Four easy mistakes candidates make – and how to avoid them
As recruiters, we hear, see and are sometimes surprised by some of the easily avoided yet common mistakes we see in the recruitment process. Here are some tips to help you along the recruitment process. 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. Not properly explaining job changes 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 inhouse role with a client. If it is a fixed term contract or project then be sure to say so. 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 often busy 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. 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 CVs, 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 with the one firm. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Research potential employers before applying for a job.
Extensively Research the Company. Your biggest advantage is information, and almost everything you need to know about a company can be found online. Here are the questions to answer about the company you’re applying for: • What does the firm/company do? • What is their culture like? • What kind of people do they typically hire? • Do I know anyone who works there? • Do I have any connections there? Use the following resources to get your answers: • The company website • LinkedIn • Google news • Youtube • Google Finance • Glassdoor.com • Twitter.com • Facebook.com • Instagram.com Be armed with as much data as possible. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Are you looking for a recruiter?
Just speak to Elias Recruitment. Seriously though, with almost 20 years of being dedicated legal recruitment specialists and helping legal professionals move both within practice and into in-house legal roles, we are a safe pair of hands with your next career transition. We can offer expert advice and insight into which opportunities will best suit your career ambitions. Also, Elias Recruitment is a longstanding member of the NPAworldwide global network, the largest recruitment network that partners cooperatively to service clients around the globe. As the only legal recruiting firm in Sydney to be a member, our candidates have access to positions from over 1,500 recruiters worldwide. Given that we do have some bias, here are the key questions that you should be asking yourself before you choose a recruitment agency to partner with on finding your next role: Are they a dedicated legal recruitment agency that understand the profession? Am I dealing with an experienced recruitment consultant within that agency? Do they have their 10,000 hours of experience working in the legal world or in recruitment? Has the agency been running for long enough to establish deep and true partnerships within the legal industry? Is the agency able to offer opportunities across a broad spread of industries, geographies that suit my needs? Are they a member of the RCSA that subscribe to an industry code of ethics? It’s also worth remembering that you are better off partnering with a single, high quality recruiter that is able to represent you to multiple different firms. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
How to position yourself for approaches (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. See Getting your social media profiles ready (Above). 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 contacts by publishing 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 signalsIf 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 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 and it may be a confidential search. 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. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Getting your CV ready
A study by The Ladders found that professional recruiters give most resumes an initial 6 second review to look at key details before deciding whether to contact you for an interview. During that 6 second window recruiters are quickly scanning: Name Current title and employer Current position start date – and if you are still employed Previous employers’, title, company and employment dates Admission date (years of Post qualification experience (PQE) Education ( and awards eg Dean’s List or Average marks- esp in earlier years) Clearly lay out your CV so that visually you are giving the recruiter exactly what they are looking for as quickly as possible to increase your chance of scoring an interview. Avoid fancy fonts, boxes and unnecessary distractions. Here is how to spruce up your resume in four easy steps: Highlight your accomplishments, recent projects, & publications –Lead with your accomplishments, especially if you have recent project experience relevant to the role for which you are applying. Include any awards, commendations or industry publications – highlight your expertise in an area relevant to that role and you will stand out from other applicants. Don’t forget the selection criteria –Selection criterias are listed for a reason, so include them in your application. Wherever possible, tailor your CV to reflect the specified criteria. Note relevant skills or experience, and focus on demonstrating achievements in your recent position that match the role requirements. Leave any material which may be the basis of discrimination (unconscious or otherwise ) – for example, date of birth, race, marital status, sexuality or religion. Make it an easy read –The worst resumes are a nightmare to read. Poor formatting, too much text, an absence of headings, or lack of clarity around what you did in each role make for a quick trip to the bin. As a rough guide, ask yourself, can your CV be read in 2 minutes or less? Would a total stranger understand what value you brought to each role, your strengths and your achievements? If you’re unsure, run your resume by friends or family who are less familiar