Going to lunch w/ Managing Partner to close out my Summer Forum

[Anonymous User]

So we're going to lunch in a week or so, at my request, to end the summer. He had emailed me earlier in the Summer to say that I had done a great job on a huge project and that we should get lunch/get to know each other, but it never worked out - work load exploded unexpectedly for everyone in the office.


This is a small firm. ~15 attorneys in a smaller market. Commercial lit boutique, represent a lot of very cool businesses in the region. I fucking love it. I want to work here badly. They hired me not knowing if they could hire me permanently, but I knew it'd be worth rolling the dice. I've gotten nothing but amazing feedback while here, and they've trusted me with a lot of serious & important work.

So about this lunch: I want it to be a discussion about my future at the firm, but I don't know if saying (tactfully, and of course not these exact words) "I love it here & would like to be hired" is appropriate. Some people have indicated that you don't get what you don't ask for, while others have said I should wait for him to bring it up and that asking him to lunch was too aggressive in the first place.


Thoughts? Advice?? I understand this post is kind of disjointed, but I'm all jacked up on coffee & anxious about this lunch.

[lookingin]

I went to lunch with the practice group heads of the groups I was interested in, and I definitely made sure to drop mention of the fact that I loved the firm and would love to be hired there during my lunches. I didn't try to make the whole conversation about that or seem like any offer negotiation meeting, but just made sure to express my interest in an offer/future position there and I think they expected that and appreciated me letting them know. It's not like I was asking them to make a decision then and there. If you bring it up like that and just let it speak for itself, I think it can only help you. Just don't be pushy or straight up ask for the offer. Just mention you'd say yes or come back in a heartbeat or whatever the case may be and leave it at that would be my advice.

Oh and I got the offer to come back, too. So it all worked out.

[Anonymous User]

I went to lunch with the practice group heads of the groups I was interested in, and I definitely made sure to drop mention of the fact that I loved the firm and would love to be hired there during my lunches. I didn't try to make the whole conversation about that or seem like any offer negotiation meeting, but just made sure to express my interest in an offer/future position there and I think they expected that and appreciated me letting them know. It's not like I was asking them to make a decision then and there. If you bring it up like that and just let it speak for itself, I think it can only help you. Just don't be pushy or straight up ask for the offer. Just mention you'd say yes or come back in a heartbeat or whatever the case may be and leave it at that would be my advice.

Oh and I got the offer to come back, too. So it all worked out.

Congratulations. I guess saying I'd love to work there and would accept an offer, but not actually "asking" for the job, is a viable route.

[shock259]

I think you should just express your excitement about the firm and its practice area. I wouldn't say directly "I want to work here" or "please hire me" or anything like that. That turns it into a sales pitch and will put him on the spot. Just be enthusiastic and charming. He can read between the lines.

[lookingin]

Congratulations. I guess saying I'd love to work there and would accept an offer, but not actually "asking" for the job, is a viable route.

Good luck, I hope you get the offer!

[Anonymous User]

I think you should just express your excitement about the firm and its practice area. I wouldn't say directly "I want to work here" or "please hire me" or anything like that. That turns it into a sales pitch and will put him on the spot. Just be enthusiastic and charming. He can read between the lines.

It's definitely a fine line. He doesn't know me extremely well, so my concern is that he'll think I'm being appreciative and polite without realizing that I'd kill to work there.