Has the time come for you to make a new move in your legal career? 

While it’s advisable to give the idea of leaving your current job some thought before coming to a decision – there are certainly red flags that when present in your work life, signal an immediate need for a fresh start in pastures new.

These could include signs of burnout, difficulty in maintaining the same level of interest and engagement you once had in your job, or frustration borne of the lack of opportunities afforded to you to grow and develop as a legal professional.

If you find yourself grappling with any of the above, you might have already begun your job search either online or by asking peers, and have come up short. That is where you can benefit greatly from the support of a specialist legal recruiter, and in such cases, we highly recommend giving us a call – however, bear in mind that you are not the only candidate that will have contacted a legal recruiter like us.  

It’s not unusual at all for consultants to receive many candidates for each job vacancy, and their reputation (as well as yours) is on the line with each placement recommendation they make. So how do you sell your value to legal recruiters and give them a reason to recommend you to employers looking for nothing but the best legal talent available? 

In short… how can you ensure that they become your advocate and help to ‘sell’ your worth and fit for the role(s) in question?

Getting The Basics Down

Here at Clayton Legal, we have been receiving candidate CVs for over 25 years, and we can (still) say with confidence that this document remains an essential part of how legal candidates get their profile noticed and progressed to the interview stage. 

Whether you’re in the early stages or more into the twilight years of your career, your CV is a document that both employers and legal recruiters will expect to be crafted and polished to perfection. A standout CV creates a compelling case for you to be considered as the ideal candidate not only by backing up your (relevant) list of skills and experience with tangible results but also by doing so without being peppered with unnecessary and overused CV cliches and with a clear structure and format to keep it easily digestible. If CV writing is proving to be a challenge for you, check out our blog here on how to craft a CV that catches the eye of employers. If you can write one capable of grabbing their attention, you can be sure it’ll grab ours. 

All of which bodes well for you, the candidate. So how do you get on the radar of a great legal recruiter and maximise your chances of securing that dream job? 

Conduct An Online Health Check

You will likely be well aware by now of the importance of having an online presence that underscores your suitability to prospective employers, but if you haven’t yet done due diligence in this particular area, then now is the time to take it seriously.

It is well known by hiring experts that a first impression of a candidate usually comes before the interview, and with social media screening becoming increasingly popular as a prerequisite amongst employers to progress candidates’ applications to the interview stage, giving your digital footprint a thorough examination (especially if you have a strong online presence) should be a must if you want to appear as the top candidate for selection by a legal recruiter. 

This is especially pertinent when it comes to LinkedIn, as it is the go-to social media platform for prospective employers, and consequently legal recruiters for potential candidates. It’s therefore vital to make the most of the opportunities your LinkedIn profile provides to help you in legal career progression and opportunity. Tidy up your profile, ensuring that keywords & key phrases relevant to roles you might be on the lookout for are present in your skills experience section and make sure your interaction on the platform – both past and present – reflect the professional image your profile is trying to portray. Get rid of anything you don’t want potential employers or any legal recruiter to see, (pictures, bio, comments).

We go into further detail on how to create a LinkedIn profile that stands out to employers here. 

Both employers and legal recruiters will be looking for certain skills that highlight how well a candidate meets the criteria of the role in question. While you will naturally have ones acquired from your qualifications present on your CV and LinkedIn profile, you should also be paying equal attention to transferable skills, as they are not only always applied across roles, but they also highlight how you work in terms of communication, integrity and experience. If you have gained four, six or eight years PQE since you were last on the job market, you will have extended your skillset considerably and so now is an appropriate time to review them and ensure you use them to sell yourself as much as possible. Make sure to back up each skill mentioned with an example of how you demonstrated it. 

Are You Spotlighting Your Skillset?

Both employers and legal recruiters will be looking for certain skills that highlight how well a candidate meets the criteria of the role in question. While you will naturally have ones acquired from your qualifications present on your CV and LinkedIn profile, you should also be paying equal attention to transferable skills, as they are not only always applied across roles, but they also highlight how you work in terms of communication, integrity and experience. If you have gained four, six or eight years PQE since you were last on the job market, you will have extended your skillset considerably and so now is an appropriate time to review them and ensure you use them to sell yourself as much as possible. Make sure to back up each skill mentioned with an example of how you demonstrated it. 

Could you talk about any of the following perhaps?

Teamwork – Show you can work effectively within a team towards mutual goals.

Time Management – Demonstrate how you prioritise and manage your workload (and potentially that of others). Include examples of taking responsibility for your own work, balancing tasks and hitting deadlines.

Leadership – Indicate initiative and motivation. Examples of how you have built rapport with clients, colleagues and influenced decisions. How have you inspired others?

Technology – Knowing how to use the latest software and technology is essential. Additional skills such as being able to troubleshoot complex problems, or understand data security, will provide an added benefit.

Adaptability – Nothing stays the same forever. Everyone has to adapt, adjust and change. Showing you are versatile and agile indicates a willingness to move forward and embrace change. This sort of positivity is crucial to progress your legal career.

Problem-Solving – Offering solution-orientated answers indicates your ability to use emotional intelligence, manage risk and make decisions.

Communication – As well as being able to communicate your own ideas to others verbally or on paper, being able to listen is a great skill, and developing listening skills can help alleviate potential misunderstandings and costly mistakes.

Does The Shoe Fit?

It might sound obvious, but working with a legal recruiter is a two-way street and meant to benefit both parties, meaning that decision of which recruiter to work with is just as vital as their decision to collaborate with you. 

Therefore, before making the decision to partner with a particular recruiter, do your homework to ensure their values align with yours. How long have they been in business? Do they put the needs of their clients and candidates at the heart of everything they do, striving to nurture and build relationships? Are they trustworthy and transparent? Do they highlight ethical recruitment practices?

 Make sure they strive to provide the best possible fit for candidates (and clients) alongside ongoing support, pertinent information, ability to evaluate a candidate’s potential fit into the company culture, and a great retention rate for placements. Take the time to thoroughly research their credentials and check that they are respected in the recruiting world – online testimonials are a good indication of this. 

Be Proactive

Showing commitment and enthusiasm goes a long way to putting you ahead of the pack. Once you’ve chosen your recruiter, don’t sit waiting for them to contact you (even though they are likely to). Becoming proactive in building a relationship with your recruiter is a great way to get on their radar. 

Reach out to them via email, LinkedIn or telephone. Many recruiters have a page where you can upload your CV, getting you in the system quickly. 

Whatever method you use, a proactive response will enable you to engage with the recruiter, brief them on your skills, requirements and PQE experience, and allow them to quickly identify the best opportunities for you in your practice area, or discuss exploring a change of direction and what that entails for you. 

They will have also valuable tips and advice to offer you during your search. For best results, treat your communication with your recruiter rather like how they treat theirs with a candidate – check in regularly and demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to securing a new role. The more you do so, the clearer the picture they can get of where the next chapter of your legal career lies and the better their advice will be. 

Next Steps

If you’re here because you believe a move is on the cards at this stage of your career, you’ve come to the right place. Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.  

If you want to finally take the uncertainty out of your job search, give our team a call on 01772 259 121 or email us here. 

With the prospect of a new role on the horizon, arguably the hard bit is done. You have aced your interviews, impressed your new Firm, and are no doubt looking to the future and the next steps in your career.

But even with the excitement of a new legal position looming, there is still an incredibly important step to take in making that move – handing in your resignation to your current Firm.

Here we offer our top tips on how to address this often-uncomfortable conversation – and ultimately remain professional, and on good terms as you exit the business.

1. Communicate To Your Manager First

With an exciting new role to look forward to, it can be tempting to tell close associates and friends, however the first person who should hear about it is your reporting manager. If a senior partner, or even your Manager themselves hears about your intention to leave from another colleague, it goes without saying that it won’t leave a favourable impression which is ultimately what a well-thought our resignation is trying to achieve.

