Articles From the Team
Trust in the recruitment process
BCL Legal takes pride in representing not only the largest legal employers in the UK and Ireland, but also the prospective candidates. It is our job to do what is best for both parties, to foster growth, to cultivate success, and to create strong employer-employee relationships from the outset. While recruiters are often equated to matchmakers, when it comes down to it, their role is much more complex than simply linking a candidate to a company. One of the key aspects of this is confidentiality and trust.
Without stating the obvious, if a candidate isn’t in a massive rush to move, however would like to see what their options are, using the recruiter is the best way to do so without ‘outing yourself’ to firms. As their recruiter, my candidates should be confident in providing me with their personal information and trust that it will only be shared with employers on opportunities that we have discussed. In no circumstances would I provide clients with candidate details without their express permission.
When a candidate provides me with their CV I am able to gain a full picture of their experience and background, this coupled with an open chat about their situation, reasons they may be looking to move and what they are looking for in their next role, allows me to do the best job for them.
It is imperative that my candidates and I work together to maintain open, honest lines of communication, founded upon mutual respect and the common goal of not just finding the right candidate for a company, but finding the right company for a candidate. Open honest communication needs to work both ways to get the most out of the process. I would love to be able to say that all recruiters act in an open and honest manner; however this simply isn’t the case.
As a result, the majority of our clients use a PSL (Preferred Supplier List) which ensures they only work with reputable agencies; my advice would be to ask the recruiter whether they are on a firm’s PSL before going ahead with the application. The main reason for this is that legal employers want to work with agencies who uphold their values. We represent employers in the market so should act in a manner that represents them in the best possible way.
One of the best ways to ensure confidentiality is to work exclusively with one reputable recruiter; I often speak to candidates who have spoken to multiple agencies and are unsure where their CV has been sent and in the worst case scenarios a recruiter has sent their CV to the firm without the candidates consent! Signing up with multiple agencies doesn’t double or triple your chances of success. However, it does mean that you increase your risk of your privacy being breached and losing control of your job search. Multiple recruitment agencies sending out your resume for the same role is not a good look!
BCL Legal has been placing lawyers in the UK since 2003 and more recently in Ireland. It is safe to say that our continued success rests on our reputation, if we are breaching candidate confidentiality word travels fast!
If you are interested in discussing an opportunity or the market generally, get in touch for a confidential chat.
I will ask for a copy of your CV if you choose to apply for a role, however rest assured this will be treated in the strictest of confidence and only sent to employers for opportunities that we have discussed and you have provided consent to send for.