Articles From the Team

Honesty really is the best policy when it comes to your next career move, in particular with “Location, Location, Location.”

After working within recruitment for a while now I have noticed the importance of being honest in your job search in particular how viable a move to a new location can be.

I speak with candidates on a daily basis and the reasons for an individual’s job search can vary wildly. Everyone has different reasons for looking and a unique situation. It makes my job interesting as each candidate has their own story and reasons for making their career move.

At the first point of speaking with a candidate about a job they are interested in, it is important that I get a full picture of their situation, their motives for moving and the implications within that.

Here at BCL Legal I recruit for commercial firms ranging from top tier, regional, medium sized to the smaller high street firms for a variety of disciplines including commercial, corporate, construction, litigation, employment and family. The firms I recruit for are based in the West, East, South Midlands and the Home Counties.

I consistently find that location is a key issue for candidates that I work with. I have a number of jobs that potentially match a candidate’s criteria but as I cover a wide geography these are often situated in a broad range of locations.

Some candidates can be flexible with location, while others may have ties to the areas they live in and so their search may be restricted. It may be easier for others to make a move to locations where they have had ties, it may be a city where they went to University, or have family and friends living in a particular location.

There have been circumstances where a candidate has been ‘blinded’ by a role. The role seems perfect for them, ticks all the boxes job wise. It’s the firm they want, perfect role, salary is great! In the excitement of finding the perfect role, they want to go forward for the role. It is only when we speak openly about their circumstances that further thought needs to be put into this. Do they have any dependants, spouses they need to consider? How viable and logistically possible is it to move from one place to another?

It is important to be honest at this point, can you realistically make this move? It is not ideal to want to insist that you would be able to make that move, when realistically it would not be possible.

Fortunately, the legal market is extremely buoyant at the moment. When speaking to candidates, I talk to them about their full circumstances. Due to the number of clients I am working with across a variety of locations, it is very likely that there is a job I am working on which is ideal for you. I have made a number of placements when speaking to a candidate about one particular job then find there is also interest in another I am instructed on.

So when deciding on your next career move, I can assist you with consultative advice on what would be the best move for you, your career, your family and your lifestyle.

If you are seeking roles in the Midlands or Home Counties, please contact Victoria Noble or visit our website BCL Legal.