For those who want to work in the legal sector, law firms offer different jobs, such as solicitor, barrister, arbitrator, company secretary, judge, and lecturer or law, to name a few. Nevertheless, in today’s highly competitive market, it’s hard to be accepted into a law firm, especially if you’re a graduate. Graduating from law school doesn’t guarantee a job. It’s about hard work, personal choices, and some degree of luck. When you have a degree in the field of law, you know only the basics, so while you’ll be ahead of anyone who hasn’t heard about torts and personal injuries, you’re not an expert in your field of study.
You probably think that the more applications you send, the better. If you’ve tried this approach and haven’t gotten even one interview, it’s a sign that you’re doing something wrong. If you want to stand a chance of getting hired at a law firm, you need to make yourself more marketable to employers. Law firms are on the lookout for high-calibre professionals and, most importantly, are willing to pay no matter what to recruit top talent. Here are a few ways to become more attractive to prospective legal employers.
Build A Successful Personal Brand
Law firms want employees with strong personal brands to share company news, content, and updates. Personal branding is about standing up for yourself to command respect and confidence from your peers and prospective legal employers. Simply put, others have a widely-recognized perception of you based on your expertise, competencies, actions, or achievements. Your personal brand highlights your personality and skills. Remember that it’s important to remain consistent on social media, your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. It influences how others perceive you. You can develop your personal brand with time, or you can speed things up by putting a concerted effort into it. The choice is up to you.
Here are a few steps to get started with your personal brand:
- Have a professional photo. Use a high-quality photo that represents you in the best light and shows you’re approachable, confident, and professional. You’ll find that you’re able to connect with people on a level that others might miss. Display the photo on all necessary materials and consider adding it to your email signature.
- Figure out what you want to be known for. The ability to sell yourself and your unique qualities is key to success. Garner attention and respect for qualities such as good communication skills, judgement, perseverance, research skills, or creativity. Position yourself as a thought leader by posting content, whether it’s a video on your website or an article on LinkedIn.
- Come up with a personal branding statement. Come up with one or two sentences that explain who you are and why you’re unique in your field. It’s like a catchphrase or a slogan. You can display your personal branding statement on all your social media profiles. Aim to stand out from the crowd.
Maintain A Strong Online Presence
If you’ve never googled yourself, there’s no better time than now to do it. The search engine results may help or hinder your employment prospects, depending on what impression you make. Legal employers and hiring managers will research you online, so it’s crucial to stay appropriate and positive on each outlet. Clean up your social media accounts and limit what the public can see. It’s not a good idea to delete your social media profiles because prospective employers will become sceptical about who you are, thinking you’ve got something to hide. Posting every few days or weeks is fine, but share only things employers or professors might appreciate seeing.
Needless to say, spelling and grammar matter for a thought leader. You’re trained to identify issues and mistakes, so if you make spelling and grammar errors, you’re putting your credibility in jeopardy. Just think about it. You can be publicly admonished for unprofessional conduct and even forced to pay court fines if you make typographical errors. Saying sorry won’t cut it. As you perfect your legal reasoning, don’t overlook the fact that spelling and grammar are critical components of writing. Fortunately, many tools are available these days for spelling and grammar checking, so you don’t have to worry about incorrect prepositions or missing commas.
Effectively Network
Through networking, you can connect with like-minded people and, above all, get exposure to your industry of interest. Law firms conduct business with people they know and like, meaning that a resume and cover letter aren’t enough to convince an employer to hire you. The point is that networking shouldn’t be neglected when searching for a job, so be strategic and use your contacts to land a job at a law firm. Networking is about forming long-term connections based on common values, not simple encounters. A lasting network is built around giving, so make generosity a way of life.
If you can’t get a full-time job via networking, perhaps you should reach out to a legal recruiter, so you’re not alone in your job search. In Birmingham, there are several legal recruitment agencies which know everything there is to know about the job market. For more information, visit https://www.legalrecruitmentagencyuk.co.uk/legal-recruitment-agencies/birmingham. Finding a job in the field of law takes time and energy, so sign up with an agency that fits your skills and interests so you’ll advance on your career path. You’ll have access to more job opportunities than you dreamed of. Keep in mind that not all job openings are promoted online.
In conclusion, it’s worth conducting extensive research on the law firm to get a better understanding of what its goals are. Before an interview, check out their website, social media profiles, and reviews so that you can formulate a meaningful response when asked, “Why do you want to work with us?”. Think about what you have to offer and how you could make an impact. After careful consideration, you’ll be able to provide a specific and truthful answer. Do your homework to increase your chances of getting hired and find out whether the law firm is a good cultural fit for you.