The Estrin Report

The Job Seeker's Paradigm - You Might Hold the Upper Hand Even in This Market

 From our guest blogger, Tom  Dezell:

Be the Answer to the Hiring Managers’ Problems
by Tom Dezell

Today’s labor market is an employer’s market. Companies can select from arguably the largest candidate [paralegal] pool in history. Discouraged job seekers often complain that the disparity in numbers contributes to an atmosphere of employer arrogance. Their advantage of supply over demand has lead to a lack of common courtesy regarding keeping candidates informed, returning calls, etc. While this perception certainly has merit, it’s important for job seekers to realize that the key individual at a company with an opening may not perceive him or herself as holding all the trump cards. That’s the hiring manager.

In most scenarios, these uncertain economic times mean that this opening has existed significantly longer than the hiring manager would have liked. The extended delay increases the probability that what started as a need has quickly escalated to the problem or crisis level, most of which has fallen on the desk of the hiring manager. This crisis presents a candidate with their best opportunity to get hired. A hiring manager facing a laundry list of problems will be drawn to the candidate most capable of solving these problems.

Once you’re scheduled to interview with a hiring manager, prepare by learning as much information as possible regarding the backlogs and difficulties this opening has created. This is where your network becomes critical. Think of anyone you know with knowledge of the company and the hiring manager. LinkedIn can provide connecting points from your network to the company. Once you identify them, use these contacts to get an idea of the biggest need facing  the company and its hiring manager. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Once you have a better idea what the problems are, you can better emphasize the skills, successes and projects from your background that will best demonstrate your ability to solve them.

One of the most consistent mistakes I see job seekers make is failing to view the hiring situation through the eyes of the employer. Rather than perceiving a hiring manager as a the one with all the power, realize this is an individual with a need. You can much better offer yourself as a solution once you clearly understanding the hiring manager’s problem.

Tom Dezell, author of Networking for the Novice, Nervous, or Naive Job Seeker, has been a professional career advisor and resume writer for more than 25 years. Currently, Dezell works with the Maryland Department of Workplace Development, facilitating career seminars as well as advising individuals job seekers. For more information, please visit www.yournetworkingguide.com.

"Law firms looking for help"

Good news for job-hunting paralegals in this Philadelphia news article which cites a Robert Half Legal survey:

"Despite the old joke asking what 1 million lawyers at the bottom of the ocean represent (answer: a good start), a recent national survey found that law firms and corporate legal departments actually need more attorneys.

"California-based staffing service Robert Half Legal recently found 94 percent of the 300 U.S. and Canadian lawyers they surveyed said the size of their companies will stay the same or increase in the next 12 months. Almost half plan to hire additional lawyers, paralegals or other professionals.

"The biggest needs are in the fields of corporate governance, intellectual property and litigation, said Maura Mann, manager of training and development for Robert Half Legal's northeast region."

"I was fired because I was the fall guy. What do I say in interviews?"

Very intriguing job interviewing question posed to Salon's Cary Tennis:

"I was recently fired from my job. Not to go too into depth, but I was blamed for the failure of a succession of projects.

"In my opinion, the causes for these failures lay in the planning stages, which I was largely excluded from. When I was present at planning meetings, I was the most junior person present, and my suggestions were mostly ignored, including ones that would have mitigated later problems. In any case, I would be sent out to do things I often wasn't trained for, in places that no one had checked the conditions.

[snip]

"I have had several weeks to consider the problem, and I still cannot forget the anger and humiliation I feel over losing my job. And this all comes back when I have to explain it to yet another person. What can I do?"

Cary's thoughful reply is definitely worth reading in full. As is the longer question asked by "Fired."

"Preparing to Survive a Dead-End Job"

This LawJobs.com career advancement article is directed to associate attorneys, but I think the advice applies equally well to paralegals:

"The harsh reality is that sometimes a job just doesn't work out. This can happen to anyone -- it often does. Recognizing the signs early on and being prepared for change are key elements necessary for a rapid recovery.

"There are two entities that can determine whether one has landed in a dead-end job. The first is the firm that will not promote an associate -- for whatever reason. The second is the associate who is unhappy -- also for whatever reason.

[snip]

"People who maintain a responsible approach to managing their own careers are quick to establish guidelines that they can use to evaluate their current situations and to assess whether they are on the right course to meeting their short- and long-term goals. The same guidelines can be used to assess the potential of new positions offered. The following are some of the factors to consider...."

Reading the complete article is highly recommended, even if you're happy with your current position.

Author Carrie Printz, an attorney, is the founder and managing director of David Carrie LLC, a full-service legal search firm specializing in career counseling and the placement of attorneys in the United States and throughout the world.

