A comprehensive, data‑driven guide to overcoming the most common blockers to interviews and offers — and how BCG’s system turns approvals into results.
Approving firms is the single most controllable predictor of your search outcome. Attorneys who approve broadly — or enable Mass Approval — access the hidden market, move faster than competing candidates, and convert to interviews and offers at substantially higher rates. This report explains why many attorneys hesitate to approve firms, why those instincts are costly, and how BCG’s placement model turns approvals into results without sacrificing confidentiality or control.
Public channels (job boards 1–3%, LinkedIn 1–2%) show a fraction of the market and invite heavy competition. Meanwhile, firms hire opportunistically when the right profile appears. Broad approvals let BCG activate multiple pipelines at once — exclusive roles, preferred firms, historical openings, and blind submissions — turning potential demand into interviews quickly.
Figures reflect BCG’s internal experience and workflow benchmarks and are not guarantees of outcome.
The issue: Many attorneys assume that if a role isn’t posted, it doesn’t exist. In practice, firms hire opportunistically when the right profile appears. Public postings represent a minority of actual hiring.
Fix: Approve broadly — especially preferred firms and historical openings. This is where ~75% of hires happen.
Read more: Why Applying Without Openings Works
The issue: Narrowing to a tiny list of “perfect” firms shrinks your opportunity set and slows progress. The ideal platform may be one you haven’t considered yet.
Fix: Use Mass Approval to explore high‑fit adjacencies (practice/market/firm‑tier). Interviews reveal options no listing can convey.
The issue: Holding back to avoid rejection results in fewer at‑bats — paradoxically increasing the risk of a prolonged search.
Fix: Approvals are not commitments; they authorize confidential outreach. You can decline interviews later with zero downside.
The issue: Worrying about exposure (current employer, clients, counterparties) can cause paralysis.
Fix: BCG honors avoid lists and uses blind submissions where appropriate. We never submit to firms you’ve worked for or recently applied to.
The issue: Approving one‑by‑one feels slow — so approvals get postponed.
Fix: Enable Mass Approval. We handle positioning, sequencing, and follow‑up within 24–48 hours of approval.
The issue: Limiting to a single micro‑market reduces exposure to active demand.
Fix: Consider adjacent markets or national platforms open to your practice strengths. Breadth ≠ lack of focus; it’s a way to surface better fits faster.
The issue: Endless research without action burns cycles but doesn’t create interviews.
Fix: Approve first, research deeper once an interview is likely. BCG’s firm intelligence and coaching prepare you in context.
The issue: Delaying approvals to keep editing materials postpones market feedback.
Fix: Approve now; we refine your materials in parallel and tailor messaging per firm.
The issue: If the first few firms don’t respond, candidates assume the market isn’t there.
Fix: Hiring appetite changes weekly. Keep approving. Our sequenced outreach (exclusive → preferred → historical → blind) compounds over time.
The issue: Some think approval equals a commitment to interview or accept an offer.
Fix: Approval simply authorizes confidential outreach. You retain complete control throughout.
Log in now and approve firms. Submissions typically occur within 24–48 hours.
Problem: Few responses via job boards; selective approvals.
BCG Approach: Mass Approval to 200+ firms; prioritized preferred firms with recent litigation hires; expanded to historical and blind submissions.
Problem: Concern about confidentiality and portability.
BCG Approach: Blind submissions to avoid conflicts; targeted firms with regulatory growth; staged approvals.
No. We honor your avoid list and use blind submissions when appropriate. We never submit you to firms you’ve worked for or recently applied to.
No. Approvals authorize confidential outreach only. You remain in control at every step and can decline interviews or offers.
Use Mass Approval. We do the heavy lifting and submit within 24–48 hours.
Hiring appetite changes weekly. Keep approving. Our sequenced outreach compounds over time and surfaces new demand as it appears.
Statistics reflect BCG’s internal experience and methodology; they illustrate our model’s advantages and are not guarantees of outcome.
The sooner you approve, the faster we submit — including to firms without public postings.