The Do’s and Don’ts of Job Hunting in the Legal Industry

Job hunting is often stressful, especially because we all want to make the best first impression possible. Sometimes we find ourselves in unavoidable situations that prevent us from putting our best foot forward. When something comes up it may seem like you are doomed, but if handled correctly, it could actually be your chance to shine for a prospective employer. 

We’ve got a few common scenarios that come up for candidates during job searches, and we can tell you what to do (and not to do) to turn that unfortunate event into an asset for your candidacy.

You need to reschedule an interview. Maybe your internet provider is experiencing an outage in the area, or maybe you woke up feeling extremely under the weather. Whatever the reason you have for needing to reschedule your interview, good communication here is key. 

Don't: Wait until after your scheduled interview time to reach out to the hiring manager.

Do: Reach out the minute you know that you can’t make the interview. It can be perceived by employers as essentially “ghosting” an interview, even if you do reach out after the fact. 

Don't: Ignore the inconvenience this may cause the interviewer.

Do: Apologize for the inconvenience and promise to follow up for next steps as soon as you are able. If it’s possible, provide a firm deadline for yourself and keep it. If it’s an ongoing situation and you don’t know when you will be able to contact them, don’t give a deadline you may blow as that will further the impression you are unreliable.

Don’t: Overshare why you have to reschedule.

Do: Give a brief, concise reason that explains the need but doesn’t give too much detail, especially if the reason may not seem valid to an employer. An emergency at your child’s school pulling you away for the afternoon, for example, is valid. Deciding to take advantage of the good weather with a last-minute beach trip, is not.

Don’t: Reschedule more than once.

Do: Make sure your rescheduled date and time are absolutely doable for you. Employers want to make a hire, and they don’t want their time wasted. After the first reschedule, doing so again sends a poor message about your ability to plan and commit to engagements.

You’re interviewing with other employers. It’s great to have multiple opportunities to pick from, especially in today’s job market! But transparency with all hiring managers or the recruiters involved is very important.

Don’t: Accept an offer for one job, while still interviewing with others. 

Do: Disclose that you have a pending offer to those you are still in the interview process with and be transparent about your timeline and expectations. It wastes the time of the employer extending the offer if you accept, only to rescind the acceptance days or a couple of weeks later because another one came through. 

Don’t: Interview and use an offer from the employer just to get a raise at your current job. This can happen in the natural course of things, but if it’s your main motivation from the beginning, you will likely sew resentment at your current employer and the potential employer.

Do: Reach out directly and be transparent with the firm you are interviewing with if you accept a counteroffer. Thank them for their time and the opportunity and give them a short but helpful explanation for your decision. 

Tip: Often, recruiters and hiring managers can make the interview and hiring process go a lot quicker, especially if they know there are other offers you are considering.

You need to negotiate your salary. A job may be the perfect fit for you with the exception of the salary. There’s nothing wrong with negotiating if you do it the right way. 

  Don’t: Be too aggressive and demanding. 

Do: Be firm, but respectful. It’s completely fine to ask for a salary adjustment before accepting an offer. But being disrespectful to the employer can make them rescind the offer all together. The last thing you want to do is burn any bridges. If the salary is set stone and the employer won’t budge, then it’s also okay to decline the offer.

Don’t: Get to the offer stage and ask for a much higher salary unexpectedly.

Do: Discuss salary expectations during the interview process. Make sure you discuss pay earlier in your interactions with hiring managers or recruiters. By doing this, you can get a feel for whether the salary is flexible or not, and you aren’t springing the expectation on them after an offer was made.

When interviewing for new positions, you'll inevitably find yourself in these situations and many others. Knowing the best way to deal with them will lead to the best outcome possible! Clear, professional communication that is provided on a timely basis will create the reputation you want to excel in your career.