Arrange a time to speak to your Manager and let them know the situation first. Face-to-face is ideal as it minimises any misunderstandings or miscommunication, although video call would also work well for those who work remotely or in order to expedite the process.  It is best practice to verbally tell your Manager of your intention to leave along with the reasons that have led to that decision as it is highly likely that you will be asked both why you are leaving and where you are going to – so it’s wise to have a response planned.

2. Be Prepared For Conversations Around Negotiation

Whatever the reason or reasons for leaving your current firm, it is always worth having a preliminary conversation before you start looking for new opportunities, to see if those initial reasons may be overcome. If, however that conversation didn’t take place, you should nevertheless consider what you would do should a counter-offer be on the table once you make your intention to resign clear.

In the current market, where demand for legal professionals is outstripping supply, this is exceptionally common, so you need to at least be prepared for such a scenario and ask yourself, would you actually accept a counter-offer?. The answer to that lies in ultimately revisiting the reasons you wish to leave in the first place.

Counter-offers take many forms including increased pay, a promotion, enhanced benefits, or a combination of all of those, and there is no doubt that it can feel flattering to be in that position. However, research suggests that 80% of people who accept a counter-offer tend to leave within 6-12 months of accepting. Is it likely you’ll also be part of that statistic?

3. Prepare Your Resignation Letter

Once the decision to leave is final, you must put this in writing. When it comes to your resignation letter, it should be short and polite. Within the letter itself, it is not necessary to justify your reasons for leaving your current law firm or go into lengthy explanations as you can are likely to have (or have had) a more informal chat about this with your reporting Manager. The document is simply to cover the legalities of ending your contractual agreement with your employer and will be kept on record, so details like the date of the notice, confirmation of notice period, and last working day should be accurate.

You may wish to use the formal communication as an opportunity to highlight things you are grateful for – skills you have learnt, help and advice you have received, and opportunities to boost your legal career that have been offered, but that is not mandatory. Do, however avoid the temptation to criticise your colleagues, boss, partners or clients.

4. Discuss Those Finer Details

Your Manager will most likely want to discuss with you the finer details around how and when you will let colleagues know you are leaving. You may wish to inform them individually, or as a group, or have your Manager tell them for you.

You also need to confirm your notice period and how this affects your new role start date. This should be communicated clearly in your contract of employment, but it is always worth a conversation on whether it is realistic to shorten this (if desired by any party) or even extend it on request.

Whether your notice period is 2 weeks, 2 months or anything in between, its important you are aware of this before giving your new employer a start date that you may not be able to commit to. Be prepared that in some cases, you may be placed on gardening leave rather than working your notice period.

Garden leave (or gardening leave) is when an employer tells an employee not to work either part or all of their notice period. This could be because the employer does not want the employee to have access to sensitive or confidential information they could use in a new job (Source: ACAS) In this case, you are still employed by your employer, just not working for them and therefore you are still entitled to your salary and contractual agreements in this period of time.

5. Plan A Robust Handover

Scheduling time to plan for a smooth transition shows you to be a true legal professional and not someone who leaves a law firm or an employer in the lurch, or projects unfinished. Think about your specific areas of responsibility – current caseloads, unfinished assignments, urgent jobs and upcoming commitments, as well as information on your clients that your successor or wider team will need.

If possible, invest some time in training up your successor, or at least making formal handover notes, to ensure you minimise the impact on the firm when you leave and once again, keep the working relationship positive.

6. Start Clearing Your Desk

Once colleagues are aware that you are leaving, you can start to clear your desk so that it’s ready for the next occupant. Removing paperwork, filing and archiving, binning wastepaper and taking personal items such as photographs home will ensure your workplace is ready, clean and welcoming for the next person.

7. Stay Committed

It may be tempting to spend time planning what you will do in your upcoming new legal role (and if time permits, there is definitely merit in keeping in touch with your new employer during your notice period – following their social media accounts to keep track of the latest news, be aware of any networking events etc) but nevertheless, you are still being paid to do your current job – so it’s important to remain committed to that role until the very end.

Remaining an active team player, working hard up to the last minute and completing casework where possible will be noted by colleagues and your employer and will ensure you leave on a positive note – and your professional reputation within the legal community follows you as you move on.

8. Embrace The Exit Interview

If you are offered an exit interview by your law firm, it’s always a good idea to take that opportunity while you can. These usually take place between yourself and a HR manager and are aimed at establishing any way in which they can improve the firm or addressing issues of which they may be unaware of.

While you can, at this point, bring to light any concerns you might have, keep your observations professional and your criticism constructive, always keeping in mind not to burn any bridges.

Taking these steps will not only provide closure on your previous role but will ensure you leave your law firm a well-respected and professional ex-colleague, with whom your former team and senior partners will be happy to network with and recommend in the future.

Next Steps

If you need any more general guidance as you exit one role for another, or are at the very start of your search for a new opportunity, do give our recruitment specialists a call today.

• Preston: 01772 259121
• Manchester: 0161 9147 357
• Liverpool: 0151 2301 208
• Yorkshire: 0113 3979 929
• Midlands: 0121 2963 819
• London: 0203 7149 446

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal IT personnel to Practice Managers.

Whether you are building your legal team or are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

Embarking on a job search can be an exciting yet daunting journey, not least for legal professionals that may be entering the job market for the first time in years. The process itself is marked by numerous crucial decisions and considerations, whether this is your first legal role after qualification, or a move well into your career.

And, whilst it may be tempting to jump into the process with both feet, it’s always worth taking a small step back, and approach the task at hand with a strategic mindset.

The critical factor here is doing the work needed to get organised and implement your ‘project new role’ plan – even if time is short.

To help kickstart the process, we have outlined an 8-step roadmap, focusing on key actions to take at each stage that can help to make it both easier and significantly enhance your prospects from the get-go.

Step 1: Consider what you want from your new role

Before beginning your job search, it’s important to sit down and have a think about what exactly you’re looking for. You might be instinctively looking for a role that is similar to your current one, or you might have had a change of heart and are looking at a role in a different practice area, or area of specialism. Regardless of what your initial preference might be, it’s important that you take some time to re-evaluate your career progress, goals, how close you are to achieving them and what steps you can take to get you there. Have your priorities changed since you last considered looking for work? If so, what are those boxes your new role should absolutely be ticking career and personal-wise? Having a clear idea of what to look for in your job search will help to make it a much more fruitful venture. 

Step 2: Enlist the help of a specialist

Once you’re set on the direction and purpose of your search, the next logical step is to decide whether to go it alone and spend time researching opportunities in the market, your region, and your practice area and apply to vacancies advertised.

The alternative is to enlist the help of a reputable legal recruitment specialist who will search the market on your behalf, and present you with (often exclusive) roles that are designed to be the absolute best ‘fit’ for you and your requirements from your next employer.

A legal specialist will be particularly helpful if you are aiming to carry out your job search with discretion while currently employed. Not only will they help you do the  above but they can also ensure you are fully informed and in the know about the culture, vision, and values of the firms that you have in mind as well as provide guidance on how best to approach the other parts of the hiring process, including interview preparation, how to handle your notice period, and leave on good terms with your current employer. 

Step 3: Get your documentation in order  

Even in a world where 91% of all employers now use social media as part of their hiring process, the CV/Resume is still one of the most important tools any candidate has.

It is the first thing most employers will look at before even thinking about inviting someone to an interview. It’s also your best chance to immediately introduce your education and experience. Used correctly, your CV can improve your chances of getting the ideal job.

Unless you are searching for your very first legal role, you will need to make some time to update any existing or old documents, adding in your most recent experience and any new skills you’ve picked up (that are relevant for the role you want of course).

When listing previous roles, don’t just describe your responsibilities. Rather use it as an opportunity to showcase results you produced, and can produce for prospective employers by detailing your achievements in the role you’re describing. 

