othersideofthedesk

The Other Side of the Desk

To be successful, it is critical that you focus on the needs and interests of a prospective employer. You have to understand the issues keeping him or her awake at night. In the last 28 years, I have experienced the employer’s perspective from many angles: as an attorney practicing in a large, Chicago law firm, as the director of a major Chicago legal clinic, and as an arbitrator.

While you are keeping up with your studies or preparing for the bar exam, it can be difficult to know what qualities a prospective employer really needs in a candidate. Working with us, you will learn how to more effectively address these needs. To help land the job you want, you will need to master:

Presenting yourself professionally;

Showcasing your legal and non-legal work history succinctly, positively highlighting your legal and transferable skills in your resume. Your resume should be able to knock down any door;

Quantifying your professional accomplishments to better “sell yourself” in your resume. Employers, even lawyers, want to know, “What can you do for me?” Quantifying your accomplishments gives the interviewer concrete support to back you. Remember, the person going to bat for you has to look good to others, too;

Drafting job-specific cover letters which focus on why your skills exactly satisfy and surpass the employer’s required job functions;

Interviewing. Believe it or not, everyone needs a bit of fine tuning for an interview. Learn what questions to ask, how to tailor your questions for each specific employer and how to handle difficult salary questions with class;