with your career or industry, and ask them to describe what you do based on your resume. In terms of length, aim for 2 pages for a junior lawyer and up to 4 for a more senior lawyer. Provide more detail on more recent roles, If you have 10 years PQE we don’t need much about your pre-legal work at McDonalds. Mention it of course (McDonalds gives great training) but prioritise the more relevant positions. Also even if you look like George Clooney or Scarlett Johansson- a photo on your CV is never appropriate. Explain any absences or short stints – and don’t embellish –Red flags pop up for unexplained leaves of absence and unusually short placements in a series of roles. While innocuous, these resume gaps may suggest underlying issues with colleagues or managers or an inability to focus and settle into a role. If you took extended time off, be up front about the reason – whether it was a career break to assist with an ill family member or a business venture or even further study, it’s best to tackle the issue rather than allow employers to come to their own conclusions and prematurely rule you out. Whatever you do, don’t lie. Not only does it damage your credibility with your prospective employer, it may affect your overall reputation with future employers. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
Get your credentials and qualifications up to date
You need to ensure that you have been keeping up with all your CPD requirements, and also there are many additional courses and qualifications. We’d recommend our sister site, Bulletpoints (www.bulletpoints.com.au) as a marketplace that allows you to find, book and track all of your CPD requirements. Bulletpoints aggregates courses from over 25 different legal industry education providers and you are able to choose from hundreds of live events, videos, online courses or onsite training options to obtain your CPD points. Once you have completed all of the relevant courses and qualifications, be sure to update both your resume and your LinkedIn profile with completed certifications as this can help you stand out. Relevant qualifications that you might include are AICD certifications, might include College of Law Masters (including the new Master of Legal Business), professional industry bodies, etc. You may also want to build your profile by presenting at CPD courses either through Bulletpoints or a range of providers such as Law Societies, College of Law, and universities who are often looking for speakers. For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
What lawyers should ask before making the switch
As quoted in Lawyers Weekly 1 August 2019 With competition for talent at a record high, lawyers are presented abundance of choice in terms of their employer, however, an expert in the space says there are six things to consider before shaking up their career. Director at Elias Recruitment Jason Elias said before taking the leap and changing jobs, one must consider several factors. “Before you take the leap, take a moment to ask yourself the following questions: One – Am I being challenged in my current role? Two – Am I still learning? Three – Do I feel respected and appreciated? [Read more…]
Getting your social media profile ready
You have made the decision to leave, and know what you are looking for. Now it’s time to start getting your social profiles in order. Why do this before your resume? Social profiles provide a point of verification Being easier to find means that opportunities will start to find you Having a strong personal brand will impact the type of opportunities you are offered People within your network may start to think of you for opportunities When we talk about getting your social profiles in order, in Australia, LinkedIn is the major platform that you need to give serious consideration. Virtually every major law firm and recruiter are actively using LinkedIn to identify and approach lawyers with potential job opportunities. Potential employers (and clients) will also use your LinkedIn profile as a point of verification and proof of your background and experience. Here’s what you need to do to be found: Before you do anything, check your LinkedIn privacy settings, as you might choose to not broadcast to everyone initially that you are updating your profile – https://www.linkedin. com/psettings/privacy. Also here in this section you have the option of notifying recruiters that you are open to opportunities. Join the Australian Legal Community LinkedIn group here https://www.linkedin.com/ groups/129190/– It’s a great way to expand your network within the legal profession. Get your personal LinkedIn profile 100% complete– this makes you 40x more likely to appear in searches. Appearing in more searches means more employers and recruitment agencies getting in touch with relevant opportunities. Get a professional head shot. Something modern and professional with yourself the only person in the photo. Avoid photos where it appears you’re in a social situation (especially your wedding photos with an arm draped around you). Ensure your contact details for your LinkedIn profile are up to date so that you are easy to find. Update your headline to something “action based” – a format along the lines of “Qualified legal professional helping INDUSTRY achieve RESULTS”. Get your custom LinkedIn profile URL (eg https:// www.linkedin.com/in/eliasrecruit/) – it looks better on your resume AND helps your profile appear as the first search result in Google . Consider keywords that you want to appear and then ensure they appear multiple times throughout your profile eg. If you would like to appear for the term “family law” then you could repeat this in your headline, position title, and in the description for each of your various position descriptions. If you are genuinely committed to changing roles, consider a LinkedIn Job