Many of the lawyers who approach me do so on the recommendation of a friend or colleague who has already been to see me. Each year these referrals increase and I am very pleased that this is the case. Given the nature of our business we do not have the big budgets or multi-site operations to justify expensive advertising campaigns. In some ways though I consider it a positive that I do not have to sit ‘cheek by jowl’ with recruitment agencies in the national legal press because their marketing pitch to candidates (and clients) is all too often hollow and meaningless.
I know these are strong words but they are borne out by my conversations with candidates:
· I recently met with a candidate who had been looking for sometime and had already registered with three other agencies. I asked him what progress he had made and what he thought of the agencies he had met with. He however confirmed that he had never met face to face with any of the recruitment agencies although they had been sending his details out to firms. I was the first person who had wanted to meet with him. After our meeting I amended his CV, forwarded it to two firms and he has just accepted an offer with one of those. How can a recruitment agency represent you with clients if they do not know you? I would always assume that they must therefore know as much about their clients which is clearly nothing or very little.
· Another candidate who similarly had not met with anybody from her recruitment agency confirmed that her CV had been sent to most of the likely firms in Birmingham who practised in her specialist area. I commented that I was not aware that there were any appropriate positions for her level of experience. She had however been told by the recruitment agency that ‘you need to sprinkle crumbs on the water to attract the fish'. This is unsolicited mailing and does the recruitment agency little harm because the client will think they have always got available candidates and contact them when they do need a recruit. However it does you no good. Firms will recognise that they have seen a CV before and when they do have a suitable role they will not be interested in a candidate who has clearly been on the market for months. Do not allow yourself to be a ‘crumb’.
· Yet another candidate recounted a completely humiliating experience where they attended an interview with a firm but their CV had been so heavily doctored by their recruitment agency that it bore no relation to reality. They left the interview embarrassed and angry because their opportunity to join that firm had probably disappeared forever. CVs need polish but not fabrication. I normally send a copy back to the candidate for their approval. Do you think it is important that a recruitment agency acts with honesty and integrity?
Please if you are looking for a new position call me. Do not be tempted by a clever ad that promises you everything, and do not under any circumstances send your CV to a recruitment agency you have not met. You deserve better than these candidates.
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Having worked recruiting legal professionals inside a law firm and also within a recruitment agency I believe I am well placed to offer a perspective on how you can work effectively with agencies as a client or candidate. Frankly I am appalled at the lack of professionalism that I have seen and heard of in some agencies. Typically though I think that many firms quickly establish a group of agencies that they prefer to deal with. However it is harder for candidates to develop the same appreciation as they dip into the market quite infrequently.
Many candidates I see comment on the poor practice standards of agencies they have contacted but by the time they have realised it has often been too late. Recent examples of their lack of professionalism and integrity include:
· One candidate was dismayed to find that his CV had been sent to a firm by the agency that had placed him two months previously when quite clearly he was no longer looking for a position. He would have been unaware of this had a friend in the firm not expressed their surprise that he was looking to move again so quickly.
I have seen this happen on a number of occasions and this is a tactic that an agency can use to mislead a client into thinking that they have a large number of potentially suitable candidates available and so discourage them from contacting further agencies for additional candidates.
· Another candidate confirmed that he wished me to act on his behalf. Having identified a suitable opportunity he agreed I could send his details to a client. The client decided to arrange an interview but when the papers were sent to their HR department they had already received them from another agency. The candidate had not given this agency permission to send his details to any firms but when he checked back with the agency he found that they had mailed his unsolicited CV to every large and medium sized firm in the East and West Midlands. The CV had been sent without discrimination and many of the firms did not practice in his niche area.
This blanket mailing approach is widely practised but not for the benefit of candidates. Unsolicited CVs generally devalue a candidate and irritate recruiters. The CV is also not tailored for different firms and positions and if a firm does not have a role at that specific time but three months later one becomes available they will question the quality of a candidate who is still looking.
