With the job market being so competitive, some recruiters are telling me I should submit through them for part-time or contract positions that can lead to full-time work. What do you think about this strategy?
Answer:
Not only would I not recommend this approach, I would advise you to be wary of any recruiter who suggests it as a strategy for gaining full-time employment at a law firm. Here are just some of the reasons why.
First of all, there is the fact that contract attorney hiring and regular associate/of counsel/partner hiring are treated very differently from within a firm.
Contract attorneys are brought on in a very limited capacity, typically to service one matter exclusively, and if that matter slows down or goes away, you are right back out of the door. Contract attorneys are typically used for things like document review on large litigation productions, and as such rarely have direct partner contact, more likely being supervised and directed by senior and even mid-level or junior associates, none of whom have much, if any, say in the firm's general hiring strategy.
I know this both from recruiting experience, and also as a former Big Law associate who oversaw teams of up to 150 contract attorneys on large litigation matters as a junior and mid-level associate. While many of the contract attorneys were very capable, out of the more than 500+ contract attorneys I supervised and worked with on various matters during my litigation career, there was only one single instance of a contract attorney eventually being promoted to a permanent associate position within my former firm, and even that was a staff associate position (not partner track), with a reduced salary and bonus scale. And that was after this contract attorney made tremendous and essential contributions to a billion dollar matter for one of the firm's key institutional clients, working 80-90 hour weeks for nearly two years straight.
Long story short, it is not a fruitful path to full-time employment.
Secondly, approaching a firm asking for temporary or part-time contract work to "prove" yourself for a full-time position is not a position of strength. Law firms have an extremely strong bias for candidates who appear to be on an upward trajectory and/or have a well thought-out plan and are in control of their career. You want to appear confident and capable, not desperate or uncertain. If your goal is a full-time position at a firm, go to the firm with that goal in mind. And if you need temporary or contract work, there are many contract agencies where you can get some hours without having to approach firms directly on this front.
Third, if a recruiting agency is promising this is a good way to get in the door (it's not, see reason one above), the chances are good that they are simply trying to deceive you into allowing them to submit your resume to the firm generally, which would preclude you from being able to work with another recruiter on that firm. A good recruiter should be confident in their relationship with a firm, and can advocate for you for the right full-time position that fits your qualifications. They will also be realistic about your chances with the firm generally. If a recruiter is trying to get your approval to submit your resume for "contract" work, I would say find another recruiter.
This is different, of course, than a situation where you are looking for reduced-hours due to family or other considerations, and most firms are open to that on a case-by-case basis, but again this is something that comes up in the context of an application for a regular associate, of counsel, or partner position, and not a contract position.
Bottom line, it may sound tempting, and even reasonable to try to get a foot in the proverbial door with contract work, but the reality is that it rarely, if ever, leads to full-time employment, and if that is your goal, that is what you should stick to.
See the following for more information:
- Will Contract Work Hurt Chances of Landing a Full-time Job?
- To Contract or Not to Contract?
- Legal Contract Work Resources
Summary: I would advise you to be wary of any recruiter who suggests finding part-time or contract work for gaining full-time employment at a law firm.
See related contract attorney position jobs here:
