Articles From the Team
Swiping right for your career
Looking for a new job is like going on a date. You have to get dressed up, be prepared to discuss your skills and attributes and hope to build some rapport with the people that you meet with – so that, after a couple of meetings, both parties will want to enter in to a more permanent arrangement. But it strikes me that many of us can be overly critical about what we think we want from a new job. We can sometimes harbour misconceptions about certain types of environments – we think that only a large law firm can offer us the room for progression perhaps, or we want to work with a very established brand as this will assist in our own business development opportunities. Whilst sometimes this can be the case, it’s not to say that we should narrow our scope before even exploring other opportunities.
At BCL we take our time to work out what it is that is driving your job search. Finances may be at the root of it (who wouldn’t like a salary increase?) but the reality is that this is unlikely to be the only driving force. Are you looking around your office and not seeing any progression opportunities? Perhaps your personal situation has changed and, as much as you enjoy the role that you do, you need more flexibility/better working hours etc. Maybe the firm’s ethos has changed and you don’t feel that it is the right “fit” for you anymore. Or maybe it is to do with the quality of work or volume of work that is coming your way. Whatever the reasons for putting yourself back on the market, we are here to talk you through the various options that are open to you. We pride ourselves on asking the questions that get to the heart of the situation – and then sell back the opportunities that we have that match your motivators.
Recently I have noticed an increased demand from boutique shipping law firms who are looking to expand their teams. These firms have a strong reputation in the market, and despite not having the international presence of their more high profile counterparts, they do succeed in terms of quality (and quantity) of work, ethos and environment, flexibility and a number of other areas. When working with candidates I try to ensure that I outline all of the current opportunities that I may be able to assist you with – and have found that several candidates have been positively surprised when it comes to the offerings of these more boutique environments. If you’re considering your next step in shipping law and would like to explore the opportunities available to you then please contact BCL Legal or email us at info@bcllegal.com for a confidential discussion.