Novalawcity

Managing your reputation

Eweek Careers reports that 83% of recruiters now use Google to research prospective employees, up 9 points from two years ago.  Even more striking is that the number who report having eliminated a candidate based on web search results has risen from 25% to 43%. 

The article goes on to explain ways you can use the rules of Google's page rank system to improve the quality of results that your name generates.  One that can be implemented in a number of ways is to be proactive, creating positive pages and links that will show up high, pushing less desirable results lower.  If you use Facebook and MySpace for personal contacts and keep your profiles private, sign up and configure a public profile at professional networking site LinkedIn.com, which has a high page rank.  Get out there and comment intelligently on websites and blogs in your field using your name with a link to your own website, blog, or your LinkedIn profile. 

For more about the pitfalls of social networking with links to additional tips for cleaning up and managing your web reputation, see this Novalawcity post.

Hat tip: FSU College of Law Research Center Blog

Social networking sites as litigation tools

From our director Lisa Smith-Butler comes this article from Law.com, Finding Treasures for Cases on Facebook.

At Malbrough & Lirette in Houma, La., a secretary browses MySpace and Facebook Web sites each day.

She's not checking the online social networking sites for personal reasons, but is performing one of her job duties.

. . . .

In one case, Malbrough said she helped secure shared custody for the father after finding his wife had posted sexually explicit comments on her boyfriend's MySpace page. In another case, a husband's credibility was questioned because, on his MySpace page, he said he was single and looking.

. . . .

Steve Balash of Santa Barbara's Balash & Haaland-Ford said that Jessica Binkerd was sentenced in January to five years and four months in prison after she drove under the influence of alcohol and got into a crash in which her passenger was killed.

Balash said he expected Binkerd to get probation, but she received a prison sentence in large part because her MySpace page showed her wearing an outfit with shot glasses and an alcohol advertisement after the accident.

"That's all the judge talked about," said Balash, adding the outfit was a part of a Halloween costume and his client had not been drinking at the time. "He never got past that. He said she learned no lesson and showed no remorse."

Future lawyers should also be careful about what they post on their social networking profiles.  Here are some resources with tips about limiting public availability of your social networking profiles:

• Common Sense Facebook Advice for Students
• How to clean up your digital dirt
• How to use Facebook without losing your job over it
• MySpace, Facebook, and Job Searching

                                        

Landing the job blog

For advice about applying for jobs and the interview process, take a look at Landing the job blog.  The author of the blog has recently published a book about the same (Landing the Internship or Full-Time Job).  Recent posts on the blog include tips on proper job interview etiquette and resume style.  This reference came from Workplace Prof Blog.

High demand for patent attorneys

Patent attorney positions are among the top five careers in demand according to this story on CNN Money: 5 careers: big demand, big pay.  It helps if that attorney has "an advanced degree in electrical and mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, biotechnology, pharmacology or computer science."  The pay scale in a large law firm for a patent attorney may be as high as $125,000 to $135,000.

Job search tool

Indeed.com is a new search engine for those seeking employment opportunities.  The service indexes job postings from over 500 sources including job web sites, newspapers, associations, and company career listings.  Searches can be narrowed down by location.  The site also features a blog called Blog Indeed.

Simple rules for success

How do you achieve success right from the start of your career? "A Three-Part Plan to Launch a Stellar Career" from the National Law Journal talks about the most important points to consider with your first law firm job. They are:

Do a great job on any project that's assigned to you;

credential yourself, and;

build leadership skills.

Recruiting cutbacks

Law firms are cutting costs and re-thinking the annual on-campus interview process. "Downsizing On-Campus Interviews," from LawFirmInc.com describes the altering landscape.

Networking your career

Conventions, conferences, and business meetings can serve up many opportunities to make new business contacts. "Making the most of conventions," is a short article that offers the right kind of advice to make the most of each meeting.