Many law firms are currently experiencing challenges finding qualified associates. So what’s a law firm to do? I have five suggestions.
- Take a page from Goldman Sachs. They recently expanded the pool of candidates they interview for entry level positions. Broadening the perimeters of their typical search (Ivy League schools) resulted in significantly improving the quality of their hires*. This same approach can be applied to associate hiring. Don’t dismiss candidates because they did not go to your alma mater or worked at a firm that you consider substandard to your own. Canada’s law schools are superb – all of them. And all their graduates deserve your consideration.
- Change your approach to interviewing. Most hiring decisions are made within 15 seconds of the interview’s commencement. We have knee-jerk reactions to people – either good or bad. Then confirmation bias kicks in and we hunt for evidence that confirms our initial impression of the candidate. Do your best to stop yourself from deciding upon the candidate’s hireability until the end of the interview.
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