Commentary: To make the right hire, use an employment agency

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Apr 11, 2007 by Edward Poll

We've emphasized before that even the smallest practices benefit from hiring the right administrative help to free attorneys' time for practicing law and winning new clients.

However, the hiring process is complex and time consuming. That's why it makes sense for most small and mid-sized law firms to use employment agencies when filling staff positions.

Lawyers consider themselves great judges of character, but the hiring process requires far more specialized resources to be done effectively. Employment agencies have the knowledge and skills for interviewing and performing psychological evaluations, along with knowledge of the employment discrimination law, to effectively handle the recruiting, evaluation and hiring process.

They also have the time and investigative skills to verify a potential hire's credentials and experience - a vital task that's increasingly difficult to do because of privacy laws.

Employment agencies can also tap a wider pool of potential candidates. Agencies spend a considerable amount of advertising money to recruit competent candidates through newspaper advertisements, telephone directories and Web sites, and at trade shows, conferences and job fairs.

A lawyer may choose one or more agencies to represent the firm. However, selecting an agency requires following some basic guidelines.

First of all, be clear on the kind of position being filled (clerical, paralegal, technical) and look for an agency that specializes in that area. Ask for the agency's detailed rate sheet, printed information in addition to a Web site, current law firm or lawyer clients as references, samples of the agency's entrance testing, and requirements for employment.

Once the parameters are set and the agency begins interviewing, a lawyer should make the final hiring decision. That includes evaluation of the agency's hiring standards and background investigations of any specialized legal capabilities for the candidate. Most importantly, the lawyer should have a face-to-face interview with every recommended candidate in order to assess whether the person will be a good cultural fit for the firm.

Employment agencies typically charge 25 to 40 percent of the new hire's first-year pay as the fee. A properly chosen agency is worth this fee, because it pays for the best contacts, the best screening processes and the best knowledge of employment law to ensure the hiring process is properly done.

That's important, because the termination costs just for an unsuccessful entry-level new hire can equate to 30 to 50 percent of annual salary when the expenses of recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training and reduced productivity are considered. Some studies place this number considerably higher.

Good people are too valuable as assets for anything but a professional hiring process.