Kate Harry is a senior recruiting manager with J. Johnson Executive Search Inc. (JJES) and is based in Chicago. She joined the company — and moved to the Unites States — in 2013. Previously, Kate was a search and recruitment specialist with JJES partner firm Seldon Gill Consulting (now Seldon Rosser) in Melbourne, Australia, which she joined in 2011. Before that, she was a Melbourne-based lawyer focusing on commercial dispute resolution and litigation at a large, national commercial law firm. Kate holds Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Monash University in Melbourne. She was recently elected a member-at-large on the Legal Marketing Association Midwest Chapter board.
1. You were a practicing lawyer for almost seven years. What led you to make a move to professional services recruitment?
The practice of law taught me a lot. But the billable hour, the long days and the adversarial nature of being a litigator started to go against what I thought my life would be like when I turned 30. I also noticed that most of the partners I knew worked even harder than me and often didn't seem that happy in their professional and personal lives. I loved the law, but I started to really question the partnership road. Around this time, a friend introduced me to Graham Seldon, the owner of a recruitment firm named Seldon Rosser. He said he needed a lawyer who was credible in front of his law firm clients and that he would teach me recruitment if I brought the law practice knowledge. I immediately took to my new life. It’s fascinating seeing law firms from both the fee-earner side and now the business services side.
2. Tell us a little about your move to the United States from Australia.
As I approached my one-year anniversary with Seldon Rosser, my fiancé was offered the opportunity to move to the United States for work. The idea of moving to the other side of the world — and almost 10,000 miles from family, friends and professional networks — was equal parts daunting and exciting. We have both been overwhelmed by the warm welcome of Chicago and how quickly we have found our feet in U.S. professional life. We have loved our first two years in the U.S.
3. You're involved in a discrete area of professional services recruitment. What do you find to be some of your biggest advantages and challenges?
The biggest advantage is that we see so much about the market and what each law firm is up to from where we sit. The disadvantage is that we can't control the market, and we need to flex and manage our clients accordingly. Market challenges are something we must deal with and manage on a weekly basis. For example, in the latter half of 2014 there was a severe talent shortage and this caused unprecedented competition in some of the bigger markets.
4. In terms of skill sets that firms you have worked with desire, are there any major differences between what Australian or other Asia-Pacific organizations seek and what American firms want?
Many of the clients I have worked for, both previously at Seldon Rosser and now at JJES, are global law firms. Global law firms, regardless of which corner of the globe they originate in, want the same thing: proactive, thoughtful marketers and business developers who understand the business of law and how to create impactful results.
More generally, there are definitely cultural differences in working in America versus Australia. The greatest realization for me was of incredible cultural diversity within the United States. Spending time and meeting people from all over the United States has been insightful, eye opening and fun. Perhaps the greatest cultural difference is the Australian emphasis on self-deprecation, while Americans are generally more confident in sharing their talents and accomplishments. Australian professionals are also frequently blunt and pragmatic, whereas in the Midwest (and many other parts of the United States), people are more polite and courteous and have great discussions that often include personal, community and — eventually — work tasks.
5. What projections can you make about all that you see in the legal marketing world?
Law firms will need to be creative about where they get their marketing talent from given the talent shortages they have faced in recent times. They have already shown a tendency to hire non-law firm professionals and people with true business acumen who can contribute different perspectives. Law firms also are embarking on external and client-facing roles for their non-lawyers. The tricky element to this is remunerating for origination, and partner comfort levels are being tested on this. Additionally, hiring people with proven people management experience is key to nurturing and developing the more junior marketers, whilst allowing the senior marketers to learn this skill in order to progress upwards to the chief marketing officer level. Finally, the emergence of new C-suite titles (such as the chief strategy officer) are appearing, along with people from non-law firm backgrounds in influencing and decision making roles involving the business.
6. What underappreciated but really valuable advice do you give candidates on what to do and what to avoid doing in an interview?
Enjoy the interview. Remember that you love your job and your career and let that show in the discussion. Showing your personality and smarts and giving your interviewer a flavor of you is important. Enjoy the conversation and see where it leads. Nerves can definitely take over in interviews. Remember that, if nothing else, you’re meeting a new person who will remain in your network and your paths may cross again.
7. How about for employers, both in terms of how to attract the best candidates and how to conduct the most productive interview?
Have a conversation and get to know them. In our day and age, it’s a given that many people can perform a role. But it’s how they perform the role — whether they have a smile on their face when they do it, and their attitude and attentiveness — that is important; the intangible things and the things that you can’t see on paper. So, put the résumé aside and have a real conversation and get an insight into their personality and professional self. Be real with them and honest about the role, the expectations and career growth. Don’t get caught up in the formalities of what you think an interview should be like. Just have a real conversation and enjoy learning about them and sharing what you can about the opportunity.
8. When balancing (1) right cultural fit vs. (2) right skill set and/or experience, which do you find law firms value more based upon who they actually hire? Does that differ from what firms tell you they value at the outset of the engagement with you?
Both are equally important, but cultural fit is much harder to test for. It also depends on the appetite the firm has in recruiting people. All firms want people who fit their culture and the personalities on their team. Without this, the fit isn’t right and long term, that person won’t stay at the firm. Experience is of course essential, but the very best credentialed person will not succeed if he or she grates against their team members.
9. What do you do for fun?
I love to explore what Chicago has to offer, and I also travel as much as my time allows. I love learning and seeing what new people, cities and experiences there are out there.