Experience Trumps Pedigree When Evaluating Candidates For Legal Jobs, New Robert Half Legal Survey Shows

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Time spent on the job tops time spent in the classroom when it comes to determining legal professionals' odds for success within an organization. More than half (56 percent) of lawyers surveyed recently said professional experience is the best indicator of career potential while educational background ranked second with 17 percent of the response.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Legal, a premier legal staffing firm specializing in lawyers, paralegals and other highly skilled legal professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 300 lawyers among the largest law firms and corporations in the United States and Canada.

Lawyers were asked, "Which of the following is the best indicator of a job candidate's potential for success in your organization?" Their responses:

"For new graduates, university prestige and class ranking can be instrumental in landing a first job," said Charles Volkert, executive director of Robert Half Legal. "But as legal professionals progress in their careers, a proven track record and practice area expertise often carry more weight with employers. These qualifications allow the law firm or corporate legal department to add bench strength and potentially expand their client roster."

"For job seekers early in their careers, it's a common catch-22 situation that they need experience to land a new position and a position to gain experience," Volkert said. He offered the following tips for acquiring additional expertise while conducting a job search:

• Consider contracting. Projects related to document review and trial preparation offer a means to gain valuable skills and knowledge of various legal employers.
• Take on part-time or temporary work. These short-term assignments can help candidates build skills and strengthen resumes, and could also lead to a full-time job.
• Look at legal internships and pro bono projects. Paid internships with law firms and corporations, and volunteer positions with nonprofit or public interest organizations, while typically unpaid, provide an opportunity to take on substantive legal work.

About Robert Half Legal

Robert Half Legal is the legal staffing division of Robert Half International. The company provides law firms and corporate legal departments with highly skilled professionals, including lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel, on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Legal offers online job search services at www.roberthalflegal.com.

SOURCE Robert Half Legal