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.
Rejection is an integral part of any job search process, so every job seeker must be prepared. The following are a dozen ways to deal with rejection: 1. Understand that the vast majority of employment inquiries—whether you are looking for a position as a senior partner or a junior associate—end in rejection. Remember that,…
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Making a geographical move along with your career move takes some planning and preparation. Candidates considering relocation, either within California or between states, should: clarify personal and professional reasons for moving to a particular geographical area; determine marketability in the target locale; if moving out of state, check into the Bar admission requirements; consider the…
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America’s workforce is aging. According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, by 2019, more than 40% of Americans aged 55 and older will be employed, comprising over a quarter of the U.S. labor force. Several demographic and cultural changes contributed to this situation. First is the sheer number of “Baby Boomers” in the workforce,…
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“You’re fired!” No one wants to hear those words, or anything to their effect, whether prompted by economic realities or performance issues. Being fired or laid-off is a career setback, but need not be a career-ender. Although prospective employers generally favor candidates who currently are employed, being terminated has been losing its stigma as excellent…
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