| Hesitant about approving a firm? Dive into our in-depth report: Top Ten Reasons Attorneys Do Not Approve Firms — And How to Fix Each One. |
When attorneys begin working with a legal placement service—such as BCG Attorney Search, one of the Top 25 Legal Recruiting Firms in the United States (2025 Ranking)—one crucial step is “approving” law firms for submission, signaling which firms the candidate is willing to be presented to. Surprisingly, many attorneys hesitate or even refuse to approve firms for various reasons, and that can slow or limit their career progress. Below are the most common concerns attorneys have, along with practical strategies to address each one so you can move forward confidently.
1. Fear of Rejection
The Concern: Worrying that firms will reject applications and that rejection reflects poorly on you.
How to Solve It: Rejection is part of any job search, not a judgment of your worth. Keep in mind that firms often reject applicants based on timing or internal dynamics—not necessarily qualification. Broaden your approvals to more firms to increase your chances of landing interviews.
2. Lack of Confidence in Skills or Experience
The Concern: Thinking your background, accomplishments, or credentials aren’t strong enough.
How to Solve It: Identify and articulate your strengths. Use feedback, prior successes, and objective evidence (cases handled, responsibilities held) to build confidence. Work with recruiters to frame your resume and stories to highlight what you do bring.
3. Uncertainty About Career Goals
The Concern: Not knowing what practice area, firm size, or type is the right long-term fit.
How to Solve It: Explore possibilities via informational interviews. Use market intelligence—like BCG’s The State of the Legal Market in 2025: Trends, Challenges, and Career Strategies—to see where your skills may align. Approving more firms early doesn’t lock you in—you can explore and refine what matters most as you go.
4. Perceived Lack of Time
The Concern: Feeling too busy with current work (or personal life) to engage with firm approvals, application edits, interviews.
How to Solve It: Delegate and prioritize. Use strategies like batching tasks (resume review, firm research) and let recruiters handle a lot of the outreach. Even small amounts of effort toward approvals can yield outsized returns over time.
5. Fear of Change
The Concern: Reluctance to move because of risk—new firm cultures, relocation, unknown workflows.
How to Solve It: Approach change as a chance for growth. Gather information (talk with associates, get insights into firm culture), and aim for incremental transitions when possible. Think of each approval not as an immediate leap but as keeping options open.
6. Difficulty With Networking or Self-Promotion
The Concern: Discomfort with marketing yourself or building relationships to secure interviews.
7. Belief That the Job Market Is Too Competitive
The Concern: Feeling like there are too many strong attorneys already out there; believing the timing or situation is stacked against you.
How to Solve It: Do the research: find practice areas or locations where demand is strong. If you’re considering less prominent regions, check out BCG’s Navigating the Legal Job Market in Non-Sophisticated Markets for strategies tailored to those opportunities. Set realistic expectations (practice area, seniority). Use your unique strengths—background, niche experience, perspective—that others might not have.
8. Lack of Motivation or Energy
The Concern: Burnout, discouragement, or simply fatigue from the job search process.
How to Solve It: Break the process into smaller steps. Schedule regular check-ins with a recruiter or mentor. Celebrate small wins (an approved firm, an interview) to build momentum. Prioritize well-being so you can sustain energy.
9. Concerns About Ageism or Discrimination
The Concern: Worries that being older, or having non-traditional background, gaps, or other “nonstandard” experiences will hurt candidacy.
How to Solve It: Focus on what you do bring—experience, perspective, reliability. Identify firms with strong diversity and inclusion reputations. Let your recruiter advocate for you—employers often care more about what you can deliver than what they assume about your background.
10. Belief That the “Perfect Job” Doesn’t Exist
The Concern: Holding out for an ideal firm, compensation, practice area, or package, and delaying action because nothing checks every box.
How to Solve It: Accept that trade-offs are part of the search. Prioritize your non-negotiable values and be open to opportunity where most boxes are checked. Sometimes the best fit presents itself when you least expect it.
Conclusion
Each of these concerns is common and understandable. But often, the real risk lies in delaying decisions, narrowing options prematurely, or letting uncertainty stall momentum. The attorneys who approve broadly, engage decisively, and refine goals over time not only see more interviews—they often find better opportunities, sooner. If you’re navigating a legal job search, acknowledging and addressing these fears may be the change that makes your next move possible.
| Hesitant about approving a firm? Dive into our in-depth report: Top Ten Reasons Attorneys Do Not Approve Firms — And How to Fix Each One. |
