Recruiting the Hard-to-Find Legal Candidate

You’ve been given what seems like an impossible task—finding a “purple squirrel”—now what?

Does hiring seem impossible sometimes?  When you are looking to fill a role with someone who has a very specific skill set, education, training, amount of experience, and interpersonal skills, it can sometimes feel like you are looking for a mythical creature. These very targeted searches mean that the pool of talent is very limited and have thus been dubbed “purple squirrel” searches. Alternatively, I refer to finding that perfect candidate as finding a “unicorn” or a “yellow-speckled dodo bird.”

When tasked with finding candidates who have the very specific education, credentials, qualifications, and combination of experiences that perfectly align with the requirements of an open role, it’s easy to become quickly frustrated because they are so hard to find. But these purple-squirrel candidates are often critical to the function of the business—so the longer it takes to fill these roles, the higher the cost to the business.

That's why it makes sense to hire an experienced purple squirrel hunter: us! At Carrington Legal Search, we have a long track record of finding and attracting these hard-to-find candidates—and quickly. By partnering with us, you go from feeling frustrated to looking like a superstar.

Here is one example: When tasked with finding a diverse slate of candidates with a background in asbestos litigation, management experience, and top education and academics for a position in Wausau, Wisconsin, we were able to provide a slate of candidates within three weeks! That included traveling to interview candidates in person to see if they were a cultural fit before submitting the slate to the client.

Why partnering is important

We get it. You are facing internal demands to move the business forward and fill other roles. It's easy to get stuck when filling these purple-squirrel roles. They can be a huge time suck, the business becomes frustrated, the finger-pointing starts, and morale suffers.

The good news is that we can help educate your internal clients on how finite the pool of candidates is and why this position has been hard to fill. Then, we act as your personal SWAT team to quickly identify, interview and present a slate of qualified candidates. There is regular communication throughout so everyone is in the loop and you can get back to your other pressing matters, confident that a fantastic hire is on the horizon.

By working with us, you can reduce the time-to-hire and the corresponding cost to the business. You also have access to our years of expertise and nationwide network, which increases the likelihood of finding that perfect match.

Avoiding partnering with a legal search consultant for purple-squirrel searches can often be penny-wise, but pound foolish. According to the Harvard Business Review, poor hiring choices can lead to turnover rates of up to 80%, and the cost of a bad hire can mean the equivalent of at least 30% of a lawyer’s first year of earnings.

We are experts in our field and can help you assess your company’s needs, define the role, and find the very best candidates for the job. We know what to look for when it comes to filling a highly specialized role.

Legal search consultants provide access to top-tier and passive candidates

This is a benefit that traditional recruitment methods just can’t offer, and it is quite possibly the most important reason that we are so effective at finding purple squirrels. As search consultants, we are tasked with fully understanding the role, the company culture, the organization’s unique value proposition, and so much more.

With that understanding, we use our network of highly-qualified candidates and reputable industry leaders to head-hunt for top-tier candidates which—and this is crucial—also includes passive candidates who aren’t actively searching out and applying for positions.

Legal search consultants are fully dedicated to finding top talent using a plethora of strategies and tools to uncover the best candidates for every open position. Adding our services to the mix enables you to find the best candidates who match your organization’s culture and immediate needs—including filling those highly specialized roles that demand the perfect fit.

Carrington Legal Search is an executive legal search consultancy that has twenty years of experience finding the perfect match for our clients.. To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.