I could recount endless examples of poor practice by recruitment agencies, suffice it is to say that we are determined to be different. We believe we achieve this by:
· Interviewing all candidates
· Only forwarding candidate details for specific notified vacancies (we do not mail candidates details unsolicited under any circumstance).
· Providing accurate and detailed Curriculum Vitae and other relevant information for the client. (We do not omit elements of the CV if they could be seen as less than ideal).
· Gaining candidate’s express permission to forward their details and ensuring a genuine interest in the role available.
However if you are working with other agencies I offer the following good practice guidelines:
· Do not send your CV to an agency unless you have met with them and agreed that they will act on your behalf – a consultant cannot possibly understand you and sell you effectively to clients unless they have met with you.
· Insist that they agree with you beforehand where your CV is sent – avoid unsolicited mailings.
· Be clear about what you are looking for (location, size of firm, salary etc) and communicate with the consultant if your thoughts change.
· Do not attend an interview if you are not interested in the position on offer (do not allow yourself to be bullied or cajoled – you are the person in control not the agency).
· Work with only one agency – a client will quickly become aware if a candidate is with a number of agencies (particularly if the agencies are mailing the candidate’s details indiscriminately) and it speaks volumes.
· If you decide that you are not happy with the agency you are working with contact your consultant and confirm that you no longer wish them to act on your behalf.
· Work to develop a good relationship with your consultant, be open and honest - the relationship needs to be based on trust and understanding on both sides.
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Do you ever stop and think about your body language in an interview?
It is well known that like attracts like and never more so than in an interview situation where interviewers relate better to candidates they feel they have developed a rapport with. Your body language can help you to build this.
Dealing first with negative body language the following gestures and actions will make it difficult for you to develop rapport:
· crossing or folding your arms
· looking down when speaking
· not making eye contact
· pointing your finger when making a point
· touching your nose or face
· looking at your interviewer from underneath your eyebrows
· rubbing the back of your neck
These actions will convey the impression that you have something to hide or cannot be trusted. However they are not the only impressions you want to avoid creating. Appearing nervous can also undermine your performance; you should try to avoid:
· Fidgeting
· Jiggling the contents of your pockets
· Running your fingers through your hair
· Biting your fingernails
· Wringing your hands
· Clearing your throat
· Biting your lips
Turning to the positive these actions will support rapport building:
· Good eye contact
· Leaning slightly forward in your chair
· Tilting your head whilst maintaining eye contact with your interviewer
· Open hands with visible palms
· Keeping your chin up
· Open lipped smiling
· Putting the tips of your fingers against the tips of your fingers of your other hand
Eye contact is crucial as it conveys confidence and trust and when speaking to someone it allows you to check that they understand and are interested in what you are saying. When listening eye contact demonstrates your attention and is a gesture of politeness – but don't overdo it. Eye contact that is too strong can be intimidating, over-familiar or make the interviewer feel uncomfortable.
Becoming aware of your body language and the language of your interviewer will enable you to mirror their actions. This is a powerful technique that strengthens any connection between you. However you must be subtle don’t mirror immediately, leave a gap of a few seconds and don’t mirror exactly. Please also make sure you only mirror interviewers with good body language!
Reflecting your interviewers body language in your own will encourage them to think that you are on their wavelength and as I have already said people like people like themselves.
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Salary negotiation can be difficult and stressful for both parties but there are constructive ways to approach it and achieve positive outcomes.
The most positive way to ask for an increase is to ask for extra work and responsibility and link it to your pay rise. This is a mature approach and so much better than simply asking for more pay for doing the same job. Another positive approach is to ask for a performance-related bonus or a pay rise based on output greater than current or expected levels.
