5 important qualities to look for when recruiting
I don’t know if I can give a definitive answer to that, but I can tell you that, over the last decade, my firm has certainly changed how it evaluates graduate hires.
I was reminded of that fact yesterday when I saw this piece about Google’s policy of looking at skills beyond strong academics when assessing candidates.
By now, many of us know that our profession is on the cusp of big changes and that clients are increasingly looking for much more than just technical legal advice. Instead they want a genuine business advisor who, besides providing comfort on the legal front, will be interested and engaged in their business.
So, while the technical skill will remain important, there are other characteristics that we should weight equally in trying identifying potential in those future lawyers who may not necessarily have stellar academics.
Here are some of the qualities I consider when looking at new hires:
The ability (and desire) to learn: A strong knowledge of legal theory is very important but it must be complemented by the ability to expand and apply that knowledge to unpredictable and changing circumstances. If not, then your scope as a lawyer and your long term value to clients is going to be limited.
Empathy: As I’ve written previously, we’re really in the relationship business. The ability to really listen to clients,take a genuine interest in their situation and then reflect that back to them is critical. Without that, you will never establish the enduring relationships underpinning a successful practice. I can’t overestimate the importance of this quality.
A strong voice but open ears: Just as we all want to employ smart and driven lawyers who aren’t afraid to argue their (or their client’s) corner. It’s important for them to have the emotional maturity and insight to listen to the other side and acknowledge when they are wrong or there is a better solution.
Positivity: Are they the sort of person who looks for solutions or the type who expects to find problems in every scenario. Positivity isn’t about wearing rose-colored glasses it’s about finding ways to move forwards. If a candidate lacks that, the roadblocks it creates can be incredibly frustrating for both clients and colleagues.
Leadership and collaboration: Increasingly we are looking for people who have the innate capability and confidence to play a role in the team as both a member and at times a leader. This can manifest in many ways but it’s probably best described as the ability to move seamlessly from the role of contributor to that of leader in the context of work projects or team discussions. In my view, age is no substitute for wisdom and sensible initiative.
Over the last decade or so, I’ve seen our own practice really evolve in terms of how it evaluates graduates. We are increasingly weighing those interpersonal skills that underpin the ability to build client relationships on a par with academics to find well rounded candidates who will grow into the role.
Of course, there are a lot of candidates vying for jobs and grades are a potential starting point for filtering when you have a huge number of applicants. However, it’s much more difficult to evaluate those qualities that aren’t so easily quantified.
Perhaps it requires a different way of approaching traditional graduate recruitment or simply a bigger investment in time spent meeting candidates.
I’m not sure what the solution is, but I’d be very interested to hear your views on the qualities you think are most important in deciding to hire a lawyer and if you think that’s changed over the years.
