How to Evaluate “Best Fit” Opportunities
Oftentimes, attorneys feel thoroughly exhausted with their current position, colleagues, and/or firm or company, and are ready to move on to greener pastures, but they haven’t necessarily developed an understanding of what would be the ideal target for their next career move. In other words, many attorney candidates in the recruiting process know what they don’t like in a workplace environment, but aren’t quite sure what they do (or could) like. What may help is to break down each potential position into its essential factors, and to compare positions based on your preferences along those lines.
If you have not utilized a professional legal recruiter before, you may not realize the value of a skilled recruiter in helping you target ideal positions at firms and in-house legal departments. Legal recruiters — such as those here at Garb Jaffe & Associates — have a well-developed networks of contacts at law firms and in-house legal departments throughout California, and are therefore in a position to understand the particularities of the workplace and how other attorneys (with similar preferences to your own) are getting along.
As such, it’s important that you get connected to a legal recruiter early on in the hiring process. For more information, call (310) 207-0727 to speak with one of the legal recruiters here at Garb Jaffe & Associates.
Through honest assessment of such factors (among various others), you will be able to determine whether a position is competitive given your personal preferences and career ambitions at the present time.
Consider the following.
Complexity of Work
The complexity of the work you’re assigned — and the relative sophistication of your various clients — can vary significantly depending on the firm or company, and the role that you’re taking on within such firm or company. For those attorneys with a keen interest in their specialty and the industry players involved, the opportunity to take on increasingly complex work with sophisticated, prestigious clients will be quite valuable. By developing an extensive network with such clients, you will have an advantage later on when looking for exit opportunities within your industry.
Lifestyle Concerns
Lifestyle concerns — workplace culture, work-life balance, collegiality, etc. — rank among the top of the list of factors for attorneys looking to improve their career prospects. Lifestyle factors include, but are not necessarily limited, to whether:
- There are alternative work schedules allowing for work-from-home days, virtual meetings, part-time scheduling, and limited billing requirements.
- Efforts have been made to transform the workplace environment into one where everyone — regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, and various other identities — feels like an accepted and respected member of the legal team.
- The firm or company has invested into programs (internally and externally) that promote diversity in the legal industry. Further, diverse individuals are well-represented in leadership positions throughout the firm or in-house legal department.
- The firm or company has a reputation among attorneys (who have worked there or who currently work there) for being flexible and understanding with regard to personal obligations.
- The firm or company has a reputation among attorneys (who have worked there or who currently work there) for having a collegial atmosphere that encourages cooperation as opposed to competition between attorneys.
Many firms style themselves as “lifestyle-friendly” firms, but have not demonstrably invested in programs that allow attorneys to maintain a healthy work-life balance. With the aid of a legal recruiter, however, you will be granted insight into the reality of the workplace environment at target firms and in-house legal departments.
Compensation Potential
Salary comparisons are quite obvious to attorney candidates, but it’s important to consider the possibility of growth within the firm, too. Though you may earn less in one position vis-a-vis another, you may have a stronger chance of being promoted into a partner where your salary jumps significantly (and where you may be given a stake in the firm). As such, you should always contemplate future earning potential if you intend to fairly compare opportunities.
Geographic Relocation Opportunities
Geographic relocation opportunities are frequently undervalued by attorneys interested in transitioning to a new position. If you are currently living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, but you have family in San Diego, you could benefit from working with a firm that also operates a San Diego office. If there were a family emergency that forced you to move back to San Diego, or if you simply desired to move back, you could request an internal transfer and minimize the frustration of having to upend your career.
Mentorship and Outreach Programs
If you are the sort of attorney that values “giving back,” then you should consider whether the target firm or company maintains mentorship and community outreach programs in which you can participate. Firms that invest in community outreach also tend to be more conscientious when it comes to dealings with their own attorneys (i.e., more respectful of the personal time and ambitions of their attorneys).
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Navigating the recruitment process can feel overwhelming without the expert guidance of a professional legal recruiter. If you’re interested in moving to a different firm, or perhaps transitioning in-house, then it’s worth connecting to an experienced San Francisco Bay Area legal recruiter. Here at Garb Jaffe & Associates, our recruiters have a proven track record of success in placing attorneys with prestigious law firms and corporations across California, and will advise throughout the process to ensure that you secure an ideal placement.
Call us today at (310) 207-0727 to schedule a consultation with a recruiter today.