Seeker account which gives you InMail to approach potential employers, and gives you a higher visibility when you apply for new roles. Get recommendations and endorsements on your profile – this helps you be found and also provides and unofficial reference/testimonial. Recommendations are more valuable than endorsements which can be quite random and inaccurate. Connect with peers, industry leaders, relevant LinkedIn groups, and prospective employers’ LinkedIn Company Pages. Draft and post 2-3 blog articles that display your strengths and interests positively. Google search yourself to double check what is appearing when people are looking for you. Check your privacy settings on Facebook and ensure that you aren’t sharing (or being tagged in) posts that don’t display you in a professional manner. Also check the photos that you have posted on Instagram and consider making your profile private while you are applying for new jobs. You may even want to delete the account if there is anything controversial. There are now business especially in the US that are paid to review a candidate’s social media presence before an offer is made. Don’t let a silly post or dodgy photo cost you a great job. Consider investing in a service such as Brand Yourself which is an online reputation management service that can help you clean up your social media presence and fix unwanted posts. Google (https:// brandyourself.com/). Excuse the plug but you may want to follow the Elias Recruitment LinkedIn page – where we share regular legal industry news and job opportunities – (https:// www.linkedin.com/company/elias-recruitment/). For more career advice contact [email protected]
Is it time to change jobs?
Before you take the leap, take a moment to ask yourself the following questions: Am I being challenged in my current role? Am I still learning? Do I feel respected and appreciated? Am I developing new skills that will enhance my value? Can I see a future career path? Do I get up each Monday excited going to work or not? Looking at the reality of your current role and being objective about whether it’s something that you need to change vs if it’s a change in employer that is required is often the most important first step. Only you know when it’s time to move on. But chances are you’ve at least thought about what the next move might be. There are some clear warning signs that it might be time to move on. 1. Staying doesn’t make financial sense It probably seems risky, but changing job can often mean an increase in income or other non-financial benefits. New employers may offer an incentive to move across, some new firms are now offering “70 cents in the dollar on billings” and cross-referral/ client introduction fees (often 10% of collected fees). Consider the other benefits you may currently be missing out on … better hours, working closer to home or flexibility like working from home one day a week. You may find you even have time to take that holiday that never seems to come around. 2. You’re risking guilt by association No matter how many hours you put in, if you’re not working for the right people, that is energy wasted. Some firms are known for excellence in one area and not others. Ask yourself: how positive is our firm’s reputation in my practice area? Who are we being compared to? Are we being held back or even missing out on work because of the way the firm is perceived? Perhaps moving on is a better bet for your reputation. 3. Politics is a tricky game Managing demanding clients is one thing. Managing internal conflict is another level of stress altogether. Sometimes firm management just won’t be on your side. Perhaps they are excluding you from managing bigger clients because of some perceived conflict. Did you back the wrong person at the last partner’s meeting? Politicking is part and parcel of law firm life, but if it is taking up too much headspace, it may be time to outgrow the petty game playing. 4. Your firm is choked by bureaucracy Too much paperwork and too many meetings might eat into your practice. You would be better off developing business and nurturing client relationships rather than attending endless irrelevant meetings that go nowhere. Over complicated workplaces can be very difficult to change. So ask yourself, do you have time to wait around while these knots are being untangled? Or do you have better things to be doing? 5. There’s been a change in direction When you started your current role it may have been a perfect match. But things change. If your firm decides to take things in a new direction, your areas of focus may simply not fit anymore. Perhaps they have brought in an outsider above you or merged with a firm with an incompatible culture. 6. There’s a values mismatch This is tough because values underpin every decision, big and small. Even if your situation looks fantastic on paper, a fundamental mismatch in values or personalities will wear you down over time. Values don’t have to be spelled out in a strategic document. You’ll know what your firm’s priorities are, and whether you can keep working towards them. 7. You know something better could be out there Even if you’re sure you can stick it out for another year or so, you might be missing out on golden opportunities by keeping your head in the sand. We all know the best roles are often those that go unadvertised – part of the “hidden” jobs market. Now might be time to get a proper assessment of what your opportunities are and let those enviable jobs to come to you (ie. get headhunted) by getting to know connected recruiters in the market. Start thinking about your next move while you still have a good bargaining position and can move on your own terms and timelines. It is always easier to find a role while you are currently employed so try not to hand in your notice (or even alert your current employer) until you have something secured (preferably a written and signed Letter of Offer). For additional career advice contact Jason Elias on [email protected]
