Perhaps you’ve been on the legal support job hunt for a while. You keep sending out resumes, following up to ensure they arrived, and waiting to hear whether you’ve landed an interview … yet you hear nothing.
Why are you getting radio silence? Here are some of the most common reasons:
- You weren’t the right fit. If your skills don’t match the position or your personality doesn’t mesh well with the employer’s current culture, the hiring manager may pass you over in favor of a candidate who offers a better fit.
- Their hiring process is lacking. New organizations frequently have poorly defined hiring processes, which means that even the best candidates can slip through the cracks.
- Your application materials don’t show you in the best light. A confusing or repetitive resume or cover letter can easily end up at the bottom of the stack, instead of inspiring a manager to contact you.
The legal support community is fairly small in Toronto; this means you need to be as strategic as possible when applying for positions. One of the best ways to overcome these hurdles is to work with a recruiter. Not only will you avoid “radio silence” after submitting a resume, you will have access to the best legal support positions in the field. When you work with a staffing firm that specializes in placing legal support candidates, you can:
- Find out why you didn’t get a response. Silence is tough to interpret. Did the hiring manager lose your application? Did they forget about you? Did they decide you just weren’t the right person for the job? Your recruiter can help you get the “inside story” on why you’re not getting an answer.
- Gain the insight you need to resolve the problem. If you’ve been applying to jobs that don’t fit your skills or that don’t offer the right culture to help you thrive, your recruiter can identify the problem and give you specific strategies to resolve it – from improving your resume to putting your accomplishments front and center during the interview.
- Discover positions that offer the “fit” and opportunities you’re looking for. Recruiters specialize in knowing the cultures and goals of the organizations they serve. This means that when you describe what you want, your recruiter can match you more easily with an organization that will help you not only succeed, but thrive.
At Kent Legal, our recruiters strive to match legal support professionals with the best law firms and legal departments in the greater Toronto area. Contact us today to learn more about our legal support job opportunities in Toronto!
