Has 2020 affected what legal candidates consider when looking for their next move?

2020 has been a tumultuous time for us all; but what affect has it had on how we look at our career, if at all?

In the legal industry, especially for candidates looking to advance and progress their career in the first ten years post qualification, the has arguably been a desire to change roles periodically to ensure that you gain greater financial reward. Although the legal industry is showing true resilience as we move out of lockdown, people’s concerns around future lockdowns, and the associated economic impact may be causing a rethink around the best way to advance your career.

Risk now plays a key factor in decision making. Where you might previously have been a little less concerned about a calculated risk; this might not be the case now.

Redundancy was certainly a talking point in most industries at the end of the first quarter of 2020; and those who previously didn’t see this as a concern, have a new understanding of needing to consider the possibility.

From our work in the legal market, we’ve seen that firms who are future conscious, have fared well and haven’t needed to put staff at risk. By future conscious, we refer to the use of a good IT infrastructure, allowing for agile home working during necessity last year, and now to provide a work life balance and awareness of mental health in the long term.

Another consideration is for candidates to look for employers who have a solid and established team. Ask yourself the question, do people leave often? If the team is settled, is this because they are doing the right things? Are they happy? If this is the case, and they’re still recruiting, then they’re recruiting because business is good, and they have the scope to expand; this is good! Furthermore, if the team are happy, then you’ll generally find that their clients are happy with them, which again increases the likelihood of them being able to retain and develop good relationships and be a stable employer.

We have relationships with our clients where we ask these questions, we consider these important factors, and we ensure that we use our knowledge to relay to our candidates.

Our clients and candidates are at the heart of everything we do. If you’re open to a conversation about your next move, or you’re a client looking for your next hire, we’re on hand to help today.