What you want to do here is take this opportunity to convince a hiring manager you’re the right fit for the role in question, and avoid the common mistake of using your CV as a catch-all document for every potential role. If you want to write a killer CV that stands out to prospective employers, it must be relevant to them. Research the firm, look over the job description and make a note of all the important qualities and experiences they value and then, tailor your CV accordingly.  

Step 4: Include a Cover Letter 

At Clayton Legal, we’ve long been advocates of the humble cover letter to create standout for our legal candidates and provide that golden opportunity to add personality and interest in the role, over and above a CV.

Without a cover letter, your job application is just another sheet of paper, or another PDF file on the computer screen – one often lacking in personality and excitement. It is also much more likely to be skimmed over and discarded; worse, not read at all.

However, that’s not to say that any old cover letter will do. Crafting a compelling cover letter seems to be somewhat of a dying art in recent times, and whilst it has certainly evolved, it is still a worthwhile document to have in your job-seeking armoury.

Whilst we have a number of top tips when it comes to cover letter etiquette, in short, keep it short. Keep it readable. Keep it relevant to the job offer. Get someone to check it. Above all, put some serious effort into making sure it’s as good as it possibly can be, as a lack of effort will rarely open the door to an interview.

Step 5: Carry out your due diligence

If you are considering moving into a different practice area, it goes without saying that you need to ensure you do your homework. Find out as much as you can about your chosen area of specialism by thorough research and attending relevant webinars and workshops, and consider what evidence there is to show that a different practice area can actually provide what you’re looking for. Networking can prove incredibly useful to this effect. Leverage professional networks, both online and offline, to connect with individuals that possess a background & experience you could greatly benefit from, and consider joining trade associations and special interest groups to stay informed on what opportunities that switching may or may not provide you. 

If you’re moving into a different kind of role – managerial perhaps, look at a range of job profiles in detail and prepare to demonstrate your suitability and knowledge of what will be involved. Linking this back to your own CV here is key.

Step 6: Get your digital footprint in order 

If you don’t already as a legal professional, ensure that you harness the power of LinkedIn in your job search as it will not only help to expand your network but also help to build a winning personal brand with a presence compelling enough to catch the eye of employers. This is what makes your LinkedIn profile one of the most important assets in your search. As a platform that provides immense value for professional relationships, learning how to utilise it can facilitate eventual life-long connections with potential mentors and employers. 

If you already have a strong online presence (be that on LinkedIn or in a personal capacity on other platforms) you should also make some time to check your digital footprint. Are there any posts or content that you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see? Consider your privacy settings in the very least and give everything a thorough review with fresh eyes (profile pictures, bios etc).

Step 7: Prepare, prepare, prepare

Landing a new role is all about confidence. The more confident you are in yourself, the better chance you have of securing a new position when you get to the all-important interview stage.

This is where preparation is a non-negotiable.

Practising and preparing for potential and/or upcoming interviews equips you with not only the skills, but also the readiness to go into the interview room and effectively communicate your suitability to employers. Begin looking at the most common questions candidates are asked in interviews and draft your answers to match what they’ll be looking for in your responses.

On that note, it is worth practising adjusting your body language and facial expressions as those can often impact the first impression you’re trying to give more than what you actually say, considering it is something hiring managers will also pay particular attention to. There are also common mistakes to avoid in your preparation too, which we delve into here.  

In Conclusion

Entering the job market can be daunting – whether at the start of your career, or part-way through (when you will have been through this process before). And, even if you find yourself back here after many years of employment, don’t assume the steps to success are the same as they always were.

The market continues to evolve for jobseekers and hirers alike – be that from a tech perspective, or the general landscape impacting decisions throughout the process.

That’s where enlisting the help of a specialist recruiter will undoubtedly pay dividends in the long run as they can help to map out your plan of attack, support with your documentation, and really help to elevate your profile in front of your next employer. And, if you’re still a little step behind and just want to weigh up your options, many will be more than happy to chat through market conditions and the opportunities out there at the moment.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

For career-minded legal professionals, performance reviews are an essential part of working life – helping to identify training needs, opportunities for development, ensuring output and objectives are being met, and focus on the next steps and milestones on their career path. 

Before we dive into the tactical side of performance reviews from your perspective as a legal professional, it’s important to understand what a performance review is and why it often goes hand in hand with career planning. This will give you the foundation to use your review more effectively to drive your results, and sense check continually, your progress to the next steps in your legal career.

What is a Performance Review?

A performance review is a two-way conversation between your direct manager and you about your: 

• performance impact, 
• results, 
• development, 
• and growth; 

related to the objectives you were set as part of your onboarding and review process when you joined your firm or each year at annual appraisal time. 

Depending on the size of your firm, it is often a key component of a wider performance management strategy. 

Traditionally, performance reviews have occurred once a year and have focused on evaluating past performance, although many businesses these days tend to have more regular meetings just to make sure everything is on track as you move through the year, and offer the chance for feedback, be that positive or developmental.

The reality is performance conversations can help you improve your performance when both you and your manager engage in the process.

So, let’s look at the benefits of engaging with the performance review process >>>

How Performance Reviews Can Directly Impact Your Performance

Why are performance conversations important? Because they have a significant impact on your success and that of your company too.

Discussing performance isn’t always easy. It may be tough for managers to give feedback, especially if that feedback isn’t as positive as you would like – and more than likely, even harder for you to receive it.

However, a performance review with both parties engaged in the process can make an enormous difference for all concerned.

• It helps you review your objectives and goals – and progress against these.
• It is an opportunity to ask for help with any challenges you face should you need it
• It is an opportune time to get feedback on your work from your direct manager – both positive as well as constructive to help you improve and get even ‘better’ at what you do.

Knowing all the benefits a performance review can bring you as a respected legal professional in your organisation, how can you prepare?

Preparation Is Key

It is worth noting at this juncture that not every line manager you work with will be perfect, especially when it comes to conducting a performance review(this in itself is a discipline that requires training, learning and refining).

The good news is management training has improved dramatically over the last few years, and most managers are better at what they do and are open to receiving feedback from their team on their performance too.

Something to consider as you prepare; your manager is a human being. Today,we all are part of a workplace where everyone is expected to ‘achieve’more because of our available resources.

Your manager is likely to be spinning multiple plates, of which running performance reviews is just one thing on their to-do list; remember they have performance objectives to achieve from their manager in the same way you do.

Come to the review process with the thought that we are all doing our best to achieve the success we all want, and you might be surprised how your performance review proceeds.

In brief, preparation should:

1. Start With The End In Mind

Preparation and planning are the cornerstones of achieving an exceptional performance review.

The well-known leadership author Stephen Covey authored The 7Habits of Highly Effective People – first published in 1989, but still popular today and well worth a read..One of the habits he shared through his research of effective people was to decide what you want to achieve first and work back from there.

Let’s say you are a solicitor who wants to become a partner within your firm. What will you need to demonstrate consistently over the next few months and longer to establish that you are the ideal person for the role?

Achieving your performance objectives will be your first starting point.

You may be reading this report from a different period of your own review process. The key thing to remember is to make sure you know what exceeding and achieving means when it comes to the objectives you have been set.

As an employee of your current company, you will have specific performance objectives to hit and values and behaviours to demonstrate.

The challenge for many people is that they take their objectives at face value without thinking through a plan to achieve or exceed the objectives they are set.

If you aren’t sure of the detail around howto achieve something,talk to your manager, especially if you are new to the firm.

It’s the same when it comes to values and behaviours your company want to see you demonstrate.

Our values and our behaviours drive our actions which drive our results.

For example,the following behaviours might be championed and desired within your law firm >>>

• Accountability
• Flexibility
• Transparency
• Proactivity
• Professionalism

It’s important to understand how you can demonstrate and verbalise how you demonstrate these behaviours with examples if you can. I.e. how can you show you have acted proactively as part of your role, and how can you demonstrate professionalism?

