When I look back at how many years I have been a legal recruiter after my first career as a lawyer came to an end, it makes me reflect on the market and how the recruitment industry has evolved during this time.
When I started recruiting in the 2000s, candidates were sourced from adverts placed in newspapers and industry-specific publications and sometimes responded to with a hand-written CV in the post. Whilst email was in, some CVs were faxed to clients for review (I can clearly remember the hours spent next to the fax machine waiting for the confirmation slip to come through!), and our candidate database was very limited, with only basic information stored, such as the candidate’s home phone number and, if that failed, an emergency contact number!
How things have changed; the arrival of the internet, emails, job boards and, more recently, social media, have certainly had a massive impact on the recruitment industry and the pace it operates at.
Despite this, two things have remained consistent throughout my career - CVs and the role of a good recruitment consultant.
CVs are still a key part of the recruitment process, whether you are applying directly or via an agency. Having reviewed so many over the years, I thought I would share a few top tips:
- Aim for a succinct, punchy style, but don’t try to squeeze your CV into one page. This is especially true for the legal market.
- List your roles in chronological order, with a good amount of detaboutl about what you have done. Provide more detailed information on recent and/or relevant roles.
- Where possible, do provide real examples of cases/work that you have been involved with to highlight your skills and experience.
- Never be afraid of stating the obvious in relation to your skills and experience. Break down and include all your academic and professional qualifications. Include any academic or other prizes.
- Only include languages in which you are fluent.
- Do include ‘other interests’, but this does not need a lot of detail.
- There is no need to include anything about referees. Law firms will only ask for these after you are accepting an offer.
- Obviously, never lie on your CV!
Many of these tips may seem obvious, but it is surprising how many are not considered relevant. Remember that your CV often presents the first opportunity for you to sell yourself and your skills and, as we all know, first impressions count. So, regardless of your level of experience, it is still worth investing time and effort in compiling your CV.
Despite advances in technology and the growth of portals and in-house recruitment teams, the role of a legal recruitment consultant remains more important than ever in 2022. Many consultants, like the very experienced team at LR Legal, offer a consultative approach to their services. They are up to date with the latest market knowledge and trends, so they can guide candidates and hiring managers through any recruitment process with the benefit of many years of experience. This can involve providing feedback on your CV, assisting with interview preparation and techniques, career development opportunities, advising on salaries, benefits, and bonuses, or simply providing you with a feel for a firm’s culture. This consultative service - getting to know our candidates and clients well - is something that we pride ourselves on at LR Legal.
Email: leilani@lrlegal.co.uk DDL: 02084642511 Mobile: 07974429861