Articles From the Team

Ramadan and Recruitment

I, along with 22% of the world’s population, have spent this last month engaged in a 20 hour fast from first light till last. During this month, we abstain from food and drink (yes even water!) and try to spend as much as we can in charitable generosity. At its core, this month is a time for each and every one of us around the world to really look deep within him/herself in a bid to better themselves. Fasting is seen as an opportunity to exercise self-control, cleanse the mind, body and ultimately bring about peace.

Following 11 months of the year, where we’ve been eating, drinking and giving in to our whims and desires; suddenly attempting to exercise abstinence can come as a massive change. The change in your sleeping routine, exercise regime, eating and drinking patterns all come as a massive shock to the body; not far behind is the look of shock on your colleagues’ faces! In the words of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, ‘‘Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything’’. This, of course, does not mean that making a change is easy but then again nothing worth doing is ever easy.

The majority of us suffer from a fear of change; it operates under the radar convincing you that it’s there to protect your interests. In reality, a fear of change is the most common reason for resistance to change as it prompts an inhibition of action. If we delve a little deeper, we find that fear of change is closely coupled with anxiety as feeling anxious stops us trying something new and prompts resistance. In my day to day role, I specialise in the recruitment of Solicitors, Legal Executives and Paralegals in the insurance market. As such, I am all too familiar with resistance to change and a fear of what the result of change could look like. I have found that quite often this resistance to consider a new role, to attend an interview or to accept a new job offer stems from a number of factors. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of upsetting others, fear of leaving a comfort zone, self doubt and guilt all weigh down on the shoulders of the individual attempting to make a change. Being able to understand where the fear of change stems from will help us better understand which of our concerns are genuine and those which we can disregard in a bid to avoid resistance. The likelihood is that if the thought has crossed your mind of what life would be like working somewhere else, it is worthwhile giving it some actual consideration!

If you find yourself in a relatable situation, where you’re considering a change in your career and are unsure of the route and destination contact BCL Legal on 0121 230 1022 for a brief and confidential chat regarding the current job market in the insurance field and which roles would suit someone of your level of experience.