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We all have our own views on how best to go about finding a new job, and, while there are good and bad practices, there is no definitive method guaranteed to provide the best results. However, a 12 years in legal recruitment has provided valuable insight into how candidates should properly approach a job hunt. Although common sense plays a significant part, it is incredible how many candidates overlook even the most obvious considerations. Your CV Your CV's content, and how it is set out, are of utmost importance. Whether you will get an interview depends largely on the employer's impression of your resume. It is an area in which a recruitment consultant can add significant value, as a competent professional will ensure that your CV contains all the pertinent information, but without unnecessary padding, and that it is set out in a clear and concise manner. Lawyers tend to like facts. They can draw their own conclusions, so providing assessments of your own abilities is pointless. However, a recruiter can provide an independent assessment, which, dependent on the standing the recruiter has with the employer, may carry significant weight. Do not leave out relevant facts because they reflect badly upon you. It is common for candidates to omit the class of honours they were awarded on their degree. Any serious employer will request the information anyway and attention will then actually have been drawn to a poor performance. Double check your spelling and grammar. Even though it would seem incredibly obvious to do so, a majority of the CV's we receive contain unforgivable mistakes. If you can't get your CV right, then any employer will have significant doubts over your drafting ability, which will usually be fatal to an application. For a more in depth guide to CV drafting, please see our web-site at www.law-alliance.com. Your interview As a candidate, you can get plenty of help in preparing a CV, but when it comes to an interview, although you can be prepped, it is all down to your performance on the day. And there is no time to settle in. As with trials in court, interviews tend to involve a significant element of "premature adjudication". In reality, people form first impressions quickly and it is far easier to give a good first impression than it is to change a bad one. While it is hard to identify exactly what contributes to a first impression, there are undoubtedly certain key "do's and don'ts". Under no circumstances be late for an interview. Lateness is inexcusable because one should plan ahead and assume delays. Dress smartly and conservatively. It is not a fashion show, but an interview for a serious job. Take care not to come across as arrogant. Confidence is good, but show an appropriate level of respect. Greet your interviewers with a firm handshake, but not one that is "dominant", which would involve your hand being on top of your interviewer's. Although not always easy to display early in an interview, be knowledgeable about your interviewer and the firm/company. Never fidget during an interview and never let your eyes wonder. As well as good interview skills, a candidate must also have substance. As a lawyer, one should be articulate and be able to describe relevant knowledge and experience in a clear and concise manner. Again, for a more detailed interview guide please see www.law-alliance.com. Know your own value When negotiating terms, it is important to have an accurate understanding of your own value. While on a simplistic level it would appear best to negotiate as big a package as possible, to do so is not without difficulties. For one thing, if there is a downturn in business, those employees who are the worst value for money tend to be the first out the door. However, to focus on such things would be rather negative. Nevertheless, for any lawyer still learning their profession, it is important to be employed at the right level, so expectations are appropriate and in order that the right amount of training and supervision is provided. The higher your salary, the higher the expectation. Accordingly, those employed on packages disproportional to their experience, and thus their true value, often find that pressure of expectation can be a burden. A market salary tends to be a more comfortable fit for most employees. If you do a good job, most employers will reward you rather than risk losing you, because they understand that finding good new staff is a great deal harder than retaining employees you know and trust. |
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