Six things lawyers can learn from a workplace culture legend
Ronnie Altit is passionate about creating great corporate culture. As founder and CEO of IT Company Insentra, Ronnie saw Insentra place fourth out of 150 companies in the 2017 Great Places to Work survey. Speaking at the inaugural Legal HR Meetup, Ronnie shared six major insights into how he fostered a happy and collaborative corporate culture – creating happier clients and a better bottom line. The Legal HR Meetup was hosted by Bartier Perry and was attended by HR professionals, firm management and lawyers. “What I truly love most is our people,” said Ronnie. “This year, our business grew by 30% in terms of staff, yet the satisfaction levels also grew. I want to be a great place to work because I know this translates into the corporate culture. Corporate culture fundamentally correlates with the bottom line of the business.” 1. Set the rules of the train Good corporate culture comes from keeping every member of the organisation responsible for creating a productive workplace. Ronnie likens running the organisation to running a train; each compartment represents a different aspect of operations, with Ronnie as CEO driving the train. “There are no doors on the train, so there can be open communication between the carriages. A hierarchy exists on the train, but it exists to help people. If something needs to be done on the train, I will go and shovel coal. There is no job in the organisation that I shouldn’t be able to do. Likewise, no team member should say ‘not my job’ – they will be the last three words they say on the train.” The organisation is founded on honesty, integrity, and trust, and driven by a policy of accountability, celebration, efficiency and service excellence – forming the acronym, HIT ACES. “A champion tennis player aims to hit aces as often as possible. So do we,” said Ronnie. 2. Catch someone doing something right Ronnie constantly strives to celebrate the successes of his team – in other words, to ‘catch someone doing something right’. “When you find someone succeeding, shout it out. Send an email to the whole company that they’ve had great feedback from a client.” “When someone does something wrong in our organisation, they don’t get collared. They get counseled so they can improve.” Rather than an HR manager, Insentra has a ‘Vibe Manager’ responsible for keeping Insentra employees empowered and happy. “Our Vibe Manager needs to feel empowered by the organisation to do the right thing by people – not just do the right thing by the business. The right thing by the business will happen if the right people do the right things.” 3. Talk about the pebble in the shoe “If you’re on a train shovelling coal, you’re going to bump into each other and drop hot coal from time to time. Things will go wrong. We call this the ‘pebble in the shoe’. If you walk up and down the train with a pebble in your shoe, you’ll get a blister, you’ll get cranky, and people will avoid you. “If people can come and talk about things when it’s a pebble in their shoe, we can help remove the pebble. Sometimes, we won’t be able to, but we’ll be aware of the issue.” “If you don’t want to talk to someone about the pebble, then don’t let it be a problem,” Ronnie said. “If you don’t want to share it, stew in it. I’d like people to share – bring in a manager, or bring in me. Otherwise, it’s your problem. We’re not an adult day care centre.” 4. Forget performance plans “We don’t do performance plans. We don’t do formal performance reviews. I believe they’re a waste of time,” declared Ronnie. “Performance reviews talk about what a person did in the past few months. I expect the leadership team is communicating regularly with their team, and the team is communicating regularly with their manager, raising pebbles as they go.” Ronnie believes that a good CEO should be able to go up to any member of his team and ask how they think they’re performing. “As a team member, you own your career,” said Ronnie. “It’s up to me to facilitate your career, not to own your career.” 5. 10 out of 10, personally and professionally At any given point of any given day, Insentra’s employees might announce that they are a two and a two, or a nine and a ten. These scores refer to how they are feeling personally and professionally; it’s a quick way to check in on performance and more importantly, address issues before they escalate. “I believe how people are personally will affect how they work,” said Ronnie. When a team member announced he was a “2 and a 2” at the start of one meeting, Ronnie’s phone buzzed with messages of support from colleagues. “People asked, ‘what can we do to help this guy out?’ People actually care about the people they’re working with and want to help. I talked to that guy until 11 pm that night.” At the better end of the spectrum, Ronnie actively encourages tall poppies. “You need to be the best you can be,” said Ronnie. “I don’t tolerate tall poppy syndrome. I also have a ‘no bitching’ policy. Bitching is the root of all politics. It doesn’t achieve anything.” 6. Lead from your heart “Greed doesn’t help an organisation grow,” observed Ronnie. “If we have people who love what they do, and their number one focus is the clients, then I’m going to have more cash. I’ll have more cash to invest in people and the organisation.” “Every business in every industry seeks to differentiate on product, price, or service. Most of the time, the differentiator is service. When you get great service, it’s because you feel people care about you. The reason people love what they do is because they love where they work, so they are authentic in their care for clients.” “Happy people leads to
How to future-proof your legal career in the age of Robots
New Law, disruption, legaltech – these buzzwords herald a shift in how the legal profession sees itself, innovations in technology drive down costs and clients demand more for less. There’s good news however, the doom and gloom around robots coming for the jobs of lawyers is largely unfounded. A recent survey by the Law Society of England & Wales suggested that AI’s impact to the number of legal jobs is minimal – less than 1% – with legal staffing having already peaked in 2009. Artificial Lawyer has predicted further growth in demand for legal services, particularly among larger commercial enterprises, with AI set to serve the often underserviced consumer legal market. Do robots dream of electric lawyers? With the market for legal services set to grow, we can rest assured robots are not coming for our jobs. However, major shifts in technology will demand a vastly different kind of lawyer – equipped with a broader, more human-centric skillset. As technology increasingly assumes the dull, repetitive aspects of legal work, the lawyer of the future needs to do what robots can’t – be more human. What are the skills of the future lawyer? Gone are the days of lawyers memorising hundred page judgements or perfecting total recall of legislation. Just as many law schools have done away with closed book exams, mastery of core legal knowledge sits as a skill alongside an array of more business-oriented, client-focussed skills. Technology allows lawyers to swiftly search and analyse law; its next iteration will allow simple legal problems to be resolved – with services like Allira and Get Free Legal Advice (NZ) allowing for a functionality akin to ‘Siri for law.’ So what skills will future lawyers need to possess to remain relevant? Emotional intelligence/ empathy Law has always been about more than the technical work of applying law to a client’s matter. Understanding what a client wants and requires, and acting effectively in the best interests of a client necessitates a nuanced view of human motivations. This is particularly true in emotionally-charged areas of practice such as family law, but mastery of cultural mores is equally important in a commercial context so lawyers can deliver services clients find valuable. Business acumen to better advice commercial clients Repositioning the lawyer’s role as more of a consigliere with an intimate understanding of the client’s business goals, politics and challenges is essential to ensuring ongoing legal work is seen as relevant and valuable. Lawyers acting as trusted advisors, as opposed to ‘firefighter’ lawyers used only in case of legal emergencies, are far more valuable to clients – intimate knowledge of a client’s business allows them to proactively address potential legal risks long before they become costly and complex. Networking and business development Technology is now automating much of the mundane legal work long the bane of lawyers, especially junior lawyers. As a result, the future lawyer will be encouraged to skill up in business development much earlier in their careers. Relationships with clients, current and new, will emerge as the future lawyer’s major asset. Tech-savvy early adopters Lawyers are often seen as luddites. The profession is a latecomer to digital disruption; some lawyers still insist on printing all correspondence. In terms of technology, however, resistance is increasingly futile – the future lawyer is a tech-savvy early adopter, open-minded and eager to embrace ways technology can make their work more efficient. Firms who fail to consistently update technology to optimise workflow risk being left behind – and priced out of the market by more efficient competitors. Interested in finding out more about recruiting for the future of law? Follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn, or explore technology CPD courses on Bulletpoints.
