The Power Suit Project’s Career Q&A Panel

This week, Cristina León, a Managing Director of Permanent Attorney Hiring, had the pleasure of sitting on The Power Suit Project’s (PSP) First Annual Career Q&A Panel. Topics for discussion included general advice on job searches, negotiating salaries, and how to effectively work with a recruiter. PSP is a non-profit, professional women’s education networking group that provides structured opportunities for its members to make meaningful connections with fellow professional women in Atlanta. Cristina offered advice on the importance of selecting a particular recruiter versus working with several at a time. She also mentioned the importance of working with a recruiter that is well-established in the city/market where candidates are exploring job opportunities and the importance of reviewing the recruiter’s online company profile, LinkedIn recommendations and network. Most of the questions from the audience involved resumes and how to stand out among other candidates. The panel mentioned that a resume is not a one size fits all and that candidates’ resumes should be tailored for the specific roles as well as always reviewing a resume for typos, listing months and years for each position held, and making sure the resume matches up with the candidate’s online LinkedIn profile. Another topic of interest involved whether a recruiter or a candidate should negotiate the salary at offer stage. Cristina strongly urged the women in attendance to learn how to advocate for themselves but did recommend asking for a recruiter’s guidance on what is a reasonable request. Cristina offered a story of how one of her candidates, a junior associate was uncomfortable asking for the higher salary and she asked Cristina to request it on her behalf. Cristina did so but the employer looking to mentor its future employee went back to the candidate and advised that the request is always better received if it comes directly from the candidate as the employer has developed a relationship with the candidate at that point in the process and she is in the best position to drive the salary discussions.