Valerie A. Fontaine earned her JD from UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) and her BA, Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude, from UCLA. She was on the Editorial Board of COMM/ENT, a Journal of Communications and Entertainment Law. Valerie practiced law with a prominent Los Angeles law firm and entered the legal search profession in 1981. Valerie is past Secretary to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants (NALSC) and former Chair of its Newsletter Committee. She currently serves as a consultant to NALSC headquarters.
A contingency search firm gets paid only if its candidate accepts the position and stays there for a guaranteed period. Consequently, it’s in the search consultant’s best interests to ensure there’s a good fit for both their employer client and you, the candidate. To increase the likelihood of a successful placement and maximize the fee,…
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Scenario #1: You decide to explore the legal marketplace and want a headhunter’s help. But, you’ve heard that it’s better if the recruiter calls you rather than the other way around. Scenario #2: Your colleague was happily working away when, out of the blue, she got a call from a search firm and just landed…
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There are do’s and don’ts for emailing your resume to a recruiter or potential employer: First of all, your resume must be error free and easy to read. Use a large, businesslike font with plenty of white space. Proofread your resume, paying special attention to names, dates, and phone numbers. Do this at least twice…
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Making a career move can be a daunting task, but you don’t have to go it alone. There are a variety of professionals to assist you. Understanding who is who, and what each can and can’t do for you, allows you to maximize their services. Regardless of whether you engage one or more of these…
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