When is the right time for an associate to make a move?

Associates often wonder when the best time in their careers is to make a move. There is no definitive answer to this question but there are important things to be considered. If an associate has been at a firm for two years and they are generally happy with their chosen area of practice but are finding that the firm is not the right fit, this is an excellent time to look around and explore other options. We often hear that “all firms are the same,” but having worked at three Am Law 100 firms I have seen how different the firm cultures can be. An associates’ fourth or fifth year is a great time to start evaluating their career path at their current firm. If the odds of making partner are stacked against him this is an opportune time to make a move. You want to be at a firm for long enough to establish yourself before you are considered for partner. Lastly – if you take the leap of faith and stick with one firm, just be sure that you have gotten great experience and built a resume that will allow you to stay in the drivers’ seat of your career.

The best news is that 2011 is off to a great start and there is a significant increase in opportunities for associates looking to make a move!

Interested in learning about new opportunities? Contact Lori Black

Interviewing Tips from Desiree

Often at the end of an interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. I have stumbled in this situation myself because there were times when I genuinely didn’t have any questions that had not already been addressed and answered or that I had not already learned during my pre-interview research of the firm. However, I have learned that it is always best to ask a question; it shows you are engaged in the process and interested in the firm.

The question doesn’t have to be tricky or elaborate, in fact, it’s better to keep it simple and general; you don’t want to stump the interviewer or cause them to have to go look something up. Some good questions can be as simple as “What do you like about working for this firm?” or “What do you find most challenging about this position?”. Your inquiry will leave the interviewer with a sense that you have a genuine interest in them and in the firm and that’s always a great note to end an interview on.

Want other tips on interviewing? Email Desiree

New Year, New Economy, New Job

Over the last two years, we have heard nothing but negative news about the state of our economy regarding companies making continual layoffs as well as the unemployment rate for our country continue to creep towards 10%. Towards the end of 2010, Warren Recruiting started to see a sharp increase in the number of open jobs we had from our clients. We began to receive calls from clients that hadn’t hired in over a year, letting us know that deal flow had picked up and they need more people.

Across the nation, companies are beginning to add new employees to their workforce. In a recent USAToday article published 1/6/2011, “Through 2011, employers will add 183,000 jobs a month — vs. 94,000 a month in 2010, according to the average forecast of 28 economists surveyed by USA TODAY.” If you have been sitting and waiting for things to improve before you make your next career move, stop procrastinating because things are finally getting better and it’s a new year and time for a new opportunity!