The environment on the Legal team in Chicago is downright toxic. Twenty percent of the department turns over completely every 6 months. It’s an almost exclusively female environment, heavily populated with ex-attorneys who act superior to their peers, though all members of the team hold the Account Executive or Recruiter title, and not everyone needed a JD to get there. It’s extremely catty, condescending and demotivating. If your management is not discussing your clothes or shoes behind your back, they are criticizing your wardrobe and hair to your face. It’s incredibly unprofessional, offering very little constructive feedback that would advance your career. Be prepared to have more meetings about your nail polish or the color of your jacket, than your sales numbers or a plan to improve them. Management will actively & openly fight over commissions from the reps that report to them. It’s a very much “do as I say, not as I do” environment. You are constantly questioned on your whereabouts, as it is not a true inside/outside sales role. Your clients will have at least 2-4 contacts in the legal department alone, so be prepared to battle your teammates for orders. If you list an emergency contact on your private HR records, know that if you are late to work, they will contact them, questioning your whereabouts. There is a high level of incompetence among the management team locally in Chicago, as none of them have ever held a supervisory role outside of Robert Half. The key to success is not unlike junior high: get into the inner circle and you will see success, as it is your direct manager, not you, who determines your level of success.
