Etiquette In Responding To Agency E-Mails and Calls
I’ve been hearing quite a few gripes from other fellow contract attorneys about legal staffing agencies that rarely respond to or reply to phone calls and e-mails. I’ve had the same experience with a few agencies so I know how they feel.
Particularly when you are between projects and you’re trying to get aboard another assignment, it’s easy to become frustrated when the agencies give you no love. Some agencies are worse than others but I won’t name any names for now, but I’m sure we’ve all compiled our own lists of agencies with bad “customer service”.
But I will give credit where credit’s due. In my opinion, Update Legal has always had an excellent track record when it comes to contract attorney attention. Tom the Temp up in New York City seems to dislike their New York operation but I personally have no problem with how Update Legal runs their D.C. office. They’ve always returned my emails and phone calls, even when they didn’t have any assignments to offer me. I think it’s excellent form the way they are so prompt in getting back to their contract attorneys who are often deservedly anxious about finding employment.
I Try To Return the Good Favor
Of course, in return I always try to reply back to the good agencies whenever they e-mail me to check if I’m available for a project. Even if I’m already on an assignment, I think it’s common courtesy to write back to let them know my current status. In this business, maintaining good relationships is important. I know some people will say the agencies don’t care about their contract attorneys and that it’s all abut the money. In many ways it is always about the bottom line, but remember, many of the staffing agency recruiters used to be contract attorneys themselves. They’ve been through the contract attorney system. If you treat them with courtesy and professionalism, they are likely to return the favor.
There are a few agencies that will ignore you regardless if they are not currently staffing anything, so as always, individual experience will vary from person to personality.
September 29th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I share your strongly positive view of Update DC. I have had a lot less satisfaction out of Compliance, where returning a phone call or email seems to be against company policy.
I don’t typically respond to Hudson because they seem so swamped, I gather that they’d rather not hear from me at all.
September 29th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
I always like to think of myself as an account executive, with the agencies and firms as my customers. This starts with wearing a tie to the staffing agency interview and sending a follow up note, as I would do with any other employer.
October 27th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Update Legal in DC is probably one of the best legal agencies in the city and their quality of response is second to none. I thought I would never write that about one of these agencies, but I do enjoy the people there. No one has ever lied to me there about length of project, perks or anything else.
Compliance is at the bottom of the heap. Caveat emptor to the max with that place and the people associated with it!