The legal industry has been hit, without a doubt, worse than it ever has before.  With rising law school tuition debts, law school graduates and experienced attorneys alike are faced with a new type of struggle.  Finding a job is not easy- but it can be done.  Here are Lawmatch’s Top Six SearchTips.

Get Your Name Out There

You have old law school professors, internship connections, and even that attorney who you worked for in your first year of law school doing paperwork… Why not contact them?  Send them a copy of your resume, and let them know you’re on the job hunt- and would appreciate them keeping you in mind if they hear of any openings.  Old connections can be a great way to find a new job.

Be SOCIAL

We’ve said it before, but if you’re a tweeting, unemployed lawyer who is actively involved with the legal community on Twitter, you’re going to make some great connections. Take a look at Lawmatch’s network of Twitter followers and see the great information we share with them, and the connections we’ve made.  And don’t be afraid to jump into the conversation- they are a great group.

Sign With A Legal Recruiter

Legal Recruiters are there to help law firms recruit top candidates. In this market, you may be faced with a lot of competition.  A legal recruiter can help you identify what your strengths and weaknesses are and how to improve and build upon them.  Take a look at our National Directory of Legal Recruiters feature (lower left homepage) to locate of recruiters and/or staffing companies in your area.

Link Up

LinkedIn is a great way to form new connections and even re-connect with old colleagues and employers.  Find groups on LinkedIn that may connect you with law firms you may be interested in working with.  Don’t forget to join Lawmatch’s Legal Job Search Network on LinkedIn!

Volunteer

Volunteering can be a great way to build your resume and make new connections.  Offering a non-profit some pro-bono legal work can be an amazing addition to your resume.  Consider putting the word out that you’re looking for the right non profit to offer some of your free time to, and you’d be surprised how many people may come calling.  This could snowball into a permanent job or attention from the right places and could land you a job interview.

Create Your Attorney Job Seeker Account

If you haven’t already, you should create your free attorney job search account on Lawmatch.  Top law firms and legal recruiters post jobs on Lawmatch looking for qualified candidates. Their hiring managers often browse through the list of candidates on our site to single out those that may be the most favorable. They won’t find you if you’re not there!

Stay on top of the latest news in the legal employment industry by following Lawmatch on Twitter and joining our Facebook community.  Be sure to check back on Lawmatch for attorney jobs– they’re updated daily!