a new position by using headhunters. Allocate your time accordingly.