Getting hired is always daunting. Securing a meaningful position during the COVID-19 crisis has proven particularly challenging for many young lawyers. Yet it shocks me to see that so many junior attorneys seeking new positions make pretty basic mistakes that hurt their chances, and fail to use strategies that would improve their odds.

In the past several months, we have hired two exceptional associates for our firm. How they rose to the top of the applicant pool is a testament not only to their abilities and perseverance, but to their understanding of just how the hiring landscape has changed. We share these insights for folks still in the job search, not only to be helpful, but hopefully because it will make our next hiring process—and other employers' process—easier and more productive.

Network, network, network. Yes, we post job openings on LinkedIn and we use recruiters. We expect lots of resumes to come streaming in, and all get at least a quick review. But the very best way for someone to rise to the top of the consideration pile is through a personal referral. It doesn't take a great deal of technical savvy to use LinkedIn's "connections" tools to figure out whom a candidate knows—once or twice removed—from someone at our firm. It's the Kevin Bacon game, but for networking. And a quick email from that person saying that you're a great candidate makes all the difference in the world. Yet very few job applicants make the effort to make that connection.