09 Dec Legal Support, time for a change?
The Summer holidays is when many of us take the time to reassess and make plans for the year that is about to start. No doubt after the year we have had, there will be a lot of people taking time to assess all aspects of their lives over the break.
The legal support and shared services job market is most certainly making a fast return; in particular, business development, HR and paralegal roles. Legal secretary opportunities are also making a strong comeback in some practice areas – most notably, in defendant insurance, commercial disputes and employment – and we expect the other practice areas to follow in the coming months.
We believe that unlike the usually quiet January period, many firms will be keen to get organised quickly for what is looking like a busy year ahead in the legal sector. With that in mind, if a new job is something you are considering, as part of the “New Year, New You” for 2021 we suggest taking the time over the break to get yourself ready to be open to the opportunities as they present themselves.
A few helpful tips to set you up:
- Reflect: Take time to consider what you enjoy, and what you don’t enjoy, about your current role. What are your non-negotiables in a new job and what is just on the wish list?! Many people are asking for more flexibility in their jobs but what does flexibility mean to you? For example, is it working from home for 2 days each week or the flexibility to do so occasionally?
- Research: Take time to make sure you are being realistic not just going on word of mouth and/or rumour. Have you looked at salary guides to find out the banding relevant to your firm and role? Look at what kind of firms will allow for the career growth you are after and consider if you need to complete further studies. Also, contact your favourite recruiter, we can give you more tailored insights to the specific areas you are considering and tell you about the market in that space.
- Resume: Prepare and review your resume while you have the time. Balancing work and a job search can be difficult, so take the time to make sure your resume is updated. Don’t just add the most recent events to it, but check the past details are still relevant (remember resumes DON’T have to be 2 pages or less). Make sure you update not just where you worked but that you have added the extras – any courses/certificates you have completed, any new systems or technologies you have used, any volunteer/committee work you have done etc. Please make sure to check the format is clear and easy to read, and spelling and grammar also counts… it should go without saying that attention to detail on your own resume is a must!
- LinkedIn: For those who don’t have a profile, create one! Many firms and recruitment agencies are advertising more and more for roles on LinkedIn’s job platform; and of course, it is also a great way to get a feel for the company and see who works there. Once you have a profile, make sure your picture is “corporate” and not from your Instagram account! Make sure your profile is up to date with your current and past experience, and has a sentence or two about your current role. Additionally, including the details of the practice areas, who and how many people you work for, the systems you use etc. will mean if someone looks at your profile, it reflects your resume. It is also allows recruiters and employers to identify you for future opportunities that aren’t even advertised!
- Alert: Once you are ready to go, let us know! We can then take over the heavy lifting and be the ones to let you know when roles at firms of interest are coming up.
2021 is hopefully going to be the complete opposite of 2020, full of opportunity and less crazy! So take the time over the break to get ready to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves in the coming months!
