Should I include a family member who is an attorney on my cover letter when applying at a law firm?
ThrillHouse asked:
I am going to apply at a law firm for a training manager position. My uncle works as an attorney in the same metro area. Should I drop his name on my cover letter? I haven’t talked to him in 3-4 years but I am in contact with his son, daughter, and wife.
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I am going to apply at a law firm for a training manager position. My uncle works as an attorney in the same metro area. Should I drop his name on my cover letter? I haven’t talked to him in 3-4 years but I am in contact with his son, daughter, and wife.
Help me out here!
May 18th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
nope -but use him as a reference if asked.
May 19th, 2009 at 3:03 am
No. Potential employers are interested in the skills that you bring to the table, not who your uncle is or what he does. Furthermore, name-dropping can end up doing more harm than good. What if your uncle’s firm is a direct competitor to this firm? What if your uncle is not so highly regarded in the areas’ legal circles?
Tailor your letter to your strengths and how those strengths would be assets for the firm. Make sure the letter is well-written with no spelling or grammatical errors. When they see how great you are, they’ll want to interview you and you won’t have to drop any names at all!