Finding FlexWork: Part II – Communication

The job-seeking landscape has become increasingly more impersonal with the use of computers for sending and screening resumes. Therefore, the challenge is how to personalize the process to get your message to the right person. Good communication can set you apart from others, and it’s vital for finding flexible opportunities that aren’t advertised.

I’m not a human resource professional, just a fellow attorney mom who’s had success with job searches and finding flexible work at different firms. I’ve never had a multitude of interviews at any one time, so I’ve tried to make the absolute most out of every opportunity. Additionally, I try to keep in mind that I may have something to offer people I meet, whether it’s a connection or a future business referral.  

Quality matters

One of my most memorable job searches was in law school when I was looking for a clerkship for the summer after first year. I wasn’t in the top of my class, so I didn’t qualify for the Big Law interviews. (I got to have the “practice” interviews where they give you feedback, tell you how much they like you, but say they can’t hire you because you’re not in the top 25%. Good times.)

That spring semester, I only had one real interview. It was with a telecommunications company for an in-house clerkship. A representative from each of two offices was present. Since that was my only chance, I prepared hard. I researched the company, read up on news in the industry, and came ready with some questions based on that research. I was shocked when I landed TWO jobs from that one interview. I got one 6-week clerkship in the Houston office and one 6-week clerkship in the Dallas office. That was a great lesson for me in how quality can make up for a lack of quantity, and that a resume is only part of the equation.  

From that early experience and ever since, I’ve found that there’s really no need to apply to hundreds of ads or send bulk mail to firms. Instead, I work on personalizing each connection and looking for a real fit.

Networking and the Gentle Ask

I never made it to the top of my law school class, and corporations like the one I clerked with don’t hire newbies, so I knew I’d have to work hard to get a job out of law school. I found a great book called Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams, by Kimm Walton. I read it in the late 90’s, and it’s had at least one subsequent edition, but the lessons I learned and applied from that book have served me well for many years.  

One important lesson I learned was to lead with your connection. When you’re calling or writing to someone you don’t already know, tell them right up front how you are connected: “Anna Piel recommended that I contact you…” That instantly places you in context for them.

I also learned that you don’t have to go around asking everyone for a job outright. People are much more open if you’re asking for information and guidance rather than coming right out and asking them for a job. If they’re hiring, they’re likely to consider you even without the direct question. What you need to strive for, however, is tapping into their network. You want them to think about who they could introduce you to in order to expand your reach.

Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. Say someone calls you up out of the blue, tells you that a fellow law school alumnus recommended they contact you. Wouldn’t you be more responsive if they asked you for trends in your area of practice and what firms you thought might be hiring? The overt question whether you are hiring would cause you at most to ask for their resume, and the communication would die there if you weren’t hiring or they didn’t meet your needs. The open-ended questions cause you to think about your own needs in addition to who else they could contact. You want to keep the network vine growing rather than chop it off at each new leaf.     

In-person meetings

Phone calls, emails or even letters are a great first step in reaching out to an attorney or law firm, but I highly recommend that you aim for a personal meeting when possible. I’m not talking about an interview here, but a meeting to gather information, even if it doesn’t directly lead to a job.

Personal meetings are great to meet new people and to reestablish personal connections with friends or acquaintances you haven’t seen in a while. In addition to learning about legal trends and who might be hiring, you can learn about their practice. They might need your connections or referrals to keep their practice going, so look for ways you can help one another. Meeting in person also gives you a chance to practice explaining yourself and to refine your message.

Also, if you’ve invited a person to have coffee or a meal, I recommend that you pay for theirs. Unless it’s a person you know well who insists on paying their own way, it’s a common courtesy and a way to thank them for their time.

Importance of follow-up

I probably fall in the old-fashioned category when it comes to communication, but you may find that the law firms and attorneys you contact are of the same mind or generation as me (I’m a Gen X-er).   

If a meeting or other communication generates a lead, act on it while it’s fresh and don’t let it languish. Take a little bit of time to gather your thoughts, do any needed research, such as look up an attorney’s profile and firm website, and then reach out. It’s much easier to say so-and-so recommended I contact you when we had lunch yesterday or earlier this week, than it is to say we met a month or more ago. It might make them feel less important, and it might make you look less serious. The same goes for any information or referral that you promise to send to someone else. Even if you don’t think the new lead will pan out, it’s important to show you made the effort.  

I also recommend following up with a thank you that is proportionate to the type of contact you make. For example, I wouldn’t expect a handwritten thank you note from someone with whom I simply exchanged emails. On the other hand, if a connection I recommended leads to a job, that handwritten thank you would be a nice gesture to let me know it worked. It would also be a great opportunity to send a business card or contact information for getting in touch. Time is precious to everyone, so thank people for giving you some of theirs, no matter how much.

How do you communicate to find flex?

Are you in the market for flexible work? What methods of communication have you been using, and how effective have they been for you? If you’ve found flexible work, what type of communication efforts did it take to land the job? Thanks for sharing!

Site map