Articles From the Team

Loyalty- is it enough to make you stay at your current firm?

Since returning to BCL Legal, it has become apparent that the conveyancing market has changed. Despite there being a number of conveyancing roles, actually finding suitably experienced individuals based locally, who are actually looking for a new role is tough. Nonetheless, our reputation in the market allows us to secure good lawyers for our clients.

Once you have accepted, it doesn’t stop there. It’s time to actually resign. In a candidate led market, resigning and actually walking out the door are two very different things.

Given how difficult it is for firms to find good, experienced conveyancers in the market, they definitely don’t want to lose the staff they have trained and developed. As such, your boss / manager will be very likely to do whatever he / she can in order to stop you from walking out of the door. Some will play on your loyalty to the firm and make you feel guilty for leaving; others will be uncharacteristically nice in order for you to question your decision. Let’s face it…. at least some of these people have become your friends so anything that pulls on the heart strings is likely to be a winner.

Since last Thursdays shocking Brexit result the potential lack of stability in the UK market is definitely likely to be played on during the resignation process. It’s hard enough to make it through the door without someone using the political drama of last week to unravel your decision.

Having spoken to a number of clients within residential property and despite the concerns regarding house builders and developer’s share prices, our clients are relatively unfazed. In fact many firms are anticipating an increase in workload given that house prices are likely to fall. Some predict that the fall in house prices is likely to lead to “long term stability” as more people will be able to jump on the housing ladder. In the immediate aftermath, the UK property market seems more attractive to foreign investors.

Ultimately, your employer won’t want to lose you. Whilst this is flattering, remember the reasons you wanted to leave in the first place; money, location, flexibility, progression, opportunity and work/life balance. Staying now after you have attended the interview, secured a great package and really bought into your new firm may seem like the easiest thing to do but is it really what you want? Statistically, those reasons are likely to come back round again in 6 months time.

At the end of the day, the underlying feelings are still the same and your employer now knows you are capable of moving on. What effect will that have on your position come promotion time or salary review time? Any uncertainty created due to our departure from the EU is likely to be short term so don’t be swayed into staying at a job you hate based on the current media circus.

So my words of advice are, if your firm is trying to retain you, of course be flattered but politely decline. Remember, they didn’t change anything whilst they thought you were staying and moreover, will any changes now made make you happy is it too little too late? Stay strong! Once you are out of that door the perfect job awaits you!

For more information contact Azara Roger at BCL Legal.