Natalie Atherall

Top tips for Newly Qualified Solicitors

Finding a legal role in this current climate can be a long and difficult process. Many junior lawyers at the start of their careers are being hit considerably hard, as they don’t have the all-important experience that many employers are deeming essential. This is particularly true within the legal sector, with newly-qualified solicitors often feeling stuck on where to turn for advice. Here Consultant Chloe Cameron has shared her top tips from writing a CV and applying for roles, right through to choosing a job from a range of offers. Applying for jobs – your CV: It’s really important when applying to jobs that your CV looks good and that it is tailored to the job you’re applying for – i.e. it showcases your relevant experience for the job. This is particularly important for NQ/junior lawyers because in your training you might have covered multiple areas of law (e.g. four seats in your training contract), but you may be most interested into going into one of those areas for your next role. There’s no point having tonnes of info on the CV from all the areas you’ve done if you’re only applying for one area (e.g. property law). It is therefore our suggestion that you tailor your CV to the job description and make sure it really showcases your property experience. Make sure this part of your experience is the first thing the employer/recruiter sees on your CV employment history section and make sure it’s very detailed in this area. You can lose some details from your other areas of law that aren’t relevant to property law. Within this, make sure most complex things you’ve done are at the top, ending with less complex duties at the bottom (e.g. admin tasks). View video from Chloe where she shares her fist tip on how to tailor your CV to help you to secure your dream role! Interview stage: Interviews are nerve-racking for anyone but the way you’ll come out ahead it to prepare, prepare, prepare! The difference between a good/average interview and an excellent one is using examples – this substantiates the claims you’re making on your CV and in the interview. Need to bring in examples are every opportunity and best way of incorporating examples into interview answers is using STAR method (situation, task, action, result). This is a widely used method and I didn’t go into it in my video, just mentioned in passing. Most people should know what this is already. Of course we need to try and answer every question and to the best of your ability, but if you don’t know something or haven’t done the thing the interviewer is asking about, then don’t lie! Equally, don’t just say you don’t know. You need to explain that you’ve not done it (or not done that much of it) but then turn it into a positive and either talk about something similar/related that you’ve done, or talk about how while it’s not something you’ve had the opportunity to do, it’s something you’re keen to pick up, and talk about relevant personal qualities to make up for this skill gap - how you’re hard-working, enthusiastic, fast-learner etc. Technical knowledge in interviews is very important of course, but the way you come across (personality/attitude/willingness/intelligence etc) can be as important. This is what might make the difference between you and another candidate. View video from Chloe where she shares her second tip on what to expect during the interview stage and how you can turn an average interview into an excellent one. Offer stage – what now? How to choose right job?: How do you know what role is right for you? How do you know which job to accept? This actually needs to be thought about way before this stage ideally. You need to know what you’re looking for and what your priorities are, because some things are more important to some people than others. Factors that might influence your decision: day-to-day duties in the role; what area of law it is; sector (e.g. public sector, private firm); location; flexibility; salary; organisation (size, values, team); progression, training – it really could be anything! You need to have a good think about these, ideally from the beginning of your job search, so that when you get to offer stage you’re confident in your decision. Equally, I appreciate priorities might change over the course of the recruitment process, perhaps in unexpected ways, so it’s worth constantly checking in with yourself in terms of your priorities. E.g. you might think salary is the most important thing but after interviewing somewhere with a lower salary than you were looking for, you might really love the sound of the job and progression and this might shift what you originally thought was most important for you. View our third and final video from Chloe where she shares her tips for the offer stage of the interview process and if you have multiple job offers, how you can decide which job is the right one for you. If you are currently looking for a legal role, please search our latest legal roles. If you are interested in discussing this topic further or have any questions, please feel free to contact me on 0161 834 1642 or email me at chloe.cameron@sellickpartnership.co.uk

The importance of mental health and wellbeing initiatives

It is a well-known statistic that 1 in 4 people will experience mental health problems at some point in their lives; we hear about this in the media all the time and this is backed up with the figures shared by the NHS. Latest figures from Mind state that 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England. It is also widely documented that more people are dealing with mental health problems across the population over the last 15 months, as a result of living in a world dominated by COVID-19. Anxiety and depression has impacted even the most emotionally resilient people, and the figures from mental health charities definitely back this up. Naturally, this will impact on staff wellbeing and performance, so employers really need to be proactive to try and help their people through any mental health and wellbeing struggles. Employees are the most important asset of any business; without them organisations would simply not be able to survive. Employees need to be looked after both physically and mentally. Companies and organisations who have more awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues and who have plans and activities in place to help their employees are much more likely to have a productive workforce. Employees who feel valued and cared for will naturally be more productive and will be more likely to stay with their current employer, improving overall staff retention rates. There are many actions that employers can take to help improve the mental health of employees. As a specialist legal recruiter, I have noticed that many of our clients are implementing more and more wellbeing initiatives. In a world where the competition is fierce, it is great to offer thoughtful initiatives that really stand out and ensure employees are offered an excellent working environment. I have listed below some simple ideas on how to incorporate mental health and wellbeing initiatives into the working week. We have implemented many of these at Sellick Partnership with great success. I also took the opportunity to speak to one of my clients in local government, Louise Round and Josy Smith at the South London Legal Partnership, to see what initiatives they have in place. South London Legal Partnership have a fantastic approach towards employee wellbeing and have some great ideas. Mental Health First Aiders One really effective idea is the introduction of Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace. We have five at Sellick Partnership and they act as a point of contact for anyone needing some assistance. South London Legal Partnership also have 33 Mental Health First Aiders. There are registered courses that staff can attend to get some excellent insight into helping employees with any mental health concerns. The role of a Mental Health First Aider involves as a point of contact and offering reassurance to a person who may be experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. It is important for employees to know that they can speak to someone at work on a confidential basis. Group activities and classes South London Legal Partnership have knitting groups, language classes and Zumba, to name a few. These team activities are fantastic, as it encourages bonding between colleagues. Additionally, some of the activities on offer, such as knitting, are very relaxing! Zumba and Yoga are great for both mental and physical wellbeing. Language classes can be a good way to take your mind off daily stresses whilst learning something new. South London Legal Partnership also have a LGBTQIA+ focus group for people to share their insights and opinions. Wellbeing Wednesdays and extended lunch breaks South London Legal Partnership have Wellbeing Wednesdays which is a staff resilience and wellbeing group. Employees who attend find it a useful forum to share experiences and wellbeing tips. Here at Sellick Partnership we offer all employees an extended lunch break once a week to join an exercise class, or to go on a long lunchtime walk and enjoy some fresh air. The aim of this initiative is to help people get away from their desks and to try and relax a little after a busy morning. Tea & Talk Something as simple as a “Tea & Talk” session is really effective. Tea & Talk sessions are great because they also offer a chance to fundraise for the Mental Health Foundation. Tea & Talk is about having conversations with those around you, because talking is good for your mental health. It encourages colleagues to spend time together and talking is always good for wellbeing! These are just a few wellbeing initiative ideas which are not too onerous to implement, and these have been received really positively. It is important for employers to reduce stigma around mental health concerns and wellbeing and create a positive workplace for employees. Some of the ideas above can lead to improved team work, productivity, and engagement. If you are interested in discussing this topic further or have any other fantastic ideas as to how mental health and wellbeing can be improved in the workplace, I would love to hear them. Please feel free to contact me on 0161 834 1642 or email me at rayhaneh.tehrani@sellickpartnership.co.uk.