New York Lawyer
July 31, 2001

Q:
I know that I want to work for a particular federal government agency, because I am interested in the regulatory issues they handle. I've researched the agency through newspapers, magazines and the Internet, but have been unable to find a clear description of how it is organized -- which departments employ lawyers, how many are in each department, and how the regulatory issues are divided among them.

I think I need to call a lawyer at the agency to find out the details. This will be a "cold call," since I don't personally know anyone who works there, and neither does anyone else that I know.

Should I send them a letter and my resume first, or just call out of the blue? Can you suggest a "script" for what I should say when I make that call?

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A:
For years, a company called Federal Reports Inc. has published both a monthly listing of job openings in and around government (federal and state) and a book called Federal Law-Related Careers, which describes positions where legal training is either a pre-requisite or highly desired.

The book was last published in 1994, and can be purchased for $24.95 by calling Federal Reports at 202-393-3312. Like most help wanted advertising, the monthly job listing has migrated online to attorneyjobsonline.com, and is now updated daily. There is a subscription fee: rates range from $15 for a month to $75 for six months. This is where I�d start to get a feel for the general topography of the agency in which you�re interested.

When it comes to getting the real story, there is nothing like a mole. After you�ve obtained all the formal verbiage that describes your target agencies, its roles, functions and issues, it�s time to get some �real-time� information from living human beings. See if you can get your hands on a directory listing of the department or unit that most intrigues you, and pick out the name of a staff attorney at random (I do not recommend that you choose the head of the unit, division or agency for this first cold call). If you can�t access a current directory, don�t despair. Just call the main number and say, �I wonder if you could connect me with one of the staff attorneys in the _________unit.� If the receptionist asks what the call is about, simply say that you�re conducting a research project and would like to get �a little background information� from an attorney who�s �an expert in this area.� If calling the main number gets you a recording that asks you to enter the desired party�s extension, either punch ��0� to get to the operator, or punch in some random numbers until the directory spits out someone�s last name.

When a living human being answers, say something like:

�Hi. I wonder if I could get a little informal help. I�m very interested in exploring employment in the _____________, but before I jump into some formal selection or recruiting process, I wanted to get as good a feel as I could for what attorneys in the _________ unit do on a day-to-day basis, what kinds of backgrounds or credentials are looked at most favorably, and, overall, what life is like in the kind of job you hold. If you had a minute or so to give me a fly-over at 30,000 feet, I�d be very grateful. If this is a real imposition, I understand � I don�t want to make a pest of myself. Is there someone else who might be a good person to give me a realistic perspective on careers and employment in the ____________?�

DO NOT �send them a letter and a resume first.� All agencies have a formal recruiting and selection process, and anything with a resume attached to it triggers an institutional response -- frequently in the form of the letter that says, �Although your credentials are indeed impressive . . . � Unless we�re talking about jobs at the senior policy-making level, it is relatively hard to nail down a job through a contact or friend � that is, bypass all the administrative steps and pass Go directly.

However, a �nomination� of a �highly qualified and motivated� candidate by an agency staff member can help you bypass the pile of 200 other people who appear similarly-credentialed. So keep your inquiry process as informal as you can for as long as you can. You�ll be surprised at how receptive many people are to being asked about themselves and what they do. If the first lawyer you contact shifts you to a second, treat that as a good thing, not a bad one � the more people you can get acquainted with, the better. If someone warms to you, offer to buy �em a beer or a burger and see if you can muster a face-to-face contact (solid gold). Keep your conversations friendly and low-key. Don't ask directly for big favors: �Would you sponsor me for employment in your unit?"� Ask veiled process questions: "What would be the best way for someone really interested in ___________ to explore employment with the agency.�

If all goes well, at some point you will be dumped into the �official selection process,� but by that time you may have acquired a couple of confidants, moles or even sponsors. Equally important, you will have acquired anecdotal information about the agency�s real needs and priorities � and can target your interview responses accordingly.

Sincerely,
Douglas B. Richardson
President, The Richardson Group