Becky Says...

March 2005

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It's Good - March 23

Sometimes you have a chance to do something that really makes you feel good, and today I did. This is a lesson in the powers of a good cover letter and networking, by the way.

The backstory: nearly two years ago, when everybody but TC knew she was on her way out of the receptionist/billing job at the law firm, I, in my capacity as mail-opener, got a letter from a Carolina student (who will be known here as Ann) who wanted a summer job in a local law firm. These letters are not rare things to get. And of course they all serve as covers for resumes.

But on reading the one from Ann, who was seeking more experience in a law firm to augment some she already had and was planning to go to law school herself, I was impressed. Enough so that I spoke with Wendy about it and we agreed I should call her and arrange a meeting. I was upfront about our situation with Ann. I told her that we were looking to replace someone who hadn't yet left the job, and were interested in someone who could work beyond summer. And for the record, this was long before we heard of Kathy; the two were never in competition for the job.

The three of us gathered for lunch, and Wendy and I were both impressed. We gave her some tough questions and got some good answers. The only drawbacks to hiring her were that TC was still with us (and we owed her the promised time to get her act together) and that Ann's academic schedule for the fall semester was going to make it hard for her to meet our needs.

Our lunch gathering was a good time, and I definitely knew that Ann would be an asset to a law firm after meeting with her. In the next few days, it became obvious that the time frame was not going to work out for Ann to come work with us, so I wrote her and told her that she should take us out of consideration for the present.

Fast forward to this week. For no apparent reason, I had thought of Ann on Monday, and wondered how she was doing. Today I found out. She's finishing her first year of law school, and is again seeking summer employment. We didn't have an opening she could fill, but my first thought was to get in touch with Wendy's friend DJ.

DJ is a paralegal who because of the specific nature of her work knows much about many of the area law firms. She's usually a good source of information about job openings, so when she called the office for another reason entirely this afternoon, I told her a little about Ann and asked if she knew of any firms who could use the help. And she did. DJ had heard of an opening just this week, and had promised to pass the word.

She gave me the firm's name, and as it happens the senior partner of that firm is someone for whom I had done some freelance billing work a few years back when he needed some extra help. I like him, and would have no hesitation recommending that Ann get in touch with him. DJ then asked to speak with the person she had originally been calling, and after transferring her call, I called Ann.

It was really nice to get to talk with Ann again, and to have news to pass on to her. I asked her to let me know how it turns out, and I hope to hear from her soon.

And why this makes me feel good is that I got to play a part in a network. I got to help DJ spread the word she had promised to spread, and I got to introduce good people to each other, at least indirectly, with hope that it will be for their mutual benefit. Yes, I know. It's the business version of matchmaking.

Text © copyright 2000-2005 Becky