Traditional approaches to recruiting and hiring in the legal sector have long shaped the field. Many firms often focus on rigid hiring timelines and high expectations for top-tier talent as soon as they post an open position. Consequently, hiring teams fall into the trap of believing they are fishing in a pond stocked full of incredible talent, just waiting for their offer. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
The single biggest misconception that hiring teams have is that there is always a pool of ideal candidates just waiting to apply for a posting. The reality is that good people go quickly, and firms that delay making an offer to the candidate they want most often miss out on the opportunity.
So, how can your team avoid this mistake? Here are some solutions to implement in your hiring strategy to prevent your ideal candidate from slipping away.
We understand that hiring the right person for your firm is important, and being decisive doesn't mean you need to act rashly. Instead, it means getting clarity on what type of candidate you're looking for, how to ask questions to ensure the right fit, and confirming everyone on the hiring team agrees on these factors.
When you can quickly and easily qualify candidates from the application to the interview to the references, you can make confident choices and act quickly to get the right person before someone else does!
Once you've found the ideal candidate, you'll want to reach out to them quickly and make the right pitch. With high competition in the market, you'll need to make sure your pitch stands out to them. What does that mean? The answer isn't always about the monetary amount. In fact, many candidates will be swayed by other perks, such as a benefits package or professional development opportunities.
The right pitch will depend on the candidate in question and what your company is willing and able to offer in terms of salary, benefits, and other incentives. The parameters of your pitch can even be outlined in advance. That way, when you find a great candidate, you're not struggling to create an offer for them from scratch. Having an offer ready to go lets you reach out to your ideal candidate with minimal delay, increasing the chances you'll make the hire.
When searching for the right person, you're likely paying attention to their qualifications and experience, but are you considering whether they are a good match for your company culture? When we say that "good candidates go quickly," we're not telling you to hire the first qualified person you interview. Instead, we advise you to carefully assess your candidates to see how well they'll work alongside your existing team and whether your expectations for the role match theirs.
Hiring the right person requires finding a good match not only for the position but also for your company. For example, a qualified candidate might not get a job because they're too senior, too junior, or just not the right match in terms of values, goals, and company culture. The decision is ultimately up to your hiring team.
We know from decades of experience that quality candidates go quickly. That's why we have proven processes in place to help firms find their ideal match and confidently pitch an offer before the candidate slips away. It's not a coincidence that we've won the Canadian Business Award for "Best Professional Legal Recruitment Firm" for two years in a row!
If your firm is ready to hire, we'd love to help you find the right person for the position. Call us or send us a message so we can book a time to walk through some important considerations that can help you hire the right team for your goals.