Corporate/ M&A leads legal jobs surge in the first quarter FY18
The first quarter of FY18 saw an overall jump in the number of corporate legal jobs advertised, with 480 jobs listed in July-September 2017, compared to April-June 2017. The big winners were corporate/ commercial/ M&A, property, insurance and intellectual property. Other sectors were also up, including technology and media law, dispute resolution, employment and in-house roles. The only areas to see a slump were personal injury and insolvency and tax law. The end of the financial year saw steady figures in banking and finance, litigation and family law, according to the Elias Legal Jobs Index. Robust jobs growth across all major practice areas Demand for corporate/ M&A and commercial roles saw a sharp rise of 148%. Property law followed, with a 43% increase in property roles advertised. Insurance also experienced robust growth, with jobs up 64% over the two quarters. Intellectual property and trademarks roles rose by 50%, with technology and media law rising by 36%. Employment law roles rose by 80%. The only areas of practice to see fewer roles advertised were personal injury, dipping by 55%, and insolvency and tax, which also declined. The full picture See the table below for a complete breakdown of where each vacancy was across Q4 2017 and Q1 2018: Area Q4 2017 Q1 2018 % change Q1 2018 SYD Corporate/ Commercial/ M&A 64 158 146% 43 Property 37 53 43% 23 Banking/ Finance 31 31 3% 20 Litigation 33 33 0% 24 Insurance 17 28 65% 21 IP/ Trademarks 6 9 50% 7 Tech/ Media 11 15 36% 7 Personal Injury 14 9 36% 3 Dispute Resolution 8 11 37% 9 Employment 10 18 80% 8 In-house/ Big 4 12 15 25% 10 Family 4 4 0% 3 Insolvency/ Tax 7 11 57% 6 Competition/ Compliance 12 10 16% 6 Franchising 2 1 50% 0 Energy 2 1 50% 0 Pro-bono 1 2 100% 1 Criminal 1 1 0% 0 Jason Elias runs Elias Recruitment, a boutique legal recruitment consultancy that specialises in finding lawyers for law firms, NFPs and corporate in-house teams. For more information, email [email protected]
Recruiting lawyers ready for digital disruption
Digital disruption, AI (artificial intelligence), legaltech – all these phrases have become synonymous with the change affecting traditional private practice. Lawyers are facing competition from unexpected quarters – the ‘Big 4’ professional services firms expanding their legal teams, while the ranks of in-house counsel also grow. In addition, startups and disruptive technology are turning their attention to the legal profession, hoping to address simple queries via AI-powered chatbots, streamline and automate due diligence workflow or predict judgements or the compliance requirements of new regulations. In the midst of this slew of technological activity, lawyers are increasingly asking how best they may adapt to remain relevant as the role of the lawyer evolves. To future-proof your legal career, Elias Recruitment has compiled a few useful tips. Gain exposure to legaltech Wherever possible, gain an understanding of what is happening in terms of tech disruption. For example, Gilbert + Tobin and the Centre for Legal Innovation recently hosted the AI in Legal Practice Summit, which featured Heads of Innovation from major firms and legal entrepreneurs developing apps and tech solutions for the profession. In attendance were not merely technology lawyers but also in-house counsel from universities and industry bodies, as well as lawyers in private practice. Conferences, roundtables and events like this offer lawyers an opportunity to understand key trends emerging in the profession, and become champions of change within their organisations. To code or not to code? It’s a matter of a debate as to whether lawyers should learn to code. Some firms have run workshops on introductory coding for their lawyers, simply to allow lawyers to better understand their clients’ business. While there is no suggestion that lawyers should become proficient in coding and development, it is clear that lawyers who do possess a working knowledge of new technology are more likely to recognise and adapt to its applications. Get involved in internal tech projects Firms are increasingly adopting new technology to innovate and improve efficiencies, especially for labour-intensive legal tasks like due diligence and discovery. Get involved in pilot projects designed to test drive new technology, and be among the first tech-literate lawyers in the firm and the profession. So what does this mean for me? Adapting to a changing profession does not strictly mean lawyers need to become expert technicians, developers or app inventors. Rather, future-ready lawyers will remain relevant by improving their exposure and understanding to emerging technology and its applications to what they do. Interested in learning more? Visit Bulletpoints.com.au to browse the range of legal courses available.
