Standout Resume and Interviewing Skills for New Attorneys

Forget what you thought you knew about the job search. Resume writing and interviewing has taken on a dramatic new importance in today’s economic meltdown.  The pressure of creating the ideal documents and presentation is considerable, especially because the current job market is flooded with candidates. Thanks to thousands of fresh law firm layoffs, your competition includes law school graduates, eager associates and even seasoned partners.  “If you haven’t looked for a job in the past two or three years, then you don’t know what you’re in for. If it’s been more than five years, then you don’t have a clue,” said Doug A. Thorpe, an executive career coach and executive director of Jobs Ministry Southwest, a non-profit organization that helps job seekers develop a more successful search process.  But you can stand out by preparing a resume and developing interviewing skills aimed at employer’s needs, your particular areas of expertise and showing how your skills can transfer to related industries, experts say.    "This is the most financially important document you will ever own,” said Martin Yate, the New York Times best-selling author of the “Knock ‘Em Dead” career management books and mastermind behind the newly revised KnockEmDead.com site.  There has never been a better time to review and revise your resume, experts agree, regardless of whether you are actively searching for work.

 

 

The first step is to determine what skills and attributes current employers want, Yate said. To do this, pull together at least six job postings for the work you do. The goal is to create a composite job description that speaks to the needs of the job as the employer defined them, Yate said. This creates a template for the story your resume needs to tell.  “The days of the generic resume are gone,” Thorpe said. “In today’s job market, you have to create a brand for yourself. Who are you? What do you bring to the table? You need (your resume) to tell that story.”  To do this, Thorpe said you need to give specific examples of how you changed the way your previous employer did business. Survey your key accomplishments, focus on tangible results and spotlight how you found solutions for everyday problems.  “In every job, it’s all about problem identification and avoidance. We are all hired to be problem solvers,” Yate said.

 

 

If a resume identifies the job, a job interview is what secures it. With the right research, smart questions and thoughtful answers, the interview can be the key to a job offer.  “The job offer is going to go to the person who turns it into a two-way conversation between professionals,” Yate said, yet most people get scared stiff – literally – when they approach this all-important meeting.  Preparation eliminates fear, Thorpe said. Center on the value you bring to the company, and be clear on your marketing message. Thorpe even recommends having a written list of your major accomplishments close at hand so you can reference specific examples during the conversation.  In all cases, avoid one-word answers – this is supposed to be a dialog, not a deposition. Let the interviewer know who you are. You got the interview because you’re qualified. Now is the time to sell them on the person they’re going to be spending time with every day.  Also, make sure your answers are consistent; every person you talk to that day is going to be comparing notes. Treat everyone you meet as if they are the hiring partner. Anyone asked to be part of the process has the firm’s trust and their opinion will be considered with equal weight.  And never say a bad word about anyone from your previous firm. Legal circles tend to be small, and there is a good chance the person you are interviewing with may know someone from your former life.

 

 

Yate and Thorpe note that online resources such as Google and LinkedIn often fuel the best conversation. Studying the company via Google’s news search engine updates you on its latest issues and accomplishments. Then, cross referencing its personnel on LinkedIn gives you an idea of the staff’s experience and who knows whom.  “The best interviews I’ve done is where people know what cases I’ve done and can show me how their skills would help us out,” agreed William B. Forrest III, an attorney with Kienbaum Opperwall Hardy & Pelton PLC in Birmingham, Mich., who specializes in labor and employment law.  Thorpe also recommends using LinkedIn to send emails to the firm or company’s past employees. He calls this “informational networking,” and said he typically asks the employee “to share some information with me.” He said he receives positive responses most of the time, and they tend to give him insights about the company and the people he might meet.  By being creative – yet professional – you can connect with the interviewer. Add a dash of what Yate calls “intelligent enthusiasm” and most interviewers will recommend you over an equally qualified candidate.

 

by Karen Dybiss, Lumen Legal