2. The Devil Is In The Data

You have put in the demanding work of planning and prioritising what you need to do to hit your objectives. The next key step is to document evidence of what you are doing and the results you are achieving.

We tend to get diligent about tracking our wins when it’s time to ask for a pay rise. Unfortunately, not everyone takes a disciplined approach to writing down their accomplishments throughout the year.

Start a list, and jot down things that you do well and are achieving as they happen.

Be specific: Did you successfully win a new client, deliver an important presentation to senior partners, offer a helping hand
when a co-worker was swamped, or get a record number of caseloads over the line?

Write it down as you go so that you don’t have to scramble to find examples the night before your review.

3. Ask For Catch-Ups In Advance

In most roles, your line manager is not with you every second of your working day, or rather, monitoring your workload every second. If you do not have regular catch-ups where you are open about how everything is going in your legal role, they will not have the detail at the level you do.

You may or may not have regular catch-ups/mini-reviews with your manager. If regular reviews are not commonplace in your company, be bold and ask for interim conversations. They don’t need to be a formal affair,though they will demonstrate your commitment to the role to your manager and to the wider business.

The beauty of interim conversations like this means that you consistently review past performance so that tweaks can be made and results are achieved. There is nothing worse than turning up to a review and discussing something you didn’t understand or were annoyed about that happened eight months earlier.

4. Be As Prepared As Your Manager

Depending on whether you have managed people yourself, a fact to be aware of is that your manager will appreciate the enthusiasm, honesty, and positivity you bring to the process.

Ask ahead of time for an agenda,the review time frames, and what will be discussed. If this is a more formal yearly review, you should expect and plan in time to prepare.

Your preparation ahead of time and the data you have collected can now be aligned to reviewing your objectives, behaviours, and future goals.

As a rule, your manager will take the lead and ask questions. Here are a few examples of questions they might use >>>

• What results from last month/quarter/year are you most proud of?
•  How did you achieve X, Y or Z?
• What do you think you could improve on?
• What will you stop, start, and continue next month?
• Tell me more about what happened with A, B or C?
• What roadblocks are in your way?
• What impact has your performance had on the company?
• How can I support you as your manager?
• How have you demonstrated our firm’s values of X, Y, and Z?

Many managers we work with as legal recruitment specialists will share their disappointment that team members don’t answer the questions they have been set about their performance or avoid going into detail about their highlights, challenges and what has been happening for them in their role.

5. View All Feedback As A Gift

Some people will no doubt think there is irony in this phrase, yet the truth is how can we improve unless we are given both motivational and development feedback on how we perform, what we are doing well that we could do more of to get better?

Mastering the art of receiving feedback is one of the most important things you can do as a human being.

Receiving praise and recognition is fantastic, and hopefully, your review will have this as its main theme.

However, as human beings,we live in a world where mistakes happen, and it is always a good idea to own yours and share them with your manager.

Ahead of your review, here is a suggestion to make your feedback session run well—document everything you want to share >>>

• What you are doing well and your standout achievements
• Your challenges
• What went wrong for which you were accountable
• How could you improve in your role?
• Your development and training needs
• Ideas you have to improve your own and the firm’s results in the future

6. Ask Questions & Take Notes

Performance conversations should be two-way, so make sure you ask questions and take notes. When your manager makes suggestions on improvements you could make and what you are doing well, write them down.

When it comes to questions, there are a few commons ones that will flow naturally throughout the conversation; if they don’t, make sure you ask them at the end.

• What do you think were my highlights?
• What am I doing well, and where could I improve?
• What does the future hold for me here?Are there opportunities for growth and progression?
• What projects could I be involved with?
• What additional training do you think I need?

You may also wish to use the meeting to talk about about compensation, benefits and work flexibility. Whilst, as the name suggests, the meeting is designed to revolve around your‘performance’ against your goals and objectives, you may also wish to ask yourself ahead of the date:

• Am I being underpaid for my current role or could the changes in the market mean I could earn
  more? Does my performance impact this?
• If I want to develop and grow, will my employer support these ambitions? Or, do I need to make a
  move?
• Realistically, I can deliver the objectives of my role working from home or in a hybrid role, so will my
  company be flexible?

All good questions to ask, which takes us back to the start of the guide; decide what you want now. We are in a unique hiring market at the moment, and as a high performing legal professional, you have many options open to you,which starts with a conversation with your manager.

As an experienced legal recruiter, we ask all the candidates who come to us for career advice if they have discussed what they want with their current manager first. Performance reviews are as good a vehicle as any to have open, frank conversations about not only your performance, but also where this puts you on your career path more generally.

A recent article by LifeLabs Learning focuses on the ‘paradigm shift’ in the world of performance reviews,where the objective has moved from‘correction or reward’ to amore holistic review of progress whilst also monitoring general engagement, putting career aspirations at the centre.

Whilst they can be daunting, reviews should also be viewed as an opportunity to shine – highlighting your achievements and ways you have met or exceeded your objectives. They also give you the chance to look at the future,talk about your ambition, and those all important next steps.

And, Finally

It goes without saying that if conversations about your future career with your current employer are leaving you feeling a little underwhelmed, it may very well be the turning point to consider your options more widely.

Wherever you are in your career journey, it is a good idea to periodically analyse your current position depending on where you want to be.When you dig a little deeper, is everything on track and working out as you expected?Or do you need to make some changes in order to meet your goals?

To help you measure if your legal career is progressing as you envisaged when you started out, we recently created a simple checklist to provide you with a snapshot of whether you’re on the right track.

And, if the results have prompted you to think harder about what your current role and company are providing you with, and perhaps made you realise that now is time for a change, then get in touch with Clayton Legal today. Our experienced team can help you in deciding what step to take next to further your legal career, and back on track with your own ambitions and goals.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

When the time comes in your legal career to think about a move to pastures new, the steps involved to kickstart the process are generally conventional and familiar to most.

The first step, of course, is to decide whether to go it alone and spend time researching opportunities in the market, your region, and your practice area and apply to vacancies advertised.

The alternative is to enlist the help of a reputable legal recruitment specialist who will search the market on your behalf, and present you with (often exclusive) roles that are designed to be the absolute best ‘fit’ for you and your requirements from your next employer.

Either way, there are usually a number of steps you yourself will need to take to ensure you are prepped and ready to apply for roles that pique your interest.

Designing a CV with Clout

It goes without saying that the most important document in your job-seeking armoury will be your CV – although a cover letter and possibly a video pitch may also be required depending on the role in question and the expectations of the hiring firm.

CVs are not a new concept. Far from it.

This document has been connecting qualified candidates with their ideal roles for centuries. In fact, according to The National Careers Service, the first curriculum vitae emerged in 1482 – written by a certain Leonardo Da Vinci when he applied for a local painting job.

The nature, style, and general role of the CV has changed since then, however. Whilst connections and status were crucial components of the CVs of yesteryear, these days there is more focus on skills, relevant experience, and demonstrable results that highlight capability.

Whilst much continues to be written about the usefulness of this document, for now at least, they remain a vital platform to market yourself as the right candidate for the role.

Mastering the Basics

A hiring manager, Partner, or HR professional will often skim-read a CV before making a snap ‘go/no-go’ decision about whether to progress to the next stage. This means the basic information needs to pop and jump out of the page.

The overriding objective should be to demonstrate suitability for the role in question, and ideally, the document should flex if you’re applying to more than one at a time – ensuing each is tailored to the specifics.

There are many guides as to what to include on your CV, but in our experience (of nearly 25 years and counting), the basic elements include:

1. Up-to-date contact information
2. Clear, concise formatting and layout
3. Accurate grammar and spelling – a non-negotiable
4. Selling points – achievements, relevance, USPs, experience (if it is relevant!)
5. Facts and evidence
6. Personality – what are your interests, passions, values?

Putting Pen To Paper

There are no two ways about it. Crafting a well-honed CV is a skill, and whilst you may be the most qualified and relevant individual in the pile of applications, failure to ‘sell’ yourself adequately may mean you are overlooked.

The Internet is saturated with ‘how-to’ guides, layout templates, and more recently, tools that utilise AI to write your CV for you (although the jury is still out on the effectiveness of this).

But mastering the basics is only the first part of the task in hand. You need to pay careful attention to the language you use as you highlight your skills and relevance – being mindful of cliches, hyperbole, and baseless language that actually could hinder your progress in the long run.

Cut The Cliches

The copy on your CV has to work hard to sell ‘you’, your relevant skills and experience, and give an initial indication of what you are like as a person and potential employee.

It can be tempting to fall into the trap of peppering your document with well-known cliches – in fact, you may not be aware that the phrases that spring to mind are even cliches in the first place. But taking time to weed out these overused (and often baseless) phrases may get your document to the top of the pile.

Here are the top 7 overused phrases that we come across, that you may wish to rethink (and suggestions of when, how, and why they need a little more care and attention)

1. Hardworking and motivated: Your CV should have detail throughout that highlights specific accomplishments, experiences, and contributions that show your dedication and work ethic. This could be successful cases or settlements you have secured for clients, billable hours and productivity metrics, or even additional certification and training you have undertaken to enhance your skills and knowledge.

2. Excellent communication skills: Again, consider how to showcase your communication abilities through specific achievements or experiences. Have you been a keynote speaker at a firm event for example, or run an internal forum? Are you involved in pitching for new business, or act as spokesperson for your current firm with the media? All are demonstrable examples that showcase the skill in question.

3. Team player: Undeniably, employers will want to hire individuals that collaborate and work well with others – but dropping this statement on with little substantiation is pretty meaningless. Again, look for ways to bring this to life with concrete instances of teamwork. Have you worked as a team on a particularly complex legal case? Do you undertake any pro bono initiatives, or are part of a professional ‘group’ outside of the day job that involves working with others? All are great examples of how teamwork is pervasive in a law firm.

4. Detail-oriented: Whatever your practice area specialism, this skill is crucial in the legal profession as it can significantly impact the outcome of cases, the accuracy of legal documents, and the overall quality of legal services provided to clients, Highlighting instances where your attention to detail made a difference is key – whether that work is in document review, part of an M&A transaction, or in compliance or regulatory matters.

5. Results-driven: This phrase is most certainly over-used (usually with no examples of said ‘results’) yet there are other variances that can also demonstrate the same point. ‘Achievement-oriented’, ‘goals focused’, and ‘outcome-driven’ are more specific and impactful. Are you able to talk about case-management here, or strategic planning utilised to get the best possible result for your client and firm? Examples, again, are key.

6. Works well under pressure: Legal professionals often encounter high-pressure situations, and the ability to work effectively in such conditions is an attractive trait to a future employer. Instead of just dropping this phrase on with no explanation is a big no-no however. Instead, discuss how you handled challenging situations and tight deadlines; your involvement in high-profile cases, or how you adapted to unexpected developments and had to adjust your strategy.

7. Exceptional organisational skills: Most roles in a law firm require some level of organisation, whether that’s managing your own case files, a team of other legal professionals, or preparing for a trial. By using specific examples, especially those that are relevant to the role you are applying for, you provide concrete evidence of your capabilities and enhance the effectiveness of your CV and profile.

In Conclusion

Crafting an impressive CV requires going beyond generic statements and cliches and instead presenting a compelling narrative of your professional journey. By showcasing specific, relevant, and quantifiable evidence of your skills and accomplishments, you can create a CV that stands out and captures the attention of potential employers or clients.

If you have enlisted the help of a specialist legal recruiter for your job search, you will often find that your consultant will help to review your CV and role applications to ensure they stay on track, and work hard to move you further along in the process. Of course, the other benefit here is that the recruiter will further help to demonstrate your suitability verbally to those responsible for hiring – enhancing your profile far beyond a 2-3 page printed document.

And finally, even if some of the highlighted statements do creep in (even verbally as you move to interview stage) remember to always use concrete examples and measurable outcomes to demonstrate your abilities, skill, and above all, why YOU are the firm’s next hire.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced Legal specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

You’ve just received that long-awaited phone call or email offering you the job – and the feeling of accomplishment and excitement will no doubt wash over you, as you envision yourself thriving in your new position and share the news with family and friends. The news of a job offer is certainly one worth celebrating, especially if the process has been particularly long-winded or time-consuming, but the jubilations are just part of what’s involved in making a smooth transition from your current role to a new one.

Taking a momentary step back and some time to prepare for this transition phase is important, especially as there are key milestones and activities to take care of before you embark on day one of the new role.

Review the offer in detail

In most cases, an offer of employment is delivered via a phone call, or video and is classed as a ‘verbal offer’. And, whilst you may feel you need to give an immediate response when discussing the role face to face, it may be prudent to say thank you, indicate you are excited about the proposition, and ask when the firm would like a response by.

You will need some time to review the offer of employment in full, especially as the intricacies and any T&Cs will be sent via a more formal written document for you to review.

The ‘written offer’ should detail things such as salary, benefits including holiday entitlement, bonuses and working arrangements. If anything is missing or you need clarity, don’t be afraid of reaching back out to the contact at the firm to ask for this information.

Communicate With Your Legal Recruiter

If you have used the services of a recruitment agency in the process of looking for a new role, you will find that offer management is one of the key areas where this relationship will really pay off. At this point, your recruiter will have a good idea of your non-negotiables concerning things like remuneration, benefits package, and preferred working arrangements. Good recruiters will also have conducted a deep dive at the start of the process into what career progression looks like in the medium- and long-term, and the credentials of an employer that are a good fit with you culturally.

It may be that the recruiter is the one that communicates the offer with you directly – but either way, talking it over, comparing what the T&Cs look like compared to your initial requirements is always easier when you have a specialist to talk through options of what happens next – whether that’s acceptance, reject, or entering into negotiations.

Recruitment Process Pipeline – Closing Things Off

After a review of the offer and any necessary negotiation, if you have reached the exciting decision to accept, it’s best practice to inform any other recruiters or contacts at law firms you are interviewing with that you are duly pulling out of the recruitment process with themselves.

It shouldn’t have to take up too much of your time, but a simple email or call advising that you have accepted an offer elsewhere will suffice and means that everyone is kept in the loop in the spirit of transparency and good manners.

You may also at this stage wish to review any live CV’s you have with things like job boards online, or switch off your ‘open to work’ banner on LinkedIn – if nothing else than to avoid being contacted about other roles in this period as you focus on the one in question.

That being said, it is wise to avoid changing your actual job status online until you have started with your new employer.

Giving Your Notice & Handline Your Current Employer

On the subject of notice periods…should it be applicable to you, they are an aspect of your exit process that you can’t afford to neglect, as you will likely still have obligations to fulfil and a job to do in ensuring you leave a lasting (good) impression on colleagues and managers. Some mutual respect and diplomacy on your part should help avoid a tricky situation and a messy end to your time there. The following tips can help to manage the responsibilities involved in the process:

• Be respectful when giving your notice. A long list of your employer’s shortcomings will do nothing to make your exit process easier and will burn bridges faster than you can say ‘gasoline’. Have a face-to-face conversation with your direct manager first before relaying the news to anyone else, outlining what has led to your decision to leave and the finer details involved in their leaver process, before following up in writing.
• Help prepare for your departure through a thorough handover. Giving clear and detailed instructions on where and how best to pick up from where you left off, even on caseloads or projects that are ongoing will go a long way in demonstrating your professionalism to your employer and will make the transition smoother for your successor.
• Your workload may decrease as you hand over cases and cease to take on new ones. However, under no circumstances should you slack off. You didn’t start your time with the firm that way, so don’t end it that way.