State of the Legal Market: Recruitment Update
Elias Recruitment brings you the latest state of play in the Australian legal market, drawing on the Urbis National Profile of Solicitors Report – Urbis (2016) and a review of the State of the Legal Market by Melbourne Law School and Thompson Reuters Peer Monitor (2016). The profession is growing, aging and diversifying The Australian legal profession is experiencing significant growth. Over the last five years there has been a 24% increase in the number of practicing solicitors. This reflects significant growth in the profession. Indeed, for the first time, gender parity has been achieved, with an equal number of men and women in the profession. Women now make up nearly 25% of all partners in all law firms and a third of partners appointed in the six months to 2 July 2016. However, this diversity is not enjoyed across the board. Australian lawyers with Asian heritage have encountered a ‘Bamboo Ceiling’, with six of Australia’s large law firms having no partners with Asian backgrounds, and only 0.8% of the Australian judiciary having an Asian heritage. Much like Australia’s overall workforce, the profession is also becoming older, with one in 12 solicitors aged 65 years or older. Employment Sector Legal employment sectors are also shifting. Whilst the majority of lawyers continue to work in private practice, there has been a significant increase in the number of solicitors working in the corporate sector and government. Between 2011 and 2016 there has been a 59% increase in this sector. Revenue and demand declining, while competition and disruption is on the rise The legal market is in a state of considerable flux. Revenue and demand for traditional legal services is declining – with total legal spend going to traditional law firms contracting. The big winner are multidisciplinary practices, digital solutions and NewLaw models which are expected to seize 40% of total legal spend by 2021. With the pace of change increasing, progressive law firms are adapting quickly to outperform their competitors. It is imperative that lawyers and law firms looking to survive and thrive in this new environment understand the key elements disrupting traditional legal services – NewLaw and related technology, Multi-Disciplinary Practices, and Boutique, Specialist and Focus Firms. What are the Macro Trends? Lateral partner movements – acquiring proven rainmakers from competing firms is the next best alternative to drive revenue growth – but these come with cultural risks! Growth of digital – the App takes hold of law firms. Supply of legal graduates – but don’t believe the media! Whilst we are told that there are now 41 law schools in Australia producing over 15,000 graduates per annum the figures collected in 2015 by the Counsel of Australian Law Deans reported that just 7,583 law students graduated in 2015. Investment in sales and pricing capability – many firms are investing heavily in upskilling their partners and senior staff in selling and pricing skills. Growth in the mobile lawyer. In conclusion, the present state of the legal market is one of considerable change and opportunity. Firms which adapt to new business models and lawyers who embrace an understanding of new technology and adopt a broader advisory role will be best placed to benefit. Those who don’t risk falling behind their competition. If you’re looking for more details about the market, or interested in exploring your next career move, get in contact with Elias Recruitment on (02) 9555 5711.
