We all start the New Year with good intentions and plans for success. As the year progresses we may find that our best intentions have gone awry and we’re still carrying the ‘weight’ of the past, recent or long term. This is a good time to give yourself a talking to, and get on with your plans for the future.

According to a 1999 survey of partners conducted by The American Lawyer, when asked what they like least about the practice of law, the number one response, noted by 36% of these participating partners, was "Competing for new clients."

And if you were to ask most people what they dislike most about changing some aspect of their career they would probably say, "Competing for a new job". But the beginning of the new year is a time when people take stock, makes plans, and think about how they are going to get new work in 2003.

Small and steady steps win the race

If you are a member of the groups mentioned above who thinks there is nothing worse than getting on the marketing trail or joining the hiring race, remember that you don’t have to do everything, and you don’t have to do it all at once. Make a decision to do just a few things and do them well, and you will find that your opportunities will grow.

Conduct a personal audit of your clients

Take some time to audit your files. Who were your best clients in 2002, and what made them your best? At the other end of the spectrum, who were the clients whose work you would prefer not to be doing in this new year? And who fits in to the big middle section?

As you survey your best client group, you want to think about how these clients were generated, the return on your time investment, and how you might possibly use this group of clients to generate either more business from them, or how they might lead you in the direction of similar good work.

When you look at the group of clients who you would have preferred not to handle, what can you do to prevent getting into similar situations in the upcoming year? If you have uncollected revenue from these clients spend the time necessary to collect the funds, cut the client loose and move on. (making sure you’re within ethical guidelines) But if you fail to determine root causes for why you have non-paying or difficult clients, you are likely to repeat the pattern in the upcoming year.

Looking at the middle group – what would it take to move these clients into your upper group? Have you handled their work in a way that has been satisfying to both parties? Is there something you might be able to do to offer better or broader services to this client group?

If you are unsure about how your clients view your services, the beginning of the year can be a good time to send out a client survey. This does not need to be a complex form, but any time you contact a client and tell them you are looking to improve your services and want their opinion, you are fostering what could be a much better relationship this year. If you audit all your client files, and distribute a client opinion survey, you may have done a great deal to improve your business in 2003 without having left your office.

Get out more

Make a pledge to yourself that you will be more visible this year to clients and to others who can assist your business. I know one lawyer who makes a lunch date every day. Although this is a time consuming process, he is well schooled on what is happening in the legal community, and he has a lot of contact with his clients. He is perceived as a service-oriented attorney and knowledgeable about the legal community.

If you are desk bound every day, make a plan on Friday mornings to set up at least one lunch date (or coffee meeting) for the following week. You will probably also find that you are more productive by getting some energy from the external world and ideas from your counterparts and clients. Make sure to think in advance about goals that you might have for these meetings.

Your vendors might be referral sources. Treat them like clients.

The people who provide services to your firm may be potential clients and sources of referral. These include financial services professionals, office materials providers, and others who provide services to your firm. Returning their phone calls and treating them well can have a big impact on your reputation. Everyone talks within industry circles, and having a good reputation with vendors gets your name into the community in a positive way. When people know that a company provides services to law firms, they will often ask questions about the firms they serve. This is your opportunity to shine.

Perhaps your goal in 2003 is not to find new clients, but rather to get a different job. Here are a few thoughts about how you might present yourself in the job market this year to your personal advantage.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. If you are looking for a new job, you can well imagine that one misspelling could likely be the end of your application. Yet week after week employers receive resumes and cover letters with misspellings and failure to sign letters. If you have a friend, roommate or spouse, ask them to read your documents. We all are guilty of ‘self correcting’ our own materials, but others can help you catch costly errors.

Type your envelopes. If you have a printer for your letters, surely it is capable of printing envelopes. If you don’t know how to use your printer, it’s worth it to learn, Your document will look much better at first glance. The same thing is also true for your printed letter and resume. Employers frequently receive resumes and letters that have been folded before an ink jet printer copy is dry. Once folded the letter is smeared on the back and sometimes the front as well. It is certainly not the candidate’s intention, but still the unfortunate result of not waiting an extra minute for the ink to dry.

White or off-white paper. These are your only acceptable choices. Many people want to use light gray, but they forget that their resume may be copied for other members of the hiring committee and they will find that their gray paper copies "dirty".

If the application says, "send letter, resume, and references to, " make sure that you send everything asked for. If you fail to follow instructions before you have secured an interview, most employers may believe you would be unlikely to follow instructions once you’re on the job. Candidates will also ask if they can e-mail or fax resumes. A faxed resume looks inferior when compared to one that is laser printed on bond paper. E-mailing resumes requires a potential employer to download an attachment from a person they do not know. With the proliferation of computer viruses, no one is interested in opening an attachment from a stranger. In addition, you’re asking the person to take the time to open, download and print your attachment. Once again, make sure you’re following the employer’s instructions. Some employers may have a very sophisticated system for handling applications and would like electronic documents. If they do, they will say so.

Take the time to send the resume to the proper person. Sometimes employers do not list the contact person, but a phone call to the receptionist is all that is necessary to get the right contact. If the person’s name is available, use it. If you are forced to send a ‘dear occupant’ letter, send it in a gender neutral way. You can use "hiring attorney", or "hiring committee", or even sir or madam. If a third party is handling the application, do not try and circumvent the process by going directly to the employer, unless you know someone highly placed inside the organization. This will fall into the category of "doesn’t follow instructions". Usually an outsider has been asked to handle the process because the person inside the organization was too busy, or their time too valuable to be spent on the early phases of the process.

Please don’t call to ask if your application has been received. Although I was once a proponent of checking to guarantee that the U.S. Mail is working, I now see it as an intrusion on an already busy party. If you’re truly fearful about mail delivery, you can send your application registered mail. But in reality, it is usually a ploy to get the interviewer on the phone and ask questions or make your pitch.

If you call an employer, don’t ask questions you should know the answers to. Calling the hiring person to learn things about the employer that are easily accessible on the web site indicates that you haven’t done your homework. Once again, you may have put yourself in a less than attractive category before you have had a chance to step in the door.

Don’t apply for a position based upon self-interest

Although you may be applying for a job because of what the organization has to offer you, the employer is interested in how you will fulfill their hiring needs. Your letter and subsequent interview should be directed toward how you can be an asset to the employer, not how their opportunity will help meet your career needs.

If you’re looking for work know that employers are looking for in candidates what they are looking for in employees; good writing skills, attention to detail, and a demonstrated commitment to the employer’s goals. In order to increase your chances of becoming an employee, it’s best to act like one in the application process.

If you’re trying to retain and generate new clients, know that they are looking for thorough and professional attorneys interested in their feedback. Take time the beginning of this year to make a plan. You’ll be glad you did.

Wendy Werner is the owner and principal of Werner Associates, a law firm consulting and career coaching organization. She also coaches lawyers on marketing issues, writes job descriptions, screens resumes and interviews candidates on behalf of law firms and corporations. She can be reached at WernerWL@yahoo.com