Articles From the Team

Should I use a recruiter or do I search for my own job?

When you make the first move to embark on the daunting task of changing jobs, where do you start? Typically typing ‘recruitment’ or ‘law’ or ‘fee earner’ sends your search engine into absolute over drive, you become faced with a sea of job links and you are usually sifting through a mountain of links to find some form of inspiration and direction to the firm and role you are looking for, it mirrors a real needle in a hay stack scenario.

So, you are drowning in a sea of advertised roles on google, do you use a recruitment agency? You are undecided as you have heard a horror story from a previous colleague who had had their CV sent unauthorised to a few firms and when they tried to actually apply their details they had been duplicated……… I know what you are thinking…. ‘I don’t want my employer to find out I am looking / browsing the market – they could know my senior partner’!

So do you ease the pain and allow the world to become your oyster by instructing a recruitment consultant to act solely on your behalf and have a frank and honest conversation with you in regards to the market, firms and roles you can apply for? Or do you retreat back to the needle in a haystack scenario on your lap top at 11pm at night – your only time you get to actually look for roles whilst working a full day, commuting, walking the dog, being a parent and trying to find time to wind down and relax… hit the even maybe??!

Unfortunately, there are some really mediocre recruiters out there who don’t really act for firms and they tend to send lots of ‘speculative applications’ and will spend a lot of time cold calling firms with candidates details and like wise head hunting candidates on their work email addresses and direct dial – these type of recruiters do nothing to contradict the beginning paragraph of this blog.

I believe a good quality recruiter becomes a career advisor, someone who gets to know you and understands your journey from college all the way through to qualification and beyond…. It isn’t just about making a placement it is about understanding you and your aspirations and fitting those in with an employer’s needs, culture and environment in order to create a perfect fit which benefits both sides. If this can be created it is the footing to forging life long relationships with both you and your future employers to ensure you can go from strength to strength in your career. A good quality recruiter needs to support your vision and your client’s vision to grow and succeed.

It is worthwhile considering when speaking to your consultant that they understand the following to assist you on your journey; do they understand your market? Do they understand the firms within it both inside and out and the culture of these firms – the personalities that will gel well within those particular teams? This will allow you to create a realistic appraisal of what options are out there currently in the marketplace and where your best fit can be found, it will also give you a realistic view of salary expectations and the scope of work you can expect.

It is however a two way street and you need to give and honour exclusivity to your recruiter, this will ensure that they can give you their best service and ensure no stone is left unturned for you and your search, this is fundamental to ensure no time is wasted on duplicate applications to ensure you are framed in the best possible light to future employers.

This subject as you can feel from the vibe of my blog is very important one to me and something I pride myself on as a specialist recruiter. BCL Legal are preferred suppliers for a majority of all top 50 legal 500 law firms throughout the UK.  I believe a good legal recruiter can sometimes be the difference between you getting the job and not getting the job and making the right or the wrong decision.

If you decide that exploring the market for a new role is the right thing for you to do please do get in touch BCL Legal for a confidential conversation, I would be delighted to speak with you.