Legal Research

"Tips for Effective Law Firm Hiring"

Posted by Allison Shields: "This is the final post in my series on tips from the "Get a Life" conference, sponsored by the Total Practice Management Association - this time on hiring.

Tim Ryan from Total PMA gave one of the most engaging and effective presentations from the conference, on a topic that directly affects both the bottom line and the quality of life at law firms - hiring. Payroll is usually a firm's biggest expense, and poor hiring decisions impact morale, productivity, client relations - and just about everything else in the firm.

Many lawyers lament that it's hard to find good people. What kind of staff do you have? If they left, would you be in trouble, or would you breathe a sigh of relief?

Ryan made a great point during his presentation about the reason why many law firms are not successful when it comes to hiring: they hire using a job description, rather than a people description. Ryan recommended taking a look at your best employees (the ones he calls your 'rock star' employees). Identify the behavior, thinking and attitudes that make them great. Use that information to create a blueprint for future hires.

How prepared are you when interviewing staff for a position? Are you reviewing the resume five minutes before the candidate arrives? If you are, you need to re-think your hiring process.

Here are some of Ryan's general tips about hiring:

[For his tips please go to the source site listed below]

Ryan also reminds us that in addition to hiring the right people, sometimes you have to fire the wrong people. If you continue to allow 'bad' employees to remain, what does it say to the people who matter - your "rock stars"?

Hire slowly, fire quickly. But fire people in a way that allows them to keep their dignity."

Full text and active links are available at the source site listed below.

Full post as published by Stark County Law Library Blawg on June 19, 2009 (boomark / email).