Remember, the legal industry is tightly connected, and the last thing you want reaching your employer’s ears is any unsavoury news about them or the firm.

Counteroffers: What To Do If One Is On The Table?

Receiving a counteroffer from your current employer may seem like a dream come true. You hand in your notice and then the managing partners at your firm offer you a pay rise and a host of concessions that you had only dreamed about until now. Wonderful! No need to move after all.

Unfortunately, counteroffers are not the solution they often appear to be at first, and yet, statistics show that only 5% of all counteroffers are declined. Considering firms are doing everything they can to hold onto talent, rather than replace it, in a market filled with uncertainty, is a counteroffer really the answer to your prayers?

Only you can answer that. Think long and hard before accepting a counteroffer. Will this counteroffer help you achieve your personal or professional goals? Will it remove the doubts you had about your future with the firm? Will extra cash in the pay packet compensate for an unhelpful culture and work environment or the lack of time available for the family for most of the week? If your answers to these questions are not hard and fast ‘Yeses’, politely declining the offer may be better.

Preparing For Your Next Challenge – Rest and Reset

In addition to the practical aspects of the preparation you’ll likely already have done for day one of your new job, getting yourself in the right frame of mind in order to hit the ground running is also crucial. Whether you take some time off for a holiday or just use a weekend between roles to recharge, allow yourself time to mentally disengage from your previous job. If you’re struggling to settle the nerves, reflecting on any work highlights of your previous role, and how this has helped to make you the successful candidate can be a good confidence booster. Arriving with a positive, can-do attitude can and will make all the difference to your first day and beyond.

The Best Job Offer? The One That’s Best For You

Ultimately, the best job offer is one that meets your needs – and it is likely that you had a list of requirements (including non-negotiables) when you started the process. How does the offer compare?

Is the remuneration package in line with what you were looking for? Does the role allow you to work three days a week? Can you work from home or from a regional office, rather than a central HQ if that was your preference? You are in the best position to answer those questions and find the right path for you, yet a specialist legal recruiter could be the guide you need to get you there.

So, if you’re struggling to get the offers you want, need some guidance around offer negotiation, or have rejected the offer on the table and are starting the process again – we can help.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

Click here to speak to one of our experienced Legal specialists or call 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

Starting a new chapter in your career can feel daunting at the best of times. Throw in a backdrop of socio-political and economic instability, a cost-of-living crisis, and even the impact of things like the ongoing war in Ukraine – and it may seem wiser to sit tight and ride it out.

That being said, putting your longer-term career goals on hold is rarely a smart move, especially if you are unhappy in your current role, feel frustrated at the lack of progression opportunities, or need a new challenge that fits in with your ambition.

Despite the volatile market conditions that were felt across most sectors in Q4 2022, and encroached brazenly on the first few months of this year, there are some green shoots of good news that appear to be having an effect on the renewed appetite of hiring managers.

This then presents an excellent opportunity for those in search of their next role to take that first step towards achieving their career goals, and capitalise on the hunt for top talent in the job market.

And,  whilst it is our job to shout from the rooftops why legal professionals should use the services of a recruitment consultant to give them a tangible step up and competitive advantage, now more than ever, those who are tapping into the sector expertise of agencies are reaping the benefits and continuing their own journeys of career progression.

Market Overview

Recruitment Consultants have a vested interest in understanding the sector in which you (and by extension, they) operate, and because of the trusted position that they have with Clients, they will undoubtedly be able to offer you market insight, practice-specific guidance as well as trends and activity they are experiencing in the recruitment cycle. Good agencies will have an in-depth knowledge of firms within your sector too – from Magic- and Silver-Circle Firms in the City to Boutique and High Street practices in more rural areas, a Consultant will be able to offer you impartial and professional guidance on the market as part of a truly consultative relationship that ensures you are fully armed and aware of your options.

Time better invested

We know from talking to our legal candidates that the legal sector is still somewhat notorious for long hours and overtime, and although the sentiment around flexible working has changed, with companies more willing to offer a greater degree of flexibility to their employees, the lines between family and work life are now increasingly blurred.

Therefore, finding time to invest in job hunting is a big ask, even with the world of technology, multiple job boards and social media channels at your fingertips. There is no doubt that a good recruitment consultant will want to take time to understand your CV and experience inside out; your skills, your drivers for wanting to leave your current role, and ultimately your aspirations and goals – but this should be an investment that will pay dividends in better representing you in the market. Agencies that keep you updated on progress, whatever the outcome, are worth their weight in gold and should allow you to have confidence that they will search the market for roles that are the best fit on all fronts- freeing up time for you to focus on preparing for interviews and the sharper end of the process that will hopefully lead to an offer.

Access to the inside track

As the job market picks up, the volume in the digital world of job ads is cranked up – and can often be overwhelming, repetitive and vague. You may find as a candidate that you see the same role advertised in numerous places, or that the job description is so ambiguous you are left unsure if it’s a good fit. A recruitment consultant will not only help to cut through the noise but will also be able to furnish you with the finer detail of roles advertised far beyond a job spec. Culture, values, and ‘fit’ are hard to articulate in written ads, but recruitment consultants have often long-established relationships with clients and can offer you the inside track on them as a potential employer.

In addition, many recruitment agencies will often have roles on exclusively – they have been entrusted to fill those positions by clients who recognise their expertise in the market – and in turn, as a job seeker utilising the services of the agency, you will have access to roles often before they hit joe public; giving you a head start on your own competition in the candidate pool.

Practical support with the basics – refined by experts.

Consultants know a good CV when they see one – and they see a lot. Even those working in professional services often benefit from practical tips on CV improvements and enhancements, particularly when making them bespoke to the role you are applying for. Take on board any guidance around interview preparation for particular clients to give you a fighting chance, as well as practical advice around the much-accelerated virtual hiring experiences being adopted by Recruitment Agencies and Law Firms alike in recent months.

The human touch

A professional Recruitment Agency should, in this day in age, have a world-class ‘tech stack’ that tangibly benefits their Clients and Candidates. Whether that is through systems that produces better matches between roles and candidate profiles or allows candidates to bring their professional profile to life – technology undoubtedly can aid the recruitment cycle and chance of success.

That being said, overwhelmingly where Recruitment Consultants excel is the personal touch that you get from speaking candidly, confidentially and openly with another person. Moving jobs can be draining, and whilst they may have their part to play, automatic job alerts and the like, pinging into your inbox just won’t offer the emotional support and empathy that you get from Consultants who are fully emersed and experienced in the recruitment cycle and all its nuances.

Salesperson, Negotiator, Arbitrator.

Recruitment Consultants are unashamedly sales-trained and commercially minded, and when you take those skills and couple them with a deep-rooted understanding of their clients, the result is professional representation from someone who knows how to sell ‘you’ – your experience, skill set, competencies and values – and leverage those elements with the non-negotiables of the client.

Moreover, once an offer is on the table, your Consultant will act as negotiator (sometimes arbitrator) with the Client in order to not only cover off some of the basics like remuneration and package, but set expectations around notice periods, start dates and the finer details of your contract. All without you having to have any forced or awkward conversations at the early stage in your relationship.

Service-led support throughout relationship

Support for legal professionals does not end once an offer has been accepted either. Many agencies will proactively offer guidance if required around resignation, how to combat counteroffers, and keep lines of communication open between all parties as you work your notice or are put on garden leave.

Agencies that offer real added value to both clients and candidates will also build on the relationship you have built as you start your new role, and beyond – again, offering impartial guidance on passing probation, wider networking and professional development opportunities.

