Natalie Atherall
Consultant
Queens Court, 24 Queen Street, Manchester, M2 5HX
- Specialism: Legal
- Sector: Public Sector
- Roles: Locum, fixed-term and permanent
- Location: North Wales, Cheshire and The Wirral
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Insight in Legal
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From law graduate to legal recruiter
Stepping into any kind of sales position can be a daunting prospect, especially if you are making the move from a completely different sector. There are many misconceptions associated with choosing a career in sales – endless cold calling, unrealistically high KPI’s and the idea of being stuck in a role I did not enjoy. After doing my own research and making the jump myself, I know these misconceptions to be false. My background I’ve always been quite a competitive person who liked a challenge and I suppose that’s one of the main reasons that I chose to study law in the first place. I completed my four year law degree course and Masters at Northumbria University in Newcastle. Throughout the course I worked at the university’s Pro Bono Student Law Office within the Family and Childcare Team assisting members of the public with legal issues including child arrangement orders and drafting divorce applications. After graduating, I worked in law firms specialising in personal injury as litigation assistants. It was while working within these firms that I decided to make the career move into recruitment. What attracted me to making the move? I was looking for something different but also the same. Essentially, for me the best way to do this was to merge both the legal and recruitment sectors. I wanted to utilise all the skills and knowledge that I had gained and developed through years of studying law and working in legal practices. That is why Sellick Partnership was the perfect fit for me. The prospect of a high earning potential, good training programme and excellent career progression, also appealed to me. What are the transferable skills to your current role? Key skills that I have used both as a legal professional and a recruitment consultant include attention to detail, client care, autonomy, understanding of legal terminology and legislation and working towards deadlines. Being a legal recruiter requires a lot of communication with solicitors and other legal professionals. Coming from a legal background and having knowledge of the sector, has helped me empathise with the candidates and clients alike. My experiences so far have shown that this has aided me massively when it has come to understanding a candidate’s motivations and career aspirations and keeping clients updated with market knowledge. Attention to detail is another fundamental transferable skill that candidates and clients both benefit from. From presenting candidates to the clients and prepping them for each interview, to obtaining detailed job specifications from the clients. Paying close attention to what each candidate and client wants, allows for greater control of the recruitment process, ultimately leading to successful placements. My advice to someone who may be considering a career in recruitment? The best advice I would give is to identify all of the transferable skills that you have and do some research into your chosen market. Communicating transparently with your clients and candidates when consulting, will help you to build long lasting working relationships. Each day in recruitment is different and they are often what we make of them. Being a recruiter allows for the autonomy and freedom to work in a way that best suits you as an individual and will help you excel in your chosen market. We are currently recruiting. If you are interested in a career in recruitment, and would like to hear more about my journey feel free to get in touch by emailing me on kemi.awodiji@sellickpartnership.co.uk. Alternatively, you can check out our work for us section to view our latest roles.
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Pros and cons of being an apprentice
For some young people, going to university may not be possible or desirable and therefore apprenticeships could be a popular option. Unfortunately, there is very limited information provided around apprenticeships so it is vital that you carry out your own research to decide whether it would be the best fit for you. In this blog i outline some of the main benefits of being an apprentice, and also some things to consider if you are thinking about taking this route. Advantages of being an Apprentice You can gather real life experience – a great deal of what you learn on an apprenticeship involves transferable and work related skills as well as hands-on experience to understand what it is really like to work within the business. This can help you create a better understanding of the role which is recognised and desired by employers. You get to earn while you learn - an apprenticeship offers you the opportunity to gain an accredited qualification, while earning a salary which is unlike the university route where most are expected to work alongside their studies. Get your foot in the door of a good business – apprenticeships are a good opportunity to bridge the gap into a great business. There is high chance when you complete your apprenticeship that you will be offered permanent employment. You can do an apprenticeship at any age – you don’t have to be fresh out of school or college to be an apprentice. You can do an apprenticeship at any age, however the older you are the less funding the government will provide. 16-18 year olds get full funding, 19-24 year olds get up to 50 percent of funding and those 25+ may not receive any funding, but this will depend on the individual business. A wide range of roles are covered – there is a common misconception that apprenticeships are just for skilled labour positions, however this is untrue as there are many different sectors that will offer an apprenticeship scheme. This could include anything from business administration to animal care. Disadvantages of being an Apprentice Pay grade may be lower than others – due to the level of funding required for apprentices, it is likely that your pay grade would be slightly lower than those going straight into the job. Businesses are required to pay the national minimum apprentice wage which depends on your age, however some employers may choose to pay a higher wage, but that is dependable on the business. Apprenticeship providers can be unreliable – apprenticeship assessors tend to have a high number of students at one time and often have to travel to multiple cities. This makes appointments hard to stick to and you may experience appointments often being pushed back or cancelled due to the increased workload of the assessor. Competitive market – due to the rapid demand increase for apprenticeships over the past few years, it may seem harder to get accepted due to the large amount of candidates applying to each role. From personal experience, feedback is not often given and you could be waiting to hear back from a role for a while, therefore it is important to ensure your CV is tailored to the specific role to ensure you have a higher chance of succession. Apprenticeships may not work for everyone, just like higher education won’t, but it is important to make an educated decision on the best route for you. As a former apprentice, I believe that apprenticeships are a great way to establish yourself into a career and develop your skills while gaining a qualification. To discuss how an apprenticeship could be the best route for you, please feel free to contact me on sufia.yazdjerd@sellickpartnership.co.uk. Alternatively, you can find out more about Sellick Partnership and what we could offer you here.
