CareerLink Coach

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we are united in our ambition and drive to move forward. We share core values that help us achieve excellence: collaboration, talent empowerment, service, inclusion, respect and gratitude. Our people are our greatest asset, and we invest in the brightest talent and encourage a diversity of perspectives and strengths to create dynamic teams that operate at the pinnacle of their field. Our talented professionals show up every day knowing they will engage in meaningful work, continuous learning and professional development.
 
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we serve a broad range of clients with market-leading practices in private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions; investment fund formation and management; restructurings; high-stakes litigation and trials; and government, regulatory and internal investigations. We handle the most complicated and sophisticated legal matters because we don’t just meet industry standards, we create them. We bring innovation and entrepreneurialism to every engagement and, as a result, have long-standing client relationships with leading global corporations and financial sponsors. With 6,500 employees (including 3,500+ lawyers) operating from 19 offices across the United States, Europe and Asia, we are one of the largest law firms in the world and a top financial performer.

Essential Job Functions

As a member of the Firmwide Legal Recruiting & Development Department (“LRD”), the CareerLink Coach for Chicago will guide and support attorneys, alumni, and friends of the Firm in defining their career goals, including job search efforts.

The Kirkland CareerLink (“KCL” or “CareerLink”) program provides industry-leading support to Kirkland attorneys, alumni, and Firm clients in defining and pursuing career success. Harnessing the global reach of Kirkland’s brand and connections, CareerLink delivers value through in-depth career coaching, innovative program and resource development, and network building.

The CareerLink Coach will be an integral part of the innovative and award-winning CareerLink program managing day-to-day activities, working with clients on career direction, resume development, interview preparation, salary negotiations, networking best practices, and more.  The CareerLink Coach will also be responsible for tracking program metrics, developing meaningful resources for an effective job search, and integrating these offerings into the greater LRD programming.

This role will work collaboratively and seamlessly with resources across the LRD channels and other departments in areas such as: Alumni Engagement, Events Planning, Recruiting, Professional Development/Training, Diversity & Inclusion, and Marketing & Communications.

Essential Functions: (This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• Assist attorneys, alumni, and select clients of the Firm with the development of relevant marketing materials and professional branding documents such as resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc.
• Support Firm partners in sourcing appropriate candidates on behalf of Firm clients.
• Outreach to legal industry recruiters to post positions to the Kirkland alumni website and to help network on behalf of our attorneys, alumni, and friends of the Firm.
• Provide networking guidance and assistance for alumni, attorneys, and friends of the Firm.
• Conduct one-on-one coaching sessions to gauge individual needs of each CareerLink “client” and help them advance through their search until placement.
• Interview preparation and skill development for “clients” as needed.
• Salary benchmarking and negotiation coaching.
• Work with the CareerLink team to further develop the CareerLink program in each office, offerings, and specific tools.  Work with Alumni Engagement and Attorney Engagement teams to integrate and enhance CareerLink offerings within those programs.
• Drive planning and participate in the annual “In-House Insider Experience” offered to select attorneys and alumni. 
• Track and report on relevant CareerLink metrics utilizing specified tools such as SharePoint.
• Aid in content development for marketing materials highlighting the CareerLink program.
• Present CareerLink program metrics, offerings, and successes to internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Research and analyze employment trends, specifically in the legal industry, nationally and globally.
• Conduct workshops/webcasts on resume creation, leveraging social media for the job search, interviewing, and other job search skills.
• Recognize and track gaps or common issues faced by CareerLink clients and propose/create solution based programming to address.

Other Functions: (This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• As needed, support the greater LRD efforts of the Firm including presence at events and needed preparation, creation of relevant written materials for publications, and compilation of data and tracking.
• Participate and help develop team building and development experiences for the CareerLink Team.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education, Work Experience, Skills:

Teamwork, ownership of assigned work, responsiveness, and outstanding commitment to excellence is essential for this position.  Additionally, the ideal candidate will possess these qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and J.D. required
• Ten-plus years of work experience
• Career coaching experience necessary, executive level coaching experience preferred
• Advanced coaching certifications strongly desired
• Recruiting experience preferred
• Legal practice experience required
• Knowledge of US and International legal job boards and recruiters
• Flexibility in regard to hours (some clients may be international)
• Excellent communication (written and oral), listening, multi-tasking, and organizational skills
• Ability to develop strong relationships and trust with coaching clients and partners
• A natural ability to make clients feel cared about
• Strong sense of empathy, positive outlook, and ability to motivate others

Technologies/Software:

Technology plays an important role in the execution of team deliverables.  Candidates are expected to work within the following tools:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel
• Working knowledge of SharePoint
• Web platform experience helpful, specifically Insala platform is a plus
• LinkedIn and other social media experience preferred

Certificates, Licensures, Registrations:

• Certification in Career or Executive Coaching is a plus.  Experience as a practicing attorney is required.

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP.  To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Closing Statement

The www.kirkland.com job postings and recruiting mailbox are for candidates only. If you are a recruiter, search firm or employment agency, and do not have a signed contract with Kirkland & Ellis LLP ("K&E") and have not been asked specifically to submit candidates, you will not be compensated in any way for your referral of a candidate even if K&E hires the candidate. Direct contact with K&E employees in an attempt to present candidates is inappropriate and will be a factor in determining any future professional relationship with the Firm. #LI-Hybrid #LI-DR1