Legal in-house roles… four tips to make the move
Looking to move in-house but unsure of where to start? Jason Elias, Managing Director of Elias Recruitment talks through key considerations before you make your move, and what you can do to prepare and be best placed to land an in-house role. 1 Roles are often not advertised “Often in-house jobs are not advertised,” observed Jason. “Within a company, there may already be lawyers engaged on secondment who would be an obvious choice for an in-house role.” If you can’t manage a secondment, get to know as many in-house lawyers in decision making roles as possible. Try to network with university or PLT classmates, attend CPD sessions – especially the Association of Corporate Counsel (formerly ACLA). It’s all about who they know and how well you understand what they need as a legal team. This is where a well-connected recruiter adds great value. 2. High demand for limited supply “There’s many perceived benefits to in-house roles, especially for lawyers with children who might be seeking better work life balance and juggling family commitments. This results in a flurry of private practice people that want to move in-house,” said Jason. “Generally speaking, the problem is that there’s not enough positions for in-house and quite a bit of competition for these limited positions. “However, there might be a trend towards getting lawyers in on contracts rather than creating full time roles, which reflects what is happening in New Law. “We often get briefed on in-house contracts which are a great way to get your foot in the door,” said Jason. “Often, these can roll over into longer contracts.” 3. Gain experience within the industry With so much competition for in-house positions, companies can afford to be selective. “Some employers don’t simply want you to have in-house experience, but in-house experience within their particular industry,” said Jason. Different industries can have specific regulations which impact their operations; an intimate understanding of these issues offers substantial value-add as a lawyer, specifically as an in-house counsel. 4. Transactional lawyers may do better than litigators “Broadly speaking, lawyers involved in transactional work may do better than litigators in terms of in-house roles,” said Jason. “Many companies may have quite small in-house teams, so they won’t have a need for dedicated litigator. There are exceptions to this, of course – banks, insurers and major companies may have a litigator too.” Moving in-house is appealing to many lawyers, promising a change of environment and in some cases, friendlier work hours. However, demand for in-house roles are competitive, and the positions are often not advertised. If you are looking to move in-house or simply interested in exploring your next career move, get in contact with Elias Recruitment.
Seven simple steps to go from good lawyer to SUPER lawyer!
When clients select a lawyer, technical skills and knowledge are the basics they expect of a good lawyer. What can take you to the next level and differentiate you to prospective clients and increase loyalty with your current clients? After speaking with a number of key HR managers, here are several tips to take you from good to SUPER! 1. Make your clients feel valued It takes surprisingly little effort to make a client feel important and like their needs come first, but the payoff can be huge. Once you’ve developed a business relationship, keeping it strong might simply be a matter of staying in touch by sharing relevant articles, important industry changes, or even remembering their birthday or a significant anniversary. These small things can help position you as a ‘trusted adviser’ rather than just another service provider waiting to get paid. 2. Remember the EQ factor No amount of legal knowledge can compensate for a lack of emotional intelligence. We’ve all worked with people who don’t have it. And, we’re sure you can point to someone who shows immense EQ and whose business thrives as a result. The ability to relate to your clients and your colleagues – putting yourself in their shoes – is crucial if you want to build your client’s trust. A well rounded lawyer with commercial nous – understands the ‘business’, not just the law. 3. You’re ready with creative solutions Being able to come up with a unique solution to a problem gives you a true advantage over lawyers who are simply painting by numbers. Develop an entrepreneurial capability. Focus on business growth, innovation – not just the law. If you don’t think of yourself as naturally creative, don’t worry – creativity is truly something that can be learned. Start with the classic guides to creativity, from Edward De Bono’s Lateral Thinking to Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink. 4. Be one step ahead of your clients You should already be staying up to date with the legal world through CPD and reading. Passion for the law is seen through being able to discuss recent cases, legislation and matters you have read. However, there are other areas where a little bit of research on your part will really put you ahead of the pack. Do you stay on top of financial issues that affect your clients? What about the latest tech news? This doesn’t have to be a huge research project. Just checking a couple of news sources a day will get you out of Dennis deNuto territory. A quick and easy way is to go to australianlegal.community which curates content for busy lawyers. 5. Be seen as a thought leader This may seem like a cliché, but it is a vital skill to master if you want to play in the upper echelons of any company, law firm or government department. While some are born with great leadership abilities, every great leader has spent time developing and refining their skills. To keep up with the latest thinking on leadership, nothing beats the Harvard Business Review. You should also be across the best management training books (try David Maister, Daniel Pink and Seth Godin). If you really want to refine your leadership skills, you could always commit to an MBA, LLM or a short course via College of Law, FMRC Legal. If you’re time poor, check out the great short courses at Bulletpoints.com.au. 6. Offer something unique Following on from leadership, think about the skills you have outside your legal training that make you a ‘value-added’ adviser. Clearly demonstrate your technical skills when responding to scenario or factual questions. Maybe it’s something concrete, like being able to speak another language or having in-depth knowledge of a specialist area, such as medical devices or start up technologies. It could even be something you’ve always had an interest in but never quite managed to pursue or an interest in social justice or community. I volunteered at a community legal centre whilst practising at a large law firm. Make sure you are aligned with the firm’s culture and business values. While it might seem like a diversion or even an indulgence, developing your skills outside what’s expected can make all the difference in the long run. 7. Sharing is caring Share your knowledge with new starters, junior staff and those reporting to you. Being approachable and known as the ‘go-to’ person may seem altruistic but remember, the best way to learn is by teaching others. This will take you and your team from good to SUPER! Looking for your next career opportunity or just want a free and confidential chat? Take a look at the current roles we have on offer, visit our Job Seekers page or call us on (02) 9555 5711.
