Articles From the Team
How to make use of a legal recruiter
A legal recruiter’s job has always been complicated; multiple stakeholders, understanding the market, having the connections and ability to represent you at leading firms. When you contact a recruiter, we need to learn all about you so that we understand how best to support you in achieving your goals.
Approach the new relationship with honesty and be open about the direction in which you are headed as well as your past. A recruiter is a valuable resource for helping you achieve your dream role – if they know what your dream role looks like!
Top tips when using a recruiter:
- Be honest. If you’ve applied somewhere already or had any other offers then let us know. If we are 100% in the loop, we can help you to secure your dream role more efficiently, and might even be able to negotiate you a higher salary if we have all of the details. You should bare in mind that we are here to get you the most suitable role and if there are any ‘issues’ you may have, it is best to tell us about them so we can discuss how best to deal with them. We think outside the box and are striving to find innovative ways to be better and do better. There is little use in trying to hide things from potential employers – the legal market is small and the internet reveals all!
- Even if you aren’t actively searching for a role, you can still ask for impartial advice. We share a lot of information on the current legal market, and to put yourself in a better position in the future when you are job hunting, take some time now to get in the know.
- Find one that you get along with. There is always a recruiter, waiting in the wings to help find you that “dream role”. When I was in practice, I found that most worked with the same firms, so for me it was about finding someone I could speak to candidly and was who honest with me in return – this was crucial. In finding you a role, there will be lots of back and fourth, so it is important that you feel comfortable speaking to them.
- Ask questions about the firm – do we place with them often? What type of working culture do they have? Do we have a good relationship with them? What is going on with the firm generally? Utilise the recruiter’s knowledge to your advantage.
- Use our resources to make sure your CV and your interview skills are the best they can be – we see hundreds of CVs each year so know what works when it comes to getting your foot in the door.
- Make yourself contactable – we understand that you may well be in your current role during the day, but don’t be afraid to contact us outside of these hours too. We want to do the best we can for you, and that means we need to communicate, so don’t be afraid to call or email us.
- Tell us about your impression of your interview – why was it particularly good, or perhaps not so good? This type of information can help us to understand the type of culture where you would thrive, and therefore find the best job match for you.
- Give us your feedback – we are constantly growing and looking to improve, and any feedback you can offer will help us with this.
We have strong values, with caring, accountability and integrity being just a few of them. We don’t over promise and under-deliver. We don’t try and squish a round peg into a square hole. We’re honest: if we can’t help our candidates or clients, we tell them! We provide advice that’s always in line with the market. Sometimes it’s a matter of obtaining what you need, that might not be what you initially wanted.