I'm Impressed

It's not every day that I receive a cold-call from a partner I've barely met, who is a practice leader at an AMLAW 20 law firm, asking for my direct assistance in an associate search. No doubt that he made the same call to several other Lawcruiters as well - but no matter. Did he get my attention? You bet! And here's why:

1. A Proactive and Distinctive Use of Lawcruiters: As the lateral hiring market becomes increasingly competitive - hiring managers need to find ways of using the Lawcruiter community more effectively and creatively. Getting our attention is 80% of the job since we are literally deluged with job openings. This man is a "name brand" in his practice area - and the fact that he would reach out in this way to a Lawcruiter is remarkable.
   
2. Guts: There is an understandable hesitancy amongst hiring managers to advertise their lateral hiring needs too aggressively - as this can sometimes suggest that the existing associate corps is so overworked that it would be vulnerable to Lawcruiter calls offering a move to a better staffed environment. With this in mind - it took some real guts for this practice leader to pick up the phone and start cold-calling Lawcruiters.
3. Picking a Winner: Thinking about it - the things that brought my caller to pick up the phone this morning are the same things that make this partner a leader in his profession. He is good at what he does, he is proactive, creative and he has guts. He is clearly a winner - and I like recruiting for winners!