Job Search Etiquette: Communication
September 30, 2026Are You Moving Too Often? The Hidden Cost of Job Hopping for Attorneys
October 13, 2026If your goal is to start a new job in Q1 2027, you don’t need to wait until January to begin your job search.
In fact, October is a great time to start laying the groundwork. Here are three things I’d do right now:
1. Update Your Resume
Start with the obvious: make sure your resume is current.
While you’re at it, update your deal sheet or representative matters sheet, if you use one. Think through what you’ve accomplished in 2026 and make a list of anything worth adding to your resume or LinkedIn profile.
That might include:
- Significant matters, deals, or cases
- Awards or other professional recognition
- New leadership responsibilities
- Internal firm committees
- Bar association or other professional involvement
- Civic or community roles
Even if you ultimately decide not to make a move, this is a good exercise to do at the end of every year while the details are still fresh.
And, if your resume needs more than a quick update, I have some resources that can help.
2. Start Exploring Now — Not in January
A candidate recently told me:
“Given where we are now in the year, I am thinking that I start my job search early next year to make sure I collect my bonus at my current firm that pays out at the end of December.”
My response: Don’t wait.
If your goal is to collect your year-end bonus and start a new job in Q1, you may actually be in a very good position to begin exploring now.
We’re in October. A typical interview process can easily take four to six weeks—and, sometimes longer. By the time you have initial interviews, callbacks, scheduling delays, conflicts checks, and an offer, it could be late November or December.
Once you get that late in the year, firms are generally accustomed to discussing Q1 start dates. Holidays, year-end responsibilities, bonuses, and notice periods all factor into the timing.
The bottom line: starting a job search in October does not mean you have to start a new job in 2026.
Waiting until January to begin the process could mean you don’t actually start your next position until well into Q1—or even Q2.
3. Network—with a Specific Goal
“Network more” is easy advice to give and easy advice to ignore.
Instead, give yourself a specific Q4 goal.
For example, if you’re interested in going in-house, identify 10 attorneys who previously practiced at your firm and are now working in-house. Reach out and invite them to coffee.
If you’re thinking about changing practice areas or moving into a JD-adjacent role, identify 10 people who have already made the type of transition you’re considering. Reach out to them and try to schedule conversations over the course of the quarter.
You don’t need to ask anyone for a job. You’re gathering information, building relationships, and learning how other attorneys made the transition you’re considering.
And, 10 people over an entire quarter is manageable.
If you need help brainstorming who you should be networking with based on the move you’re considering, feel free to reach out to me. I’m always happy to brainstorm, and I’m sure many other recruiters would be as well.
If Q1 Is Your Goal, Q4 Is the Time to Start
You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. You don’t even need to be certain that you’re leaving.
But, if there’s a reasonable chance you’d like to be somewhere new in Q1 2027, use the next few months wisely: update your materials, start exploring opportunities, and reconnect with your network.
January will be here before you know it.
