Articles From the Team
What should you consider before you start your legal job search?
People leave jobs for various reasons - it could be location, money, progression or it’s just time to move on and secure a new challenge.
If you decide to enter a recruitment process I would ask yourself; are you attending the interview because you really want that job, or do you simply see it as a bit of interview practice in a bid to see what happens next? Either is fine, just be upfront and be honest with yourself.
As a specialist in residential property, it’s my job to provide my candidates with opportunities and inform them about what is available in the market. I present facts about firms but, it’s your job as the job seeker to do your research and think about what’s important for you, after all it’s your career, not mine. The recruitment process is very much a two way process and as much as I want to help you, if it’s going to come down to number crunching so that a new role works, make sure you know your numbers, because if not both parties are left feeling disgruntled and the whole thing falls through.
Below are some things to consider before you start your job search:
1. Cost - Will the new role give you more money or less? Think about child care, qualifications and exams that might have been funded by a firm, commuting and what your current benefits package look like in terms of added value. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration prior to attending an interview. You need to be clear on exactly what figure you want. We can help and offer advice but, there is no point saying you want 'X' only to go away and realise you actually need 'Y' to make a move work.
2. Team Fit - Think about your current team - do you like it? If so, great - why? Perhaps you want a bigger team or you're looking to downsize, but on top of this it's really important to understand more about team structure, culture, management style, learning and development opportunities and the social calendar of your prospective new team before making a move.
3. Hours – We will tell you about working hours and always provide you with as much information as possible, but the more you know about the firms expectations and what they are able to offer the better. If you require flexible working, we will have highlighted this on application and ensured that the firm are able to offer it prior to securing an interview, however it's always good to discuss this at interview also, where possible, so that everyone is on the same page.
4. Likes and dislikes – You are on the phone to us and discussing the reason/s why you are looking to leave, but have you actually taken a step back and thought about what you really like and dislike about your job? Ask yourself - what are you motivated by and what makes you get up in the morning? I cannot stress how important this is and yet often candidate's haven't pinpointed it.
...And there are plenty more factors to consider before starting your legal job search... We are all unique and I've simply listed a few that appear to be the most prevalent in the current market.
For further interview advice, or if you would like to speak confidentially about the current market please get in touch with me on 07530737186.