"Some Job Hunters Are What They Post"

But you already know this, right? If not, I recommend reading this article from LawJobs.com very closely (particularly if you're looking for a new job):

"Plug a prospective employee's name into Google or any other Internet search engine, and you might be surprised at what you find. Web pages may tell hiring attorneys that the person they just interviewed wrote for an undergraduate newspaper or belonged to a specific sorority, but the Web may also reveal the recent interviewee's drink of choice and dating status.

"The advent of social networking Web sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Friendster have added a wealth of previously personal information to the Internet, some of which job seekers may prefer to keep private and out of an employer's hands.

[snip]

"No more is an interviewer's information about a job seeker limited to a résumé, cover letter and professional references. Now, it seems that Google [& other search engines] can produce more information about a person than his or her FBI file. And therein lies the rub."

BTW, a perfect example of how easy it is to find information on the web is the answer to this detail: "Author Michael D. Mann is a litigation associate in the New York office of a major law firm that asked not to be disclosed."

"Nearly Half of Law Offices Plan Staff Additions in Next 12 Months"

Great news! Particularly for "Litigation, Corporate Governance Experiencing Most Growth":

"Law firms and corporate legal departments will be adding to their teams in the year ahead, a new survey [by Robert Half Legal] shows. Forty-seven percent of attorneys polled said they plan to hire personnel in the next 12 months; just 2 percent of respondents anticipate staff reductions. Litigation, corporate governance and intellectual property were identified as the areas of law expected to experience the most growth.

[snip]

"Lawyers were asked, "Do you expect the number of lawyers employed with your law firm/corporate legal department to increase, stay the same or decrease in the next 12 months?" Their responses:
    Increase                             47%
    Stay the same                     47%
    Decrease                              2%
    Don't know                            4%
                                            100%"

Hudson Legal Sponsors Monster's New Legal Career Center

I think the message board might become quite helpful, from the Q&As I read, particularly this one. And having law-related career advice collected in one place is very welcome:

"Hudson Legal today [4-24-2007] announced its sponsorship of Monster's newly launched Legal Career Center, a section of Monster.com devoted to the career advancement and recruitment efforts of attorneys and other legal professionals.

The site offers a range of career advice and articles regarding salary trends, the hiring outlook and interview tips, as well as a community message board, where a Hudson recruiter answers questions from job seekers. Content appeals to a broad range of professionals in the legal arena, including lawyers at firms of all sizes, contract attorneys, paralegals, in-house corporate counsel and legal secretaries. While Monster previously hosted similar sites for other fields, the Legal Career Center is a new addition to the Career Advice portal."

"New direction: Former paralegal found her niche in films"

No kidding a new direction! "And now for something completely different," as the funny guys of Monty Python used to say:

"It’s a cliche in the movie business. She’s a great actress, but what she really wants to do is direct. He’s a great writer, but what he really wants to do is direct. He’s a good dog, but what he really wants to do is direct.

"Everybody wants to direct.

"The truth is, Pam Haynes didn’t know what she really wanted to do with her life. She just knew what she was doing wasn’t it.

"I had a good job with the law offices of Spilman, Thomas and Battle,' she said. 'I was the coordinator for the labor and practice group. I was a liaison for all the lawyers in the labor and practice group. It was a pretty big responsibility.'

"Haynes had been working in the paralegal field for eight years. The work was challenging, but she just wasn’t happy. One night after work, Haynes found herself at the local library looking through a thick stack of career guidance books.

[snip]

"I can’t say enough nice things about Spilman, Thomas and Battle,' she said. 'I got real encouragement there. Several people helped me fill out the application for NYU. They gave me leaves of absence. They let me come back. They were very supportive.'”

"CHOOSING THE RIGHT LAW FIRM FOR YOU"

This chart & accompanying list [PDF] -- "Choosing The Right Law Firm For You" & "Considerations For Evaluating A Job Offer" -- come from the NYU School of Law.

Obviously intended for law school grads, I think this set of tools would also help paralegals & other legal staff in making career decisions.

Found this gem in a post on the Counsel to Counsel blog; worth a look for more than just this info!

"Stay-at-home mom trying to return to work force"

Job search & resume advice from a career columnist may address issues you're also having:

"I am a 47-year-old woman who has been a stay-at-home mom for 18 years. I have a college degree; certification from an ABA approved paralegal school and experience in social work and as a paralegal.

"After applying for close to 100 jobs on CareerBuilder.com, Indeed, com, SocialServices.com, and my local newspaper, I have had just six interviews — no offers.

"I have reworked my resume several times, eliminating experience from 1980, and adding work I did from home to help with expenses. I also feel that my age is a factor. I'm really not sure what to do next, or what exactly is holding me back. Help!"