In posing such a question, it can of course be considered from two perspectives, namely those of candidate and client. We believe we provide a variety of advantages to each of these parties to the recruitment process, most of which are relevant to both. The key benefits of using a recruitment professional are as follows.

Knowledge – Both clients and candidates can take advantage of a good recruiter’s market knowledge. From a candidate’s perspective, this will include which firms are strong, which teams are respected and, on a more discrete level, what is a good direction in which to go with your practice.

A skilled recruiter will know which firms are currently looking for someone like you. Applying to firms selectively is very important, in order to limit the number of times your CV is seen in the market. One can easily start to look desperate if care is not exercised. Once you are registered with a recruiter, they can let you know when good openings arise so as to facilitate only limited and appropriate release of your details. A good recruiter may also know better than you which firms would be good for you.

From a client’s perspective, many of the very best candidates would not consider applying for a job, but may well have let a recruiter know that he or she may look at certain roles if they ever arose. Therefore, a recruiter can be a source of outstanding candidates that would never otherwise be reached. A recruiter can also advise upon the value of candidates backgrounds if, for example, they come from other jurisdictions.

Connections – Good recruiters maintain strong relationships with firms and key individuals, which can prove invaluable, particularly to candidates. On a simple level, recruiters will ensure your CV gets in front of the right person. Similarly, it is not uncommon for recruiters to have relationships with candidates that prospective employers could not otherwise contact.

Advice and assistance – On a practical level, a good recruiter will make sure a candidate’s CV is in an appropriate format, assist with interview techniques and provide information on the firm and/or the interviewer. A recruitment professional can also advise on salaries and other terms and conditions of service. Other advice can include what kind of roles and employers are suitable for someone with your background, experience and qualifications.

Negotiations – If you are about to work with someone, it is better not to start your relationship with a dispute over terms. Having a recruiter in the middle provides a welcome degree of separation and removes the possibility of negotiations becoming personal. Moreover, a good recruiter can help bring the parties together with appropriate advice on market standards.

Discretion – Working lawyers, and particularly those in senior roles, do not want it to be known that they are looking around. Accordingly, using a trusted recruiter to make discrete enquiries and approaches on his or her behalf is a sensible way to proceed. Similarly some employers do not want it widely known that they are looking to recruit and by using a recruitment company they can recruit discretely.

Time – Having a recruiter make applications on their behalf can save candidates significant time and effort. Similarly, a good recruiter will screen candidates for a client, providing a limited number of suitable CV’s, along with a report on each candidate. This quality control function can save busy lawyers a great deal of time in the recruitment process.

In legal practice, time is money. Thus hours spent on recruitment by senior lawyers quickly becomes very expensive and delay in making an appointment costs billable hours that a new recruit would have charged. So making proper use of a recruiter to limit the time spent on recruitment matters by senior lawyers and to fill roles as quickly as possible can prove to be very cost effective.

Feedback – In the event of a negative outcome from an interview, direct feedback can be awkward. It is generally far easier for it to be provided by a recruiter in the middle, saving both client and candidate potential embarrassment.

Reach – By advertising internationally and in various different media, the reach of a well established recruiter is likely to be significantly greater than any particular employer. Moreover, using a recruiter gives an employer access to a potentially huge and valuable database of candidates, built up over many years. From a candidate’s perspective, a recruiter may well be able to identify new potential employers, especially internationally and in-house.

Good recruitment is central to the success of any business and absolutely crucial in a profession such as the law. A good recruitment company can provide very significant assistance to clients in sourcing and then employing high quality staff that they would not otherwise find. For candidates, a skilled recruiter can help find the right job, in the right environment on the right terms.