It is important to understand the firms position and your own. Taking an emotional approach rarely works and will lead to conflict and rejection. Avoid presenting your position in terms of “I want” or “I need”. Instead try to present an objective, neutral view, as if you were an observer. This should provide a good platform for sensible discussion and will also enable you to present a stronger case (stating the obvious - threats of any kind – resigning, reducing commitment etc. are unlikely to lead to a positive result)
Achieving a salary increase depends on many factors, and it's important to understand as many of them as possible before you make your move. The factors are:
how well paid you are at the moment compared to the market.
the rate of inflation
the firm’s position concerning staff turnover, retention, recruitment and head-count (i.e. increasing, reducing, or static; in accordance with planned levels or not)
the firms’ performance
the available budget your firm has for pay rises (which is usually none, apart from annual salary review time)
the firm’s last company-wide salary review, and the range of % increases awarded
the firm’s next company-wide salary review, and the likely range of % increases
what precedents would be set for other employees by giving you a rise (this is often a significant issue for the firm)
how valued you are to your boss and firm
how easy it would be for them to replace you with someone of similar capability and value at the same or less salary
how much extra responsibility and/or you are prepared to take on
how much extra effort you are prepared to put into the job and how ambitious you are
and, very importantly, what you will do if you don't get an increase (i.e., how much you want to stay with your present firm and how confident you are that you could find a better job elsewhere)
You need to understand all of these factors before you decide how to approach the situation. The stronger your position the more firm you can be in asking for a salary increase.
Ask yourself why, honestly, you want or need a salary increase. Some ask because they feel under-valued. Some people are genuinely are under-paid. Are you being fair and realistic? Stepping back and taking a truly objective view is so important. Put yourself in your boss's shoes. How would they see the situation?
If you believe that you have a strong deserving case, then write it down, which will help you to see things objectively, and will provide you with a prepared position, enabling you to keep control and present your case fairly and professionally. Find out what you can about the firm’s position, referring to the above factors. If you can find references from the market that indicate you are paid less than the norm then prepare to use them.
Always remember that you are one of several or many hundreds or thousands of employees. Each one would take more money if offered. The firm has to plan and budget for employee headcount and salary along with all other costs and revenues, and it's not easy for a Partner to change things outside of the normal time to review these budgets
Nevertheless if you present a strong case the worst you will do is increase your chances of a favourable review when the next review time comes around.
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Interestingly as the legal recruitment market is starting to rejuvenate there is increasing evidence of headhunter activity. Two firms recently came to me with positions they were seeking to fill as their lawyers had been headhunted into new firms. In one of the cases I knew the lawyer well and was very surprised because the role and firm were such a poor fit with the individual’s personality and skill set. Discussing this with the partner they clearly agreed but explained how they had been almost powerless to counter the offer. They believed the individual had been so flattered and swept away by the thought that they had been identified by the firm that they had failed to consider whether the move was right for them.
This is a typical situation and reflects the emotional reaction that candidates adopt when approached by headhunters. I see many candidates who have made a wrong move and very often it has been because they were charmed by a headhunter into believing that a firm and role was the perfect career move for them because the firm had identified and approached them. Active identification of key individuals by the client does indeed happen but in a very small minority of cases normally at the most senior levels of the market. Most headhunting however is indiscriminate and conducted because the agency does not have suitable candidates on file. It may also be that the role and/or firm is unattractive and the candidates they do have are not interested, they of course will not tell you that.
When approached you need to be wary. Please consider the following:
· The headhunter is largely unconcerned with your career plans they are focused on their client needs not yours.
· Firms normally use headhunting as a last resort. It costs more than other recruitment methods and takes time. It may therefore be the case that they have failed to recruit a number of times, you need to find out why?
· Rather than accept headhunter spin, question how you were identified. Who recommended you and why? Ensure that the headhunter is not simply trawling through Law Society listings contacting individuals without thought or care.
· Are ready to move on? Periods of consolidation in your career are vital but will not be possible if you react to every headhunter approach.
· Will the position develop your skills and experience? What will the firm offer you in the longer term? Again, why are other candidates not interested?
My recommendation to firms facing continued headhunter assault is first and foremost to stop the calls getting through with stricter switchboard control. If however it is too late and one of your team is planning to leave work through the questions above with them. If they are still determined, let them go with your best wishes and if you would be keen to have them back make sure they know that.