The reverse interview | Top 3 interview questions to ask a potential employer
Most of the time when we’re job searching, we’re focused on how we can impress our future employer and get to the top of their candidate list. We present all the information they may need to know about us, do whatever we can to put our best foot forward and secure that job offer. But how do we know if the job we’re pursuing is a good match for us? The key is to see the recruitment process as a two-way street. Yes, it’s important for employers to find out as much as they can about their potential new hires, but it’s equally as important for candidates to ask prudent questions throughout the selection process. Asking well thought-out questions not only demonstrates genuine interest and motivation, but it also provides more information to help weigh up the pros and cons of the opportunity. Research It’s always recommended that you do your research when applying for a job by analysing the job posting or position description (if it’s an advertised role), and by looking at other sources of information such as a company website, LinkedIn business profile, and other similar job advertisements, or by talking to people who are in similar positions. When you make it to the interview stage, you then have a great opportunity to build on this research and fill any gaps in your understanding of what the job is really all about. Be careful not to ask questions that are already very clear in the job information already posted. The idea is to show what you already know about the opportunity, and then ask questions that will give you a deeper understanding of the role and organisation. It might help to think of your questions in terms of 3 categories, and have at least one question prepared from each category before you go to the interview. 1. What does a typical day in this role look like? Ultimately you want to be able to imagine yourself doing the job, to have a clear picture of the different tasks you will do day-to-day, who you will interact with, what systems or tools you might use, what challenges are likely to come up, and what knowledge and skills you will use regularly. This will help you assess whether your interests and strengths will be well matched to this job. Examples of questions that work well here are: Can you please give me an idea of the variety of tasks I could expect on a daily basis? What matters would I be using predominantly in the role? Which matters are currently the main priority, and how does this role contribute to them? How much of my time would be spent on autonomous tasks versus team activities? 2. What is it like to work in this organisation? As well as understanding the accountabilities and tasks of the job itself, you will want to know what the work environment is like. People often refer to this as company culture, and it can be influenced by many factors such as how the company is structured, whether it is big or small, the physical workspace, and how different divisions and people interact with each other. Companies will often talk about the positives of their culture and values on their website, and the interview is a great way to find out how this resonates in the day-to-day. Try questions like: What do you think employees like best about working here? How do employees find out about important information from the leadership team? How would you describe the work environment? How do you think the company culture differs here, in comparison to other law firms? How does the organisation support employees with their professional development? 3. What is it like to work in this team? A big part of any job is the interactions you have with your immediate team, including your manager. Usually you will have a chance throughout the interview process to meet your supervisor or manager, and sometimes you will also meet other team members. See this as a chance to observe their style as they interact with you, and to ask one or two questions about how they like to work. Remember that each team has their challenges, so rather than looking for perfection, reflect on whether you will get something positive from working with this team, whether it be a challenge, fun, cohesion or new skills. You may like to ask questions such as: Are you able to give me an idea of the different roles within the team and how they work together? How regularly does the team meet and what are the meetings like? What sort of background and skill sets already exist within the team? How would you describe your management style with the team? I noticed in the position description that there are 3 different people performing this role – how do the focus areas differ for each person? (demonstrating your research). What next? Now that you have some more information about the job, the organisation and the people, you are in a strong position to reflect on whether this opportunity is a good match for you. The next step is to ask yourself some questions to see how closely the role aligns to your strengths, interests and personal values. Do the day-to-day tasks sound like something I could do and enjoy? Is there enough challenge in the daily role to keep me interested? Could I contribute something and learn new skills in this role? Does the work environment sound like it will suit my style? Does the organisation value the same things that I do? Have I enjoyed interacting with the people I met at interview? Does the team sound well-structured and cohesive? Could I learn something from my team members or manager? Asking yourself these questions is especially useful if you are trying to decide between a couple of different opportunities, as it will give you a point of comparison. And remember – as