Conclusion

Whilst the world is still arguably finding its feet again after the pandemic and seismic shifts on attitudes concerning the world of work, we are seeing real confidence once again in the UK legal sector with firms that are committed to their growth strategies and bringing in talent that supports their vision. As demand outstrips supply in several practice areas, legal professionals who are now thinking beyond notice periods will find that now is a good time to strike and take action.

If you would like to speak to us confidentially about market conditions, opportunities in your practice area or geographical region, or if you are actively looking for a role and would like us to help give you that competitive edge, we would love to speak to you. Contact us here or call the office on 01772 259121 for more information on how our exceptional recruitment experience can help your career aspirations.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

“Burnout Is Nine Tenths Of The Law”

This old saying arguably still rings true in the 21st century when ‘stress’ and ‘burnout’ were often perceived to come with the turf as a lawyer, long before anyone had even heard of Covid-19, and the seismic changes that brought to the workplace.

There are numerous reports, research, and insight that indicates the burnout crisis has actually worsened over the past few years – driven by the blurring of boundaries between personal and work life as emails and calls are answered out-of-hours, and working from home often means working around the clock.

Solicitors and other legal professionals are acutely aware of the negative impacts of an overworked lifestyle, as seen from the results of a survey done by Legatics, with over 25% of lawyers stating that they experience burnout on a daily basis. With increasing caseloads and long working hours, stress can creep up and lead to burnout for those who don’t take measures to maintain their work-life balance, and address the warning signs head on.

Of course, sometimes that’s easier said than done. When legal professionals are engaged in their work, they are invested in their law firm and more likely to work harder towards their goals. However, they can also fall victim to the workaholic culture that is rooted in this field and feel pressured to ’soldier on’ at the risk of their own well-being.

By their very nature, legal professionals are perfectionists, high-achievers and undoubtedly ambitious – yet LawCare, a non profit organisation for the legal sector, reported that ‘stress’ is the top reason people within this sector called their helpline.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the signs of burnout and the steps you can take to avoid it.

But before we do, it’s worth defining the difference between stress and burnout. Although often used simultaneously, they are very different things.

The Difference Between Stress and Burnout

It’s essential to know the difference between stress and burnout.

Stress is common to all of us and can be caused by anything from dealing with your end of month deadlines, to delivering a case to court or pitching for a new client.

In other words, stress can kick in when we have a little more on our plate than usual, and often with timely deadlines. Sometimes this can be a good thing as it provides the motivation to get the job done – good stress as the name implies helps you perform well in a challenging situation, because it wires the brain in a positive way, leading to stronger neural networks and greater resilience.

However, burnout is something different.

Burnout is a complete inability to function, even on a fundamental level. Exhaustion, disillusionment and despair are vital signs, and it is common for sufferers not even to have the will to get out of bed.

Additionally, burnout can take a long time to recover from, and so it’s critical to maintain your mental health in the workplace to ensure you are working at peak performance: for yourself, your team, and your firm.

Who Is At Risk?

‘You can only “burnout” if you have been “alight” in the first place’. (Mindtools)

Anyone can become exhausted. But did you know that burnout mainly strikes people who are highly committed to their work?

Burnout often happens to high achievers – the individuals who relentlessly volunteer for additional caseloads or to stay late regularly to help prepare reports.

The nature of high performers also means that they are happy to help others – all adding to the weight of their work. From mentoring Paralegals to ‘just helping Dan get this table centred on his document’ – these additional tasks may be small things, but they will start to chip away at the individual’s ability to cope.

The Signs of Burnout

Are you at risk from burnout at work? Here are the signs to watch out for:

You have an excessive workload:

•  Too much work on your plate leads to longer hours, poor diet, little sleep and low energy, which manifests as stress and soon leads to mental and physical exhaustion.

Your get up and go has gone:

• You just can’t be bothered with the things that used to interest you. And not only at work – but socially too.

Your stress response is heightened:

• Normally calm and considered, you have a short fuse as your stress levels rise. You may become prone to angry outbursts and a personality shift.

You’re experiencing severe exhaustion:

•  You can barely summon up the energy to get up in the morning and have no desire to get dressed and go to work. This goes beyond low motivation; the very thought of having to get out of bed and go to the office can make you feel physically ill.

You feel cynical

• Your previously positive attitude dissolves into a feeling that everything is meaningless. The things that used to motivate you – pride in a good job, inspirational colleagues, ambition to do well in your career – all now seem pointless.

You have dark thoughts

• Burnout can take your mind to a bad place. The belief that you can’t change how you currently feel can leave you fearing the worst-case scenarios.

Avoiding Burnout

There’s no getting away from the fact that burnout is extremely serious, and much more than just a case of being ‘a bit stressed’ at work. If you, or a colleague, is exhibiting any of the above signs, now is the time to deal with them.

1. Rediscover Your Why

‘Why’ Look at the impact of the work you do and the positive effect it has on other lives. The PERMA model can help bring meaning to your life. If you think you are in the wrong role, maybe now is the time to consider a move and rediscover your passion for what you do.

2. Reassess Your Workload

What do you need to do, and what is additional? Reassess your role to identify what is essential and what you can delegate to cut out the excess. If necessary, schedule time with your Senior Partner to discuss reallocating non-essential work.

3. Exercise

From a yoga session to taking up squash, whatever floats your boat is good for the psyche. Building in time to exercise can not only increase your health but provide additional benefits such as positivity and energy, as well as contribute to a better night’s sleep.

4. Readdress Your Work-Life Balance

Make time to spend away from the office with friends and family. Doing something you love – maybe something creative or just relaxing – will help you perform more effectively when you are at work, as well as improve your work-life balance.

5. Manage Your Stress

Mindfulness techniques can help with short-term stress. A regular five- or ten-minute meditation will clear your neural pathways and calm your breathing, enabling you to tackle projects and caseloads more efficiently.

6. Think Positively

A fascinating body of research by the Harvard Business Review indicated that re-labelling negative stress emotions as something positive can help you see things in a positive light, rather than a negative pressure.

So, fear becomes anticipation, flustered becomes excited, and dread becomes caution.

In Conclusion

Whilst burnout isn’t classed as a medical diagnosis, it was classified in 2019 as an ‘occupational phenomenon’ by the World Health Organisation (WHO); a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.

And whilst working within the legal profession can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be overwhelming and stressful by its very nature.

This feeling of overwhelm, stress, and eventual burnout does not happen overnight, and whilst it can be a serious problem if left unchecked, recognising the warning signs and taking action early on is key.

What Next?

If you found this article informative, check out more of our blogs written primarily for the legal profession, or if you’re looking for that ideal legal role, check out the vacancies we have available.

For further tips or advice, call our team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal IT personnel to Practice Managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

At Clayton Legal, we’ve long been advocates of the humble cover letter to create standout for our Legal candidates and provide that golden opportunity to add personality and interest in the role, over and above a CV. Although there is often some debate about the usefulness and relevance of this format. In fact, according to some recent research that we conducted within our legal network, 45% think they are no longer necessary…

The pandemic undoubtedly accelerated the use of technology as part of the hiring and recruitment process, and candidate profiles were (and continue to be) further enhanced through video and other digital platforms that allow all parties to explore role profiles and best fit, particularly when face-to-face interviews were largely paused, and are no longer the ‘standard’ anymore.

What is clear is that any format that provides junior lawyers chance to demonstrate suitability for specific roles and illustrate relevant skills and experience can only be an advantage – especially in creating stand out.

In short, they are a golden opportunity to introduce yourself, highlight your most desirable skills, and create a good impression to either/both your legal recruiter or the hiring manager of the firm(s) in question.

So why on earth are they so often skimmed over – or even worse, left out altogether?

Without a cover letter, your job application is just another sheet of paper, or another PDF file on the computer screen – one often lacking in personality and excitement.

And you know what? That’s fine: after all, the CV’s function is to list experience and skills. Your cover letter is there to add interest.

