Alternative Legal Career: Is Legal Recruiting Right For You?

Questions to ask yourself before taking a leap.

As an internal recruiter working in the legal recruiting industry for more than 10 years, my conversations with candidates often begin with the subject of hitting the proverbial career crossroad. When you do reach that crossroad, often the question asked is, “What other opportunities are available for someone with my background and skill set?” For me, the answer was life as a legal recruiter. While it is true most of us in this industry are former lawyers who were interested in a career change, this industry is not ideal for everyone. However, for those who have found legal recruiting to be the right fit, few careers are more rewarding — both personally and professionally.

I could point to any one of our firm’s successful legal recruiters and I am confident they couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But how did they decide that being a recruiter was right for them? In this article, my hope is to help you answer this question — with specific questions focused on you. Answering these questions will help guide you to a better understanding of what legal recruiting is all about and whether it makes sense to chart a career path in that very direction.

Questions to Ask Yourself

  •        How adverse are you to change? How do you handle uncertainty?

The biggest hurdle for most lawyers considering a transition into legal recruiting is the uncertainty inherent in a mostly commission job. There is both a financial and mental hurdle to overcome. If having a stable income stream is essential for your lifestyle, then recruiting may not be the right career for you. This industry is analogous to sales in the ebb and flow of how/when/if deals close. One needs to accept the fact that there is an initial ramp-up period of six months to a year. In addition, many former lawyers struggle to accept that they are no longer practicing law. Thoughts of regret and “what have I done?” can fester during the initial months after you start, however these feelings dissipate in time because recruiting requires constant and consistent activity. In reality, change and uncertainty are what make recruiting so exciting. Truly every day is different, offering a new set of challenges from either the candidate or client side. If you enjoy a new challenge every day versus the predictable, then recruiting is worth exploring.

  •        What did you enjoy more: the consultative or analytical side of the law?

Being a lawyer is often a good fit for introverts. There is a lot of research and writing. Many lawyers simply enjoy the analytical side of legal practice. Others enjoy the consultative side/approach of legal practice. They enjoy communicating or conveying their ideas and advice to others. If the latter applies to you, then recruiting is the career to consider. It is very much a people business and extroverts certainly do excel.

  •        Are you entrepreneurial? What is a good example of this in your current or past experience?

Major, Lindsey & Africa has legal recruiters located within every major U.S. market and a number of international markets. Despite our size, each recruiter has their own way of running their business within their respective territory. Many times recruiters come up with creative ideas or solutions to connect with more candidates. The write articles, create podcast and are featured speakers on career change and the legal market. Being entrepreneurial in this business generally equates to better results and, ultimately, greater rewards.

  •       Do you consider IQ or EQ more important to you?

Assessing intelligence is certainly an important factor in any company hire. Perhaps being surrounded by lawyers or doctorate-level candidates presumes most of us have reached the IQ threshold necessary to understand this business — as we often say, it isn’t rocket science. However, identifying someone with a high level of emotional intelligence (EQ) is more difficult to spot. Yet EQ is more indicative of what we look for in determining success in this industry. Ask yourself, can I adapt to working with many different types of people? Can I empathize with someone I do not know very well? Am I a good listener? Answering yes to these questions translates very well to success in our business. We are in the happiness business for lawyers. To make them happy, we need to build a level of trust, empathy and understanding of their situation in order to help guide them to a better career platform. If this sounds exciting and rewarding to you, then recruiting could be your career.

  •        Finally, what is your financial situation?

This last question is the toughest topic to cover from an internal recruiting standpoint because it requires you to take a financial leap of faith. Most candidates have earned a stable income from their previous or current employer and we are asking them to transition into what is a mostly commission job. Not an easy feat for anyone, much less risk adverse lawyers. I understand there is no simple answer to this question because everyone’s financial situation is different. To get to an answer, ask yourself whether you view legal recruiting as a job or as a career. If you view legal recruiting as a job, then it will not immediately match the financial stability to which you are accustomed. Our successful legal recruiters have, from day one, viewed legal recruiting as a long-term career. They understand there is a financial ramp-up process in play, but the long-term financial and emotional benefits far outweigh the short-term sting. Our successful legal recruiters here at Major, Lindsey & Africa are making more money than they ever did practicing law, including those from Biglaw. They have a better quality of life and a more rewarding career. If your finances can handle the short-term ramp-up, consider having a conversation with us — we’d love to learn more about you.