Articles From the Team
Career Plans
I have spent weeks planning a long weekend away in the Cotswolds for my dad’s 60th Birthday, which we went away for recently. Thankfully it turned out to be a very relaxing weekend and my dad enjoyed his 60th birthday away from the usual hustle and bustle of city life. So with that weekend done and dusted, I am now looking forward to the bank holiday at the end of this month. With it being bank holiday, my diary is usually filled with family and friends catch up, which means plenty of eating and drinking all weekend! Having said that it does not stop here, as most if not all of my weekends are usually packed with family gatherings, birthday parties, baby showers, weddings etc. and this is pretty much the case for every weekend until at least Autumn. Amongst all of that I have to try and fit in catch up with friends and at some point get some quality time in with the hubby! So much to do so little time!
It’s funny how we can spend some so much time planning our social calendar and we do it with such vigour, precision and care! Don’t you sometimes wish you gave your career plans the same dedication and due diligence? Perhaps you do. In my line of work I spend 75% of my day speaking to people who are embarking upon a job search which is going to change their life, or at least they hope it will and I am always keen to know what their plans are.
Alarmingly what I have found when I am speaking to some candidates is that more often than not, they have not come to realise how little they have planned for their career path or thought about what they are actually looking for from their next move. I’m sure some people must think well its obvious isn’t it…...more money!! You’ll be surprised to learn that money is not always numero uno on the priority list when looking for a new role!
As part of my work, I invest a lot of time in getting to know candidates and finding out more about their situation, what it is that they want from their career and how we can help them secure their next move. It usually transpires after lengthy conversations that the motivator for changing jobs is different in each case, some people are relocating so they can be closer to loved ones, some are jaded by doing the same work and want a fresh challenge, some are looking for a better work-life-balance, some are looking to take a step forward and some are looking to take a step back. Then there are those that are simply looking for an increase in salary. Whatever the reason there is an agenda and we want to know about it. This is not because we are nosy but so that as your specialist legal recruiter we can ensure that we are talking to you about the right opportunities on every occasion.
I usually find conversations with candidates generally begin with very generic and almost predictable reasons for why they are looking for work. On further probing from me (some might say the Spanish inquisition) I come to learn the truth of what has actually prompted their search. When I have provided alternative scenarios or presented a worst case scenario where their perfect package/dream job doesn’t exist, and questioned what happens next?! It turns out that they haven’t actually thought about option B or C or any other influencing factor either in their working or personal life that will affect their decision making process. It soon becomes evident that there has been little to no planning on how one has mapped out their career and how are they are going to get there. Applying for a new job is not as easy as ‘yes I think I fit the bill for that job so I will just go for it’, it takes a lot more strategic thinking and logistics to secure your next career move because your perfect job may not be in the mould you initially thought it would be. Have you thought about what you might consider instead of that perfect role which does not exist? You should in your mind have a set plan of what you ideally want followed by a contingency plan and be prepared to discuss your plans with your recruitment consultant, this way we can continue to advise you on current market trends and keep you informed of all suitable options.
At BCL Legal all of our consultants are trained to advise and guide solicitors/legal executives/paralegals through the recruitment process but this is only most successful when you come to us with some ideas and plans of what you are trying to achieve and we will help you achieve your goal!
For more information, please contact BCL Legal or call 0161 819 7475.