Have the best jobs come to you!
How to position yourself for headhunting. A few touches to your mobile phone and your groceries, an Uber or a pizza come to you. So why not a job? Many of the best jobs are never advertised so how do you hear about them? Good employers know that the best lawyers are so busy running their practices that they don’t have time to trawl through job ads. They also like keeping strategic hires out of the public eye so the marketplace doesn’t catch on to what they’re doing and where they’re headed. That’s why, when it comes to bringing in the big guns, they’ll use third party headhunters to track down, sound out and snare the best talent for themselves. Headhunters don’t use a scattergun approach. Once they’ve been briefed they usually put feelers out via networks, compile a longlist, then research those candidates to see who’s likely to be a good fit. By the time they approach someone, they pretty much know who they are, what they do and what their reputation is like. So, if you want to be in their sights, there are six things you should be doing. 1. Social networks – make LinkedIn work for you Review your LinkedIn profile, make sure it clearly articulates your skills, experience and area of practice. Highlight projects you’ve worked on and the value you contributed (without of course breaching client confidentiality). Headhunters want to have a good understanding that you’ve worked on similar kinds of matters to those their client has briefed them about. Don’t be shy about blowing your own horn. 2. Be known as an industry expert You’ll never be headhunted if no one has ever heard of you. So, if you’re not already building a profile for yourself, start now. Put yourself forward to present on your areas of expertise wherever possible, especially for industry events or CPD. As an example, check out Bulletpoints for content. Write about important issues and hot topics affecting your work and share these – not just via your firm’s newsletters but directly with your contacts on LinkedIn and other social media channels. To ramp things up, join LinkedIn groups of like-minded people such as Australian Legal Community and start contributing to the conversations. Consider publishing in industry journals – or better still, form relationships with journalists to expand opportunities of being quoted in business or mainstream press as an expert in your field. 3. Releasing subtle signals If you are considering making a move, it’s a good idea to start putting your feelers out there. You can even change your LinkedIn settings to discreetly show that you are open to new opportunities (not viewable to your employer). Also check that your Inmail settings allow you to notify users that you are open to ‘career opportunities’. 4. Make contacting you easy, not a mystery While gatekeeping receptionists can be great at shielding you from overseas telemarketing calls, they can act as a block for headhunters who want to sound you out. So make yourself easy to contact by including your mobile number and personal email address on your LinkedIn profile. If a headhunter struggles to reach you, they may bypass you and run the opportunity by the next person on their list. And, if a headhunter calls and you can’t speak freely, set a time to chat when you’re out of the office. This also gives you a chance to check out their LinkedIn profile to see whether you want to deal with them. 5. Remain professional, don’t breach etiquette Don’t tell anyone in your firm – and that means anyone – about your plans to move, even once you’ve been approached. If the headhunting process isn’t handled discreetly, you’re likely to jeopardise your current position as well as any new opportunities. If a headhunter alerts you to an opportunity never approach the employer directly. Not only will your overtures be met with blank stares, you’ll be seen as disloyal. They’re using a headhunter for a reason. 6. But don’t be afraid If you are approached by a headhunter, you can benefit from their expertise. It never hurts to know the state of the market and have a trusted source of intelligence, especially around salary review time. Besides, even if the specific opportunity they wanted to talk about isn’t right for you at the time, something may hit their desk in the near future. Finally, if you’ve noticed that they’ve looked at your LinkedIn profile, drop them a line to find out why. Headhunting can be a slow dance of missed calls, profile views and unnoticed messages sitting in your personal email account. So, if you’re open to a move, make sure you stay alert and responsive to any headhunter approach. If you are interested in finding out more or hearing about new legal opportunities, contact Jason Elias on (02) 9555 5711 or [email protected].