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With spring in the air now is the time when professional firms plan their summer events (golf, tennis, racing and cricket – all the events that rely on good weather we rarely have). Whist these events are often a thank you for business referrals they are more importantly about developing business relationships for the future. Now ‘Post People’ is full of professional networkers who are comfortable at business events but many people dread them. However there are some strategies you can use that will make your networking efforts more effective and more comfortable for you:
- Find out who will be there and their business
- Prepare a short speech about what you do and your firm
- Arrive early so you can get settled in. Leave late.
- Place your name badge on your right shoulder, as you shake hands the eye automatically goes there.
- SMILE
- When you meet a person for the first time don’t launch into asking them about their business. If you talk about something more personal you are bound to find a common interest and connect with them. Making ‘friends’ is much more rewarding than making business ‘contacts’ and will be far more productive for your business.
- Give people your full attention, focus on the person you are talking to rather than scanning the room to find the next person you want to talk to.
- Don’t just hand out your business card. Have something more interesting to give people – a flyer, brochure or a recent article you have written or has been written about your firm. A card is likely to go straight into a file but a flyer may stay on the desk for longer.
- If you want to eat any of the food offered, eat when you arrive then wash your hands so they are clean and empty when shaking hands.
- If you see a group you want to join, do so, but remain silent until their conversation is finished.
- To avoid feeling rude when you want to leave one person to meet others introduce them to others before you move on.
- Be generous. In networking situations, learn about the other person’s business and refer them appropriately. ‘What goes around, comes around’.
- Talk to your competition. You can learn a lot from your competitors particularly those who have more experience than you. Many will remember what it was like when they were in your position and will be happy to share their wisdom.
Good luck at your next event but please don’t wait till then. You never know where your next client will come from. Don’t rule out your friends and relatives. Tell them what your business is about even if they will never use your firm. You never know who they know……………
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We all know people in our business or personal lives that have the seemingly natural talent to charm others and appear to move effortlessly through difficult situations. These individuals attract friends like magnets and inspire loyalty and commitment from their clients and work colleagues. Charisma is the power they have but is it something that we could all develop?
Charisma is the power to attract, influence or inspire people. It is magnetism, an appeal and an ability to have command over an audience. But it may not just be something you are simply born with. Other attributes of charismatic individuals are confidence, self-belief and assertiveness (but not arrogance), and these can all be developed. Whilst developing your charisma is beneficial in all aspects of your life it can have a very positive impact on your career as a lawyer. Clients want to be around charismatic individuals, to listen to them, trust them and recommend them to others.
Think about your interactions with clients and how you come across to them. Identify the changes you can make to build your confidence and self-belief and focus on projecting this to them.
The key is to make a good first impression. Walk tall and greet clients with a firm handshake, warm ‘hello’ and look them in the eye when you talk to them. Make sure you feel good about how you look. Buy a new suit, get a haircut, change your make-up (ladies only please), polish your shoes, do whatever you need to do to feel good about yourself. The investment will reap you rewards in your self-confidence and the confidence you inspire in others.
Having polished the first impression you make think about building your relationship with clients. When you meet take time to prepare: think about your own objectives and the clients. Identify the value that the client is seeking and how you can deliver this. In a meeting listen with enthusiasm, focus on what the client says even repeat some of their words to show that you understand them. Mirroring promotes rapport and clarity. Check your body language: lean towards your client, smile, nod and maintain eye contact. Concentrate on doing the best job you can for the client and enjoy the meeting. Your commitment and interest will radiate to the client and build their confidence. Clients should leave your presence feeling valued and remembering who you are when you call them next week.
These points apply equally when talking on the telephone with clients. However it is more about your tone of voice and the questions you ask than your body language. Again focus on making your client feel valued, listen to what they say and make your points with confidence and enthusiasm.
So whilst we talk about charm and charisma, don’t think for one minute that this is something you are born with, work at it, with thought and effort you can make significant improvements. These will improve your relationships with your clients and colleagues alike, develop your influence and boost your skills as a lawyer.