Construction Law Job Opps and How to Create Them

For this weeks Guest Post Friday, Kirsten Grant (@kgrantcareers on Twitter) has graced us with her thoughts on a very timely topic: How to get a job as a construction attorney. Before becoming a career specialist at Kaplan University, one of the largest online universities in the nation, Kirsten Grant had faxed almost 1000 resumes, e-mailed close to 300 resumes, personally mailed 20 resumes with each one featuring “special inserts” to encourage hiring managers to read her resume (50% of those resumes received calls for an interview) and interviewed with 50 companies over the course of 5 months. Based on the feedback hiring managers provided, in addition to 10 years experience in human resources, training, recruiting and staffing she REALLY learned what hiring managers look for in a candidate and today helps over 40,000 adult learners understand how to conduct successful job searches and earn a promotions.

As the real estate industry makes torrid adjustments to right itself due to foreclosures, short sales, and falling house prices, court rooms are seeing more construction law cases. As houses and properties fall into states of disrepair and as efforts are taken to repair them a chain of events take place:

1. Property is purchased
2. Contractors are hired to make repairs to a property
3. The selected contractor files permits for the type of work performed
4. After work has been performed, contactor receives compensation

Sometimes, things don’t always go as planned. When things don’t go according to plan, the following situation results:

1. Property is purchased
2. Purchaser discovers property has municipal code violations
3. Demolition court summons due to municipal code violations

If you understand municipal code violations then you can tap into this quickly expanding section of the construction law industry. The ability to talk a stressed out client that has been summoned for demolition court is a valuable asset. Being able to navigate and help a client through the labyrinth of appearing in demolition court is an “in demand skill”. So how do you “tap into” this pool of people that need your services? Expand your professional network of the following people:

1. Real estate brokers
2. Neighborhood associations
3. Banking associations
4. Debt consolidation agencies
5. Non-profit advocacy groups
6. Churches
7. Park districts

Try holding informational workshops or meetings to educate the public and establish yourself as a “subject matter expert” in your field. Contacting institutions via phone or e-mail to alert them of your services is another great way to build your network. As people learn that you can help them (or their friends) with their situation, you will receive referrals and create your own construction law job opportunity!