Too often law firms and corporations wonder why the perfect attorney decides not to accept their offer. There is so much time and money invested in the hiring process that it is crucial to make sure you close on the candidate you want. As an attorney, there are many times an opportunity seems like a perfect fit on paper and you had a great interview, but you didn’t get the job offer. Both roads lead to the same question… WHY? The current war on legal talent is too great not to get this right!

Law Firms and Corporations: How to Get it Right

Given current market conditions, lawyers truly have unlimited opportunities to consider. Most (if not all) law firms and companies are hiring. We need to get better at closing. How? The easy part is matching a prospective candidate to the job description. There are many attorneys that can perform the function you are recruiting for. It’s equally important, but a little more difficult, to find a cultural match. I found “the” candidate, they fit our culture, they can perform the job at a high level, let’s present an offer. That is where the process stops for most hiring parties. We (law firms and companies) need to be vulnerable. Let a candidate you want know exactly why you want them. Pursue them. Be honest and show how they make you better. Lay your cards out there! This isn’t a game of Texas Hold’em! When you do this the right way, your close rate significantly increases. It is also important that any third party recruiting firms you work with understand this process because they can play an integral role in helping you succeed.

Attorneys: How YOU Can Land that Role

Law firms and corporations are hiring at a rate we haven’t seen in a while. Many positions aren’t even posted (that’s a blog for another time!). So, if you are in the market and you are looking for a new opportunity, why haven’t you received an offer? Your background matches the job description, you were a culture fit, got along well with everyone you met in the interview process, and the firm seemed interested in you. So what happened? They didn’t know you wanted the job. Lawyers tend to be more guarded when interviewing for a potential role. It’s important you don’t come off as desperate for a job, but it’s more important for a firm to know that you want to work there. Be vulnerable! It’s OK! They know you’re great, they know you’re successful, and you wouldn’t be at this stage in the process if you weren’t thought highly of. Too often we see a law firm or company go with a candidate that really wanted the opportunity versus a candidate that maybe had a slightly better background because the hiring firm didn’t believe the candidate was truly interested.

So, the next time you are looking to close the deal on hiring someone, or if you are looking to get that offer, make sure those making the decisions know how you feel!