Job Searching, The Legal Market and Covid-19

At the outset, I’m writing this with the hope that this post doesn’t age well. With luck (and some aggressive hand-washing) I’d like to think that in the near future this post will be seen as irrelevant, alarmist and completely outdated. But until then, I wanted to give you some off-the-cuff thoughts about the developing pandemic.

First off, I hope that everyone can calm down. Things are bad, but the sky isn’t falling yet. As of the day I’m drafting this, there is reason to be cautious, but I still haven’t heard a good argument for hoarding tranches of toilet paper. Major law firms have just announced that they will be closing their physical doors, but that their staff will work remotely.

This would be terrible news 20 or 30 years ago, but we are in 2020 and the technology needed to work remotely and efficiently is at our fingertips. Phones are easily re-routed, and connectivity is baked into all of our computer systems.

Secondly, there is every reason to believe that the legal industry will not experience a slowdown, but actually be forced to deal with significant growth. Just thinking about all of the potential business agreements and ensuing litigation that can arise from the outbreak is enough to make any attorney’s head spin.

To deal with this potential uptick in business, there is no doubt that firms will leverage the attorneys they have (who may be working remotely) but they will need to bring on new attorneys as well. Undoubtedly there will be hiring taking place during these times.

But the hiring process may not look like it did before.

There is a very real chance that recruiting, interviewing and, indeed, the entire recruiting process will be done remotely. Video interviews may very well become the norm. Relying on writing samples, resumes and transcripts may have to take the place of meeting attorneys in person.

So what can you do to get ready for this potential future?

First off, you should be ready to demonstrate that you are the type of attorney who can work remotely in an effective manner. That may mean thinking about times you have worked autonomously with success and being able to speak to them in an interview.

Secondly, it makes sense for you to think about where you could interview and work at home, if you needed to do so. Find a dedicated space that will work for you.

Third, it is time to brush up on your technical skills. Chances are there won’t be easy access to IT support if we are all working from home, so brushing up NOW on how to make a video call (for interviewing, but also for conducting normal business) is impotnat. There are a number of options for video conferencing, so find one that works for you. I strongly recommend that you test it out before any interview to make sure you understand the functionality and the sensitivity of your microphone. Also, learn how to use the word processing systems and familiarize yourself with document sharing systems.

We are really entering a scary and unprecedented time for our legal community, but being as prepared as possible will help you be ready for the market as it adapts to this crisis.

And for what it’s worth, please go wash your hands.

Cover Letter Thoughts

A cover letter can be a powerful tool in your job search when used correctly. Too often the letter is used incorrectly or ineffectively.

A cover letter is not a resume in paragraph form. Rehashing a resume by simply telling me where you worked and what skills you gleaned from the position (repeated for each position) is not helpful.

Instead, you should think of the cover letter as an opportunity to do two things and two things only: (1) entice the reader to read your resume through your thoughtful presentation of (2) a compelling case for why they should hire you and not the next resume in the pile. It’s your chance to make your case as to why YOUR experience will solve the firm/company’s problem.

Another thing to keep in mind is that in today’s digital age, it shouldn’t be hard to figure out who is seeing a cover letter. At our company, there are only two people and they are both guys, so I often wonder how much homework someone has done when they address a cover letter to “Sir/Madame”.

Finally, please keep the cover letter short. You need to sell yourself, but if the letter is text-dense and long, it’s a daunting task to read the entire letter (when there are 19 other letters/resumes on my desk). Please be concise and summarize why you are a good fit for the position in a couple of paragraphs.

Following these few tips will help you get more interest in your resume and should improve your job search.