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Attorney Candidates — Tips for Enhancing Your Cover Letter

Attorney Candidates — Tips for Enhancing Your Cover Letter

In the recruitment context, cover letters are often seen as a burden, rather than as an opportunity to impress — the prospect of having to create a unique cover letter for each employer can put off many candidates.  After all, having to develop and customize a cover letter for each target employer can “slow down” the application process significantly.

 

If you’re interested in making a positive career transition as an attorney, however, it’s important that you change your perception of cover letters.  They provide fantastic opportunities for attorney candidates to differentiate themselves — to emphasize their strengths, minimize their weaknesses, and demonstrate (implicitly) their personality, charisma, and writing skill, among other things.  Perhaps the aversion that many candidates have to cover letters is in some way justified by the challenge: a poorly-conceived cover letter can undermine one’s candidacy, and it is rather simple to do so.

 

With the aid of a legal recruiter here at Garb Jaffe & Associates, you will have an advisor with significant experience assisting attorney candidates in developing effective cover letters.  Of course, even if you do end up working with a legal recruiter, it’s worth considering the various elements that make for a persuasive cover letter.

 

Focus on Why the Firm is a Good Fit (Both Perspectives)

 

Effective cover letters demand at least a modicum of research.  After identifying the qualities of the firm that make it particularly attractive to a candidate such as yourself (i.e., the collaborative environment, its unique approach to litigation or transactional work, its client-base, its industry clout, specialties that you have an interest in, etc.), you should thereafter focus on writing about why these qualities make you a great fit.  Your focus on “fit” should be written from both perspective — that of the employer, and that of the candidate (you).  Make sure to highlight the value that you would bring to the employer, and how their unique qualities make it an excellent landing spot for your skill-set and career ambitions.  A bit of puffery is acceptable, but do try not to go overboard with your praise.  Your cover letter should clearly recognize the employer’s good qualities without appearing sycophantic.

 

Proactively Mitigate Negative Aspects of Your Application

 

If your work experience has gaps or other negative aspects (i.e., you resigned or were fired from a position a short time after being hired), it’s important to address those issues head-on and to proactively mitigate any concerns that the employer may have.  For example, if you have a yearlong gap in your work history due to some extenuating circumstances — perhaps an emergency that forced you to take time off from work to care for a sick family member — then it’s useful to explain the circumstances so as to mitigate the negative perception that the employer may initially have.  Though you may be a relatively private individual, make sure to consider the benefit of revealing more detailed information (when necessary in order to dispel any concerns that the employer may have).

 

Keep the Cover Letter Concise

 

When writing your cover letter, you should strive to be concise.  Cover letters should almost never be more than one page long, however, the mere fact that your cover letter is less than a page is not proof of its conciseness.  As a general rule, you should write the least amount necessary to get across the information that you need to express.  For example, if it’s possible to distill a paragraph about a client project into two sentences, then it is likely worthwhile to do so.  In writing, we often talk about a quality known as “propulsion.”  A propulsive cover letter that is concise, easy-to-read, and expressive will almost certainly impress an employer.

 

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

 

All too often, candidates fail to properly proofread their cover letters before submitting their application.  An incorrectly addressed cover letter can lead to an instant rejection.  You should always make sure to extensively proofread your cover letters on your own.  Of course, you’ll have a “second line of defense” if you work with a legal recruiter, who will help develop and edit your cover letters.

 

 

If you are an attorney looking to make the transition to a different firm, or perhaps to an in-house legal department, get connected to an experienced Silicon Valley legal recruiter here at Garb Jaffe & Associates.  Our legal recruiters have extensive experience placing attorneys with prestigious law firms and corporations across California, and will advise throughout the process to ensure that you secure an ideal placement.

 

Experienced legal recruiters can also assist with the development of a cover letter.  Cover letters are a critical component of an effective attorney application.  Having a “neutral” party evaluate your cover letter is important, of course, but it’s even more important that you consult with someone — for example, a legal recruiter — that has extensive networks with employers throughout California, and who is therefore well-positioned to help you tailor your cover letter for each of your target employers.

 

Call us today at (310) 207-0727 to setup a consultation with one of our legal recruiters.  During the engagement process, we work closely with attorney candidates to identify best-fit opportunities, develop a persuasive cover letter and resume, and prepare for various interview sessions.

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