It may come under many guises – locum, contract, temporary, fixed-term, interim – but temporary work has always been and continues to be, a prevalent part of the legal recruitment world.
Perhaps an ever-increasing number of fixed-term roles, with appealing hourly rates and the promise of interesting and varied daily work, has you questioning whether a move from permanent to temporary employment could be for you.
We’ve pulled together a list of things to consider ahead of making your decision.
Are you the right fit?
To be able to hit the ground running in a new environment, whilst ensuring you bond with an existing team, establish yourself as a trusted and responsible advisor and understand a company’s dynamic and processes quickly and efficiently, takes a particular type of person.
To be a successful locum, you should be confident, a people’s person, know how to read a room and situations and be able to handle a delicate balance between existing processes and advice and introducing new or improved ideas.
Are you experienced enough?
Many of the locum roles we handle for our clients require candidates to have considerable PQE and have notable expertise to be able to support the void they are being drafted in to fill. Locum roles often tend to be solutions to staffing issues, to help fight newly discovered fires or to deal with complex issues not currently being handled correctly in the firm or business. To hiring managers, PQE equals quality (although that may not always be the case!) and people are more willing to trust those who have 5+ years of experience.
Are you willing to travel?
It is optimistic to think contracts will always be within a comfortable distance of your home. Realistically, roles will be varied in both type and location, and so it is important that you have a clear understanding of what your ideal position is and how far you are willing to go for it. Perhaps you have family or friends you could stay with for further afield work, or you have the capacity to work at home, after spending a few days in the office. Whatever the solution, be aware that there may be travel commitments if you want to regularly take on new work.
Are you willing to lose your stability?
Financially and emotionally, working contracts can be a struggle. There is never a guarantee of an extension or a new role, and so there is a possibility you may have periods where you are out of work whilst waiting on a new role, or indeed you may not know about an extension of a contract until the very last minute. If you are someone who craves the steadiness of a regular income and being able to plan in advance, then perhaps you are better suited to a permanent role.
Needless to say, there are many benefits to moving to locum roles. The flexibility is unparalleled as you effectively become your own boss deciding on location, times and roles, an increase in pay is obviously appealing, and the exposure to different areas of law and experience gained is unmatched by permanent positions.
If you are interested in working interim jobs in either the private or public sector, get in touch to register with the agency and we can discuss our current roles with you.