Wednesday, July 06, 2005

The Vision of a Firm Can Be Expressed in Recruiting

Marketing and recruiting should be walking the halls of your firm holding hands... Not literally, but you know what I mean. I know the marketing vision of my firm will not succeed unless I have attorneys willing to work it. From the Executive Committee right down to the newest hire.

I heartily recommend that marketers should plant themselves in front of the appropriate people and share the vision of the firm. Discuss the types of individuals and skills that will compliment the marketing efforts. Discuss personality traits; look at already successful attorneys and see if there are traits you can look for in others.

As a former Marine Drill Instructor (the Nation's quickest melting pot) it was my job to take what young men jumped off the bus and turn them into Marines. And in the Marines we had recruiters that understood a potential Marine had to possess certain qualities beyond the ability to stand without assistance and breath through their nose.

Not every young man arriving at boot camp made it to graduation, but most did because the recruiters knew how to measure the spirit and willingness of these men to fit into the decidedly narrow culture of the Marines.

Law firms might consider the same factors. Will the attorneys (and staff) we hire fit into the work we do AND the vision we've embraced for presenting ourselves to the marketplace.

Go ahead, start the conversation and see what happens.

Graphic Artists are Crazy

I might know. I am one. But, not like, "Wooo Hooooo, la la la la la, put me in a rubber room!!" Go online and look at any portfo...