Revealed - the hidden danger in job security

Last month we revealed that nearly 1 in 4 legal professionals will be actively looking to change jobs in 2018, down 4 percentage points since 2017 and 17 points from its 5 year peak in January 2015. A further 28% are on the fence, passive job seekers as we recruiters like to refer to them; not actively looking but when presented with a golden opportunity then there is a reasonable chance they will take it. Job security is also at a high and lawyers are staying in their roles longer.  

A golden time maybe but one that also presents the risk of complacency; where the opportunity to get on the front foot and make a proactive career choice might be missed and trumped a year or so down the line by an environmental factor that could put you on the defensive in the legal job market. Proactive>reactive and here’s why.

According to the research we carried out when producing our 2018 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker, 38% of lawyers who changed jobs in the last 12 month made what we defined as a proactive career choices; driven because they were looking to progress their careers, for an increase in salary or in search of a new challenge. All choices they controlled. 45% made a reactive career move, motivated by environmental circumstances such as job security, working conditions, office conflict, the end of a contract, commute and personal reasons. 7% took another job because they relocated which I kept separate because one day I thought it was proactive and another reactive and in the end I was just driving myself mad.

For the record NQ Solicitors are averaging a 47% uplift in salary on a move and in some cases 200%. We have kept NQ salaries outside of the calculations.

1. 70% of legal professionals secured a pay rise when moving jobs.
2. Legal professionals are securing an average 21% increase in salary when they move jobs compared to 10% if they stay with their current employers.
3. 85% making proactive career choices obtained an increase in salary; 95% of those motivated to move for money, 85% for progression and 70% for a new challenge,
4. On the flip side of the coin just 50% of those making reactive career choices secured an increase in salary and just 47% where the main motivator was job security.
5. The average salary increase for proactive career choices as a whole is 23%. Individually, where money is the main motivator the average increase in salary is 30%, for progression it is 20% and new challenge 17%.
6. On the flip side of the coin the average wage increase for reactive career choices is 18%. Legal professionals taking a new role following the end of a contract secured a 28% increase in pay, commute was 19%, conflict 16%, and job security 14%. For personal reasons it was 23% but just 39% secured a pay rise with that motivator.
7. 65% of those making proactive career choices were happy in their new roles compared to 59% driven by environmental factors.
8. 65% secured a pay rise on relocation and that averaged 24%. 52% were happy in their new role.
9. 68% of legal professionals motivated to move for progression were happy in their role compared to 58% looking for an increase in salary.
10. 63% of legal professionals who changed jobs because of working conditions were happy in their new role compared to 51% motivated by job security concerns.     

It seems an obvious conclusion, proactive>reactive but things can change pretty quickly in the legal sector, there will always be stiff competition for the best roles and doors can close overnight limiting choice and altering your career prospects. 

The reality is that you have to stay on your front foot, keep ahead of the curve by gaining a comprehensive overview of the jobs market, in particular your own practice area and be proactive about your career choices.

According to the research we undertook when producing our 2017 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker, 41% of legal professionals used a recruitment agency when they last changed jobs. Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment make things happen. Established in 2004 we are multi-award winning legal recruitment experts with a network of connections spanning local, regional, national and international law firms and in house legal departments. We act for legal professionals of all levels making both lateral moves and taking steps up the ladder. Our business – put simply – is to remove the pain points candidates can experience on their journeys. Check out our latest legal sector jobs or get in touch with an experienced legal recruitment consultant based in one of our regional offices.

Jonathan Nolan is an Associate Director at Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment.