Job News Not All Bad: Positions Open in Key Areas, US Loosens Hiring Process
The news isn’t all bad for legal job seekers, especially those with experience in a few key areas.
In an article posted at the Law Marketing Portal, legal career consultant Kate Neville says the legal job market is picking up in employment law, health care, technology transactional work, and compliance.
A Harvard Law School graduate, Neville warns that “applying for a federal government job can make you want to bang your head against a wall.” Competition for government jobs is even tougher in the recession; both the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission report they have received hundreds of resumés for a single attorney posting, she says.
But Neville says there is some good news: The Obama administration recently announced changes taking effect in November that are designed to ease the hiring process. At that time, federal agencies will accept private sector resumés and cover letters rather than the once-required lengthy applications with essays. And hiring managers will be forwarded resumés based on a “category ranking” system that includes more than just the top three candidates.
Neville also lists career options outside the law, including policy positions in government or advocacy organizations, researchers in think tanks, financial analysts, social workers, nonprofit managers, university administrators, teachers and editors.
Hat tip to the Larry Bodine LawMarketing Blog.
