Ask A Legal Recruiter
How to let go of working-parent guilt, overcome submission anxiety, and decide between making a lateral move with more money or sticking it out until you’re a senior attorney.
Do you have a question you’d like one of the best legal recruiters in the world to answer? Here’s your chance! With over 1500 placements in 18 countries, Kinney Recruiting is home to some of the most respected legal recruiters in the industry and they’re here to answer your questions. This week, your questions are expertly answered by legal recruiters Katherine Loanzon, Daniel Roark, and Cindy Summerfield. Have a question you’d like us to answer? Email moc.gnitiurceryennik@retiurceraksa and we will get back to you!
Question: “How do you successfully manage being a fully involved mother (attending all school events, helping with homework, making them home cooked meals) and working in the legal field? It feels impossible to do both!”
Katherine Loanzon: Parents need to stop trying to be super moms and dads. We are not superheroes and some days you will be a better lawyer and some days you will be a better parent. We must all acknowledge that we are not perfect and stop trying to be. This can help us get rid of the parent guilt. Children are resilient and if you aren’t able to make it to the school play or home for dinner because you have to meet a client or close a deal, that’s okay. Additionally, if you are able to work with your partner, parents or other relatives and have someone present at your childrens’ events, this will help ease the pressure and the guilt. As long as they understand the reason for your absence, children are usually able to understand. If you can carve out time to be PRESENT for your children, whether it is to watch them practice soccer drills or their violin, then make sure that is all you are doing and not looking at your phone.
Question: “How long does it typically take from talking with a recruiter about a position to when an interview is scheduled? I am feeling nervous since I have not heard from them even though I know sometimes these things take time.”
Daniel Roark: The length of time it takes can depend on a variety of factors, including time of year, hiring priorities, and how busy the team is. The prospect of a new position is exciting and candidates are extremely eager for feedback once they have greenlit our representation. We are too! But the organizations (mostly law firms and companies) we are representing/approaching are very busy, which is why they are hiring in the first place. And our clients have their own internal processes that might involve HR, a recruiting department, hiring meetings, department heads, etc. Therefore, obtaining feedback after a submission can take some time, possibly weeks or longer. As a recruiter, I try to deliver news to my candidates (good or bad) as soon as it becomes available. And I also welcome check-ins from candidates every week or 10 days since I understand that lateraling is an exciting time in one’s career. But grant your recruiter sufficient time to advocate on your behalf before you blow up their inbox with repeated requests for status updates. Good recruiters do not withhold information from candidates and we are just as excited as you are when an interview request comes across the transom. Equally, we are bummed when an organization passes on a candidate, but we do let you know.
Question: “I’m considering taking a lateral move, it will increase my salary by $20K, and billable hours are relatively the same. I have been with this firm for about 3 years. Should I stick it out until I’m a senior attorney or go for the lateral move with more money?”
Cindy Summerfield: My favorite lawyer answer to any question – it depends. Yes, money is important, and the first reaction is to take the money if the hours you are working will be the same. But those are not the only considerations. Do you like the people you will be working with as much? Will you be getting the same or better quality/level of sophistication in your work? What are your long-term options with each firm (do you have a clear path to partnership or a strong platform to go in-house)? There is certainly no reason to wait until you are a senior attorney just for the sake of getting more experience first. Many firms do more hiring at the junior and mid-levels so that they are able to train associates in their own way, and in order to give them an adequate runway to partnership.
Have a question of your own? Email moc.gnitiurceryennik@retiurceraksa and we will get back to you with our take!
