Finding the time!
Finding time to search for a new job is hard. Especially if you are busy in your current role. With the festive break behind us, January usually unsurprisingly sees an influx of job seekers. The holidays provide the perfect time for you to review your career and decide whether your current employer is prioritising you and your future.
The information below should help guide you to ensure you are asking yourself the right questions when it comes to your next move.
Do you know what you would change in your current role?
Having a clear idea of what your current role is lacking (or giving too much of) is key to making sure you make the right next move. The usual drivers are; change in working hours (usually wanting more time out of the office), a better financial package (whether that’s an increased basic salary or a better benefits package), a step up in quality of work, a promotion or opportunity to further your career (whether that is partnership track or a Counsel role) or a general change of scene (a bigger or smaller team or a different firm culture). It is good to know what drivers are the priority before you start your search.
Can you make changes in your current role?
While it seems odd for a recruitment agency to be advocating that you consider staying where you are, it does make sense for you to review whether changes are achievable in your current role. Without revealing that you want to leave, have you spoken with your partner(s)? Have you approached your sponsor (if your firm provides it)? Have you spoken to trusted colleagues and heard their experiences?
It is important that you explore all these avenues before starting your search. If you get to offer stage with a new firm and on resigning your current firm try to counter offer you, it begs the question, why they couldn’t have offered you everything you wanted prior to you resigning? It is worth bearing in mind that lawyers who decide to stay with their existing firm after a counter-offer, rarely stay longer than 9-12 months. It is worth reading this if you find yourself in this situation.
Do you know the type of firm that you would like to move to?
The London and surrounding market is packed full of exciting firms and high-end work. There are many options available to you, whether that’s joining a West End practice, a mid-City firm, a Top City firm, a US practice or a boutique specialist. Of course, that is where we can help. We know the market and we talk to clients day in, day out. We will be able to guide you to the right firm.
What type of work are you seeking?
It has been many years since we came out of the recession and 2019 was a good year for the legal market. There is no evidence to suggest that 2020 will be any different (Brexit aside). You may be looking to do the same work at a different firm or different work in a larger or smaller group. Either way, it is important to know exactly what areas you want to gain experience in so that we can introduce you to the right firms.
Have you drafted a CV?
If you haven’t drafted a CV we can send you a template. The CV is the key document and allows us to accurately match the skills on your CV with what the partners at the recruiting firms are looking for. You can read this blog post which outlines the key factors you should consider when drafting your CV.
We recommend that you avoid a scattergun approach to sending your CV out. Instead, make it a deliberate strategy. It is important to choose a consultant that you can get on with and who understands your drivers and reasons for moving. This way, we can take a focused approach and ensure that all options are covered off for you.
If you are thinking of investigating the market you can call us directly on 07834 436775 for a private and confidential conversation. Alternatively, you can send an email to Peter at peter@carterjay.co.uk.