Articles From the Team

Compromise is the best way to hot up your NQ solicitor job search

With the weather hotting up and August just around the corner, is it time you should be hotting up your job search too for that elusive NQ job for September? When you started considering the ideal job for you upon qualification back in the Spring, you no doubt had a list of criteria that had to be fulfilled.

Well, time is ticking on and, with August notoriously being holiday month, so decisions take longer as important people in the recruitment process go away for a weeks at a time, I think it is high time you made sure that your Plan B is well and truly underway.

So where is your compromise?

- Specialism? Are you prepared to now consider a second choice specialism? Or maybe even a third? As if you need the security of a job in September, you must be as flexible as possible and therefore you must open yourself up to as many potential opportunities as possible.

- Location? Maybe you are now able to widen your geographical search criteria? Where else in the country could you consider? It might not have been your first choice, however returning to your home city or to the city where you were at University or Polytechnic could provide you with further options, and in a location that's familiar to you.

BCL Legal is expertly placed to assist you with both of these compromises. We have consultants who specialise in particular disciplines and so who know not just the firms, but the individuals within the teams, which means that you will be fully prepared for interview and will be joining the perfect team fit for you. With regards to location, BCL Legal covers the whole of the country and has consultants specialising in different geographical regions, so once again you will receive targeted and relevant advice throughout the recruitment process.

I handle private practice recruitment in all disciplines apart from residential conveyancing and personal injury across the Thames Valley and Home Counties areas. What I am hearing a lot is that NQs want to hold out for a job in London. That might have been the plan initially, but with fewer external NQ jobs available in the City this year due to higher retention rates, competition is even tougher, especially if you are going to be up against candidates from top tier London firms. Therefore why not consider a job which still allows you to live in London, but is commutable out of the city? There are exciting NQ solicitor roles with international and Legal 500 firms in Guildford, Reading and Oxford which can offer you a high calibre caseload and the chance to learn from experts in your chosen field.

If this is something that might appeal to you, I suggest you call me as soon as possible on 0121 2301023 to make sure that you do not miss out. So as the rush for NQ jobs goes into meltdown, get ahead of the game, work out your compromise, and you can still secure yourself the perfect NQ job.