Without a cover letter, your CV is much more likely to be skimmed over and discarded. It might not even be read at all – almost certainly the case if the job description has asked for a cover letter to be included.

However, that’s not to say that any old cover letter will do.  There’s an art to writing a good cover letter – one that will make a recruiter straighten in their seat and think, ‘hmm, this person looks interesting.’

WHAT TO INCLUDE AND WHAT TO LEAVE OUT OF A LEGAL COVER LETTER 

• Write your cover letter in the first person. When you’ve written your first draft, check over it and you’ll probably find that you’ve started every single sentence with ‘I’. Go back and reword some of the sentences so that they have variation in how they begin – it makes the cover letter read better and will increase the impact.

• Mix it up and write different cover letters for different organisations. Personalisation is key and always gets noticed. Your legal recruitment consultant can help you with this. For each legal job application, scour the job ad to look at the particular skills or competencies they’re seeking. Write your cover letter to tell them how your skills and experiences fit what they are looking for. Include why you want to work for their company too.

• Remember not to ramble: If it’s a big block of text crammed onto one page, then you put the person off ever reading it at all. Four to six very short paragraphs are the perfect length.

• Ensure you create white space between each major piece of information, so that it is easy to read and pick out the critical parts. In today’s online world many cover letters could be read on mobile so factor this in too.

• Use straightforward, clean language; you are a legal professional after all. Complex language can be a headache for the reader and confuses the message – i.e. why you’re the ideal person for the role.

• Break overly long sentences into shorter ones, then read it aloud and see how it sounds.

• Put all your contact details on the cover letter. If you are unavailable to take calls during working hours, advise when is suitable.

• Make sure you mention the name of the company in the body of the cover letter and demonstrate that you have done your research on the company in some way. This marks the application out as targeted and that you care enough to make your application stand out.

• Strike a balance. Every company enjoys being flattered. While you want to demonstrate you are the right person for the role, be aware you don’t come across as sounding desperate.

• Don’t send your letter without having someone read over it for spelling and grammar mistakes. Of course, run it through spellcheck first, but that won’t always pick up homophones such as ‘their and there’ or ‘your and you’re’.

• Put real thought into what the reader might find interesting about you, your work experience, your interests and your personality.

In short, keep it short. Keep it readable. Keep it relevant to the job offer. Get someone to check it. Above all, put some serious effort into making sure it’s as good as it possibly can be, as a lack of effort will rarely open the door to an interview.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help.
Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

Deciding to leave your current legal employer often feels like a big step. A new role can be intimidating, with new people to meet, processes to learn, and challenges to overcome. Not to mention, the process of searching for a new role can be daunting too.

While jumping from job to job aimlessly may not deliver the results you’re looking for, there are times when switching to a new employer can be very beneficial. In some cases, finding a new job comes with the advantages of a better firm culture, improved benefits, and new opportunities.

What’s more, with endless opportunities now available on the market, candidates have more options than ever before. Around 96% of employees globally say they’re thinking of starting a new position in 2023 according to a recent poll by Monster.com. So, how do you know if you should follow suit?

The key to success is making sure you’re taking this step for all the right reasons. Here’s how you can decide if it’s the right time to leave your current law firm.

1. Look at Opportunities for Growth

The best legal roles open the door to endless development and professional growth. To achieve your career goals, you need to ensure your current employer is committed to helping you expand, thrive, and succeed in the years to come.

Even if you’re relatively happy with your role as it stands today, a lack of development opportunities could mean you start to feel bored, restricted, or stunted.

• Ask yourself if there are any “next steps” available in your current role.
• What kind of approach does your employer take to promotions?
• Can you work towards a higher-paying, more challenging role?
• Are there any educational opportunities available to help you build transferable skills?

If your employer doesn’t allow you to gain certifications, attend conferences, or even explore opportunities for upward movement in the firm, it might be time to look elsewhere.

2. Ask Yourself if the Culture Meets Your Needs

Firm culture is more than just a buzzword. Several recent polls on LinkedIn indicate that over 80% of job seekers say they think a healthy culture at work is vital for success. When you first joined your law firm, you may have been relatively happy with the culture in place.

However, as you continue to grow as a professional, you might find that your priorities begin to change. For instance, if you’re looking for remote or flexible working options to allow you to manage any new family responsibilities, you may need to find a law firm with a more agile culture.

In some cases, the culture in a firm can also deteriorate over time. The leadership team there may stop actively investing in employee happiness and well-being, and new leaders and managers could start to create uncomfortable working environments. If you’re not happy with the culture, you’ll struggle to thrive in your role.

3. Watch for Signs of Burnout

If your current employer doesn’t invest a lot of time and effort into supporting employee wellbeing, you may begin to notice the repercussions in the form of physical and mental symptoms. Employee burnout has become increasingly common in recent years, due to inefficient work processes, a lack of stability, and complex digital transformations.

If you’re constantly feeling exhausted at work, taking more days off to care for yourself or find yourself dealing with excessive feelings of anxiety or stress, you could be on the verge of burnout.

Not only is burnout detrimental to your health, but it could impact your performance in the workplace, meaning your professional reputation begins to deteriorate. Speak to your employer about ways of tackling burnout before you consider leaving. If they can’t help, it might be time to look for a new legal role.

4. Consider Your Engagement and Motivation Levels

Many of us have days at work when we’d rather be at home with our families. Wishing you were elsewhere or watching the clock from time to time doesn’t necessarily mean you should leave your legal employer. However, if you never feel motivated, or you’re constantly disinterested in the work you’re doing, this could be a sign you’re in the wrong place.

Ask yourself what prompts you to go to work each morning.

• Are you inspired by the vision of the firm?
• Do you feel a connection to the values they share?
• Or are you just trying to earn a pay-check?

If you don’t feel motivated to continue doing your best, your work quality could begin to suffer, which puts you at risk of repercussions later on.

If you’re no longer passionate about the work you’re doing, or the firm itself, it might be time to look for a role where you feel more engaged and excited about your position.

5. Are You Using Your Full Potential

Sometimes, even roles with clear job descriptions don’t turn out to deliver the experience we expected. Over time, your current position might evolve, to the point where you’re doing more of the tasks you dislike, and less of the jobs you feel inspired and motivated by.

While you don’t have to love every aspect of your job to be successful in your role, you should feel as though you have the opportunity to showcase your skills and reach your full potential. If your talents aren’t being utilised properly by your current employer, you might start to feel restless and unhappy in your job.

Before you leave your role, you could always consider asking your manager for opportunities to do more of the things you like or take on new challenges. However, if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut with no way out, it might be time for a change. To help gain more clarity on your career journey, we have put together a career checklist that you can use in conjunction with the above steps, which you can access here.

6. Consider the Feedback Experience

Finally, in order to succeed in any legal role, employees need regular feedback and guidance. You should be getting advice from your managers and supervisors on how you can improve your skills and boost your professional outcomes, so you can continue to grow.

At the same time, it’s important to feel as though you’re being recognised for your work. If your leaders never say “thank you” when you do a good job, and they’re terrible at providing rewards and recognition, then you’re more likely to feel unsatisfied in your role.

Again, you can consider speaking to your boss or HR team about your concerns, but don’t simply accept the sense of being “invisible”. Make sure you can feel like an active and appreciated part of your team, by looking for the right role.

Is it Time to Switch Employers?

There are countless reasons why an employee might choose to switch to a different legal role over time. While leaving your current job can be daunting, it can also be an important step in making sure you achieve your true potential and accomplish your professional goals.

If you think it might be time to seek out a new position, reaching out to a legal recruitment agency such as ourselves can be a big help in finding the right opportunities. They’ll be able to assist you in finding a position that offers the salary, benefits, support, development, and culture you’re looking for. If you’re looking to speak to our team and get your legal career back on track, you can contact us using this form here.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.