The following is a communication sent to clients at the beginning of this year by one of Exclusively Legal’s dynamic recruiters, Kira Duzik, speaking about legal employment trends for 2009 in San Diego, what’s to come and how to stay ahead.
Original e-mail:
Happy 2009! The start to a new year is always a good time to reconnect with legal professionals like you who have made an impact on me during my years with Exclusively Legal. As I begin my sixth year with Exclusively Legal this month, the relationships with people I have met and represented over the years remain my greatest reward and motivation.
Most of you know me as a consultant, and someone you can always come to for honest, straight-shooting advice. You continue to be the reason I stay excited about my work – thank you for the friendship, laughter and business partnerships we have enjoyed.
Year in Review
While many great things happened in 2008 (I became engaged, for one 
, I don’t know too many people who were sad to say goodbye to 2008. Political elections, huge stock market fluctuations, the collapse of financial and insurance institutions, government bailout packages and political scandal – all atypical in and of themselves. No one could have predicted this convergence of events to happen in the same year!
The first half of 2008 was almost immune to any effect on hiring in San Diego’s legal market. With a few layoffs noted, the majority of firms were still bringing on staff. Changing market conditions, combined with Heller Ehrman’s demise, brought great uncertainty in what lay ahead, marking a very difficult 4th quarter for job seekers.
However, unemployment in San Diego remains markedly lower at 6.9% than the average 8.3% in California. We hover around the national average; obviously an increase from the 4.8% 2007 closed with.
San Diego Legal Salaries
As predicted last year, 2008 brought a noticeable increase in the average compensation packages for top-tier legal professionals. We saw some of our highest offers yet in patent, litigation, practice services, electronic discovery and HR Management. Corporate transactional salaries have remained fairly steady this year, due in part to a slowdown in corporate deals and real estate transactional work.
Standing Out in a Competitive Job Market Because there are simply more legal professionals seeking jobs in 2009 than there are positions, it is even more critical that job seekers maximize every possible advantage they may have in finding a new role.
Some simple suggestions that make a difference follow: Network!Studies report that up to 80% of positions are found through networking and personal referral. Most of these positions were never advertised to begin with.
Use a Recruiter!
A recruiter is meant to enhance your own search. We typically provide opportunities you may not find on your own, along with insight and feedback on your resume and interview style to enhance your competitive edge. In many cases, we are able to make introductions to key clients who rely on our judgment and may not have interviewed you based on resume alone.
Partner on Proofreading
Have other people proofread your resume! Grammatical errors continue to be a top reason administrators pass on resumes after a few short seconds of review. If you have any questions on the presentation of your resume, I am happy to provide some guidance.
Stay Persistent and Positive
At the end of an interview, reiterate your interest in the position and ask for the job! Follow up with a personal, handwritten thank-you note. If you do not hear from your contact at the firm, follow up on a weekly basis. Use your networking skills to follow up with a company, especially if you know someone who is connected to the organization. Let them know you interviewed and see if they can find out a status on the position for you.
Let Your References Do the Bragging!
Don’t be afraid to send reference letters or attestation excerpts along with an initial resume, or as a follow up to an interview.
Looking Ahead
I attended the 2009 Economic Trends Forecast January 8 in Mission Valley. One of the panelists, Dana Johnson, Senior VP/Chief Economist for Comerica Bank, believes our economy will see a rebound in the second half of 2009. He, along with several others, believes that the rebound will be sharp and fast, impacted by great amounts of capital infusion from Obama’s proposed economic stimulus package.
As always, I welcome the chance to partner with you this year, whether it’s testing the market for new opportunities, or assisting with your current firm or company’s staffing needs. I hope you will think of me as your personal legal career consultant. Most of my past candidates keep in touch throughout the year to simply be sure their salary, benefits and bonuses are competitive and to stay apprised of current market trends.
With 12 years of legal experience and three years of experience as a local financial consultant, I am happy to share my resources and expertise with you. If you are not working with a recruiter in this market, you are not fully benefiting from the intel and opportunities available to you. We are always interested in developing new relationships!
If you know someone in the market for a new position, or a company who needs the assistance of a staffing agency, please feel confident referring them to me. We pay generous referral bonuses if we end up making a placement as a result of your referral.
Closing Thoughts
It can be difficult to stay positive and optimistic during these uncertain times. The reality is this: Market meltdowns spur litigation, which can lead to greater government regulation. This increases the need for legal compliance with higher standards in corporate governance and requirements in electronic data retention.
We have already begun to see an increase in bankruptcy, restructuring, litigation and regulatory work. Firms have scaled back to “bare bones staff” in some cases, with the current workload overwhelming their remaining staff.
We know that the pendulum will swing the other direction at some point – it is just a question of when. Exclusively Legal has already seen an early increase in new job opportunities with the start of the New Year. I am hopeful that this trend will continue.
I look forward to catching up with you soon, and wish you and your families a healthy and prosperous 2009!
Kira C. Duzik
Senior Legal Recruiter
Tel. 619.595.0440
Toll-free: 800-388-1178
http://www.exclusivelylegal.com/
