Demand for talent acquisition and recruiting have skyrocketed within the legal industry. As the economic effects of COVID-19 are finally beginning to fade, falling unemployment rates project that the job market is on its way back to pre-pandemic levels.
Economic strain has forced businesses to reallocate capital and companies that would normally utilize internal hiring managers have turned to external search firms and staffing agencies to fill open positions. Firms are scrambling to find attorneys and support staff that need little training, but qualified candidates have been few and far between.
“We’ve been experiencing a high number of applicants with poor communication skills and slow response time, which makes it much more difficult to fill positions in timely manner.” says Sean Macari, CEO of Valiant Search, an executive search firm that focuses solely on legal placement.
The hiring process has been streamlined with the use of virtual meetings and interviews, and as competition for quality candidates continues, recruiters are speeding up the timeline to place candidates before they accept positions on their own.
In 2022, talent acquisition is a much more demanding industry and for firms looking to keep up with market trends, more resources must be allocated to recruitment efforts. Candidates are aware of the current hiring market and have become pickier about their wants and needs. Carly Jordan, a Recruiting Specialist with Valiant Search says, “Quality candidates have become more expensive.”