What I wish I’d known as a new lawyer
What makes the difference between a fresh graduate and a veteran lawyer often comes down to details – writing an email so a client clearly understands their legal options, or contributing effectively to a business meeting to win new work or consolidate an existing relationship. In August, The College of Law is hosting a one-day event, the New Lawyers Summit, featuring advice from senior lawyers, recruiters, digital networkers and barristers to help law graduates acquire the skills they need to excel professionally. Insights spoke to recruiter Jason Elias, who will be part of the New Lawyers Summit, on his advice for new lawyers hoping to impress in their first graduate role. Read Jason’s full interview with Insights, The College of Law.
Top five mistakes candidates make – and how to avoid them
As recruiters, we hear, see and are sometimes purely surprised by some of the easily avoided but common mistakes we see in the recruitment process. Here are some tips to help you along the recruitment process. 1. Overdoing a cover letter There are circumstances that do require cover letters. Cover letters are not the place to rewrite your CV or attempt to write an award-winning novel. The cover letter needs to be concise and to the point (1-2 pages); address the selection criteria and make sure to double check your spelling. Most will receive less than 30 seconds attention so make sure the important information is upfront so the decision maker keeps reading. Dropping the name of well-regarded firms or partners you have worked for is a great way. 2. The Curriculum Vitae We have covered the topic of CVs previously (see ‘Use WD-40 to make your next job search smoother’). A few reminders, there is no reason to put a photo in a legal CV. Do not include any matters that could be discriminatory including references to your age, marital status, race or religion. Be brief, anything over 4 pages is overkill. Make sure you focus on the most recent and relevant roles. Find the balance between highlighting your achievements without looking like you are blowing your own horn. 3. Job-hopping The best way to raise red flags to a decision-maker is by having lots of moves in a short period. The inference is that you won’t stay terribly long in this role if they hire you. We understand sometimes there are reasons beyond your control why you move jobs. Sometimes it is a good idea to have reasons for leaving at the end of role eg followed partner to a new firm, firm merged with another firm, offered in-house role with a client. 4. The follow up protocol A phone call can be a good idea but it’s not something that should be done directly after you push the send button on your application email. Recruiters and Human Resource Managers are only human and may have a large number of applications to process. Normally when a job is first opened they are knee deep in the search and screening process. Generally online applications reduce substantially after 5-6 days so rather than calling on day 1, we suggest leaving the follow up phone call to 7-10 days after the applications were sent or opened. 5. Repeat applications The ‘serial applier’ is not a good look when trying to establish a foot in the door with a prospective employer. Most organisations have advanced applicant tracking software that keeps an eye on applications and even stores resumes, including previous versions and also the number of applications made. While there are many candidates with multi skills we suggest it is not a good look to have made applications for the family law, M&A and personal injury law roles. Looking for your next career opportunity or just want a free and confidential chat? Take a look at the current roles we have on offer, visit our Job Seekers page or call us on (02) 9555 5711.