Articles From the Team
Countless questions of varying levels of importance.
Is change to be feared?
I would be the first to admit that I don’t like change. For those that know me with the world of legal recruitment, they see me as dynamic, adaptable, fluid, innovative and the very epitome of cool under pressure or at least that is what I imagine. In truth I like routine, structure and control (in a healthy way). I do not like change. That said, I always embrace it knowing from experience that (in most cases) it is never as bad as the mind can conceive it to be.
Imagine my horror when 4 weeks ago, it was announced that BCL Legal would be moving its Manchester office to new, larger and better appointed facilities. Externally I was cool as ice but internally all sorts of detailed questions were going through my head – what about the long standing relationship I had developed with the barista’s at Starbucks downstairs, would I now have to make new friends (and how and should I say good bye to them)? Where would my new desk be and would it offer the same level of light as before? How much further would the walk be from the tram stop and would it be better positioned for the gym or not? What kind of lunchtime fayre would be at my disposal and would this be better or worse for my health?
Countless questions of varying levels of importance.
As it transpires (as I sit on day one), the office on Deansgate is amazing, the set-up is fantastic and there are more choices for lunch - all in all this will be an amazing office to work in. Given that I did nothing other than hand in my fob from the old place and walk into the new place where everything was already set up and waiting, why on earth should this have been a cause for such concern on my part? I am going to suggest that it is a matter of general human nature (less someone suggest a degree of mental instability).
Change is by its very nature unsettling and it is the uncertainty it can create from which the fear itself derives. Does that mean change is bad? Well, for all my (albeit minor) fears, these were without foundation so simply put, no, or at least not always.
As has always been the case in legal recruitment there is an inevitable fear that comes from changing jobs – often from the ridiculous to the sublime. There will be key issues about any new role that sit at the heart of why you are looking and what you are looking for – these are all the things that we, as legal recruiters, will have done our level best to address head on so that we can match your requirements. We will always try to understand your frustrations within your current roles for the simple reason that we are trying to find a role that will not only represent the best quality of work to suit your needs but also to ensure that the frustrations you feel in your current role are not replicated elsewhere. These can be matters of personality, things that will not be known or evident simply by looking at a law firm’s website, and yet are things that can make or break a role if it does not work.
The truth is that we are all programmed to know when things are not quite right – a spidey-sense if you will. More often than not we know when things do not feel quite right and need to be addressed. That is not to say that they are addressed or dealt with head on – in fact, the path of least resistance and the status quo are often the most adopted perhaps out of fear of change. In the context of your job given the demands on your time, it is important to get it right. Whatever the issues, however small, if they matter to you , they matter and need to be addressed. You might find that actually they can be resolved and improved and never reach a stage where there is no point of return.
Change is not to be feared, it is to be embraced if done for the right reasons – as legal recruiters we are here to guide you through the process, your new role and (within reason) everything in between.
Now, which sandwich shop to choose!
To discuss any of the above in more detail please call Paul Warburton on 0161 819 7475 or email paulwarburton@bcllegal.com