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My first year as a legal recruiter
I have just come to the end of my first year at Sellick Partnership and my first year in the recruitment industry. In all honesty, I had no idea what to expect when I accepted the job and I was a little apprehensive as to what the recruitment industry as a whole would be like. I had heard the horror stories about recruitment, the long hours, the targets, the competitiveness and I had heard about all the positives too, never really knowing how much to believe. After completing my first year in the industry, I wanted to give the low down on what I’ve learnt and any tips I can give to anyone thinking about starting a career in recruitment. Myth busting When I first told my friends that I was thinking about going into recruitment, I was barraged with horror stories and I was very sceptical about pursuing it. My first year has changed that perception completely. Working in recruitment is by no means easy, but it is an industry where you can get back as much as you give. If you work hard, you will be rewarded. One of my first concerns was about the working hours, I was worried that I would be in the office every day until 8pm at night and have no work/life balance. I was moving from a job that was your standard 37 ½ hours a week and as soon as it turned 5pm you were out of the door, to a job where if the work isn’t done, you aren’t going on time. This turned out to be something I really didn’t need to worry about as recruitment forces you to manage your time and it’s a skill you can keep and take into any industry. It is an incredibly fast paced environment but it is one that allows you to learn how to use your time effectively. One thing I would definitely recommend when working in recruitment is to make a plan of what you would like to achieve each day but remember to not beat yourself up if you can’t always complete it! Things crop up all the time and the key is to prioritise what’s most important. One of my biggest fears about going into recruitment was the targets. I was worried that they would be unrealistic and unachievable and that if I didn’t reach them I would be shown the door. In reality the targets are there to push you not to make you feel like you are fighting a losing battle. One of the best bits of advice I can give is to look at your budget for each month and figure out how many placements you need to make to reach it. Breaking it up into weekly targets or little milestones such as reaching 10 people working for you makes it all seem more achievable. Ask questions about everything! This applies to any industry you are looking to join but I have found it is particularly important when joining recruitment. No matter how stupid, small or insignificant the question seems, it is always better to ask it than to find yourself 6 months down the line and still unsure of the basics. Recruitment is so fast paced, your colleagues, candidates and clients can all end up rushing through things and using abbreviations because they won’t always be aware that you don’t know what they mean. Never be afraid to ask for some clarification on what something means, even when speaking with a client – if anything it will show initiative and readiness to learn. Even after a year I think it is important to still be asking questions on anything you don’t understand or that you want to know more about. Having a clear and in-depth understanding of the sector you work in and the recruitment processes as a whole will only help you progress. Picking your agency If you have decided that recruitment is the path that you would like to go down, making sure you pick the right agency is key. When I first decided it was the direction I wanted to go in, I applied for a lot of different roles and had a range of informal telephone discussions to third stage interviews. I can’t encourage you enough to have as many conversations with as many different agencies as you can. My first interview at a recruitment agency was horrible, I was walked through the offices and I was introduced to the “team”, where they all sat with their headsets on and their eyes glued to the screen. I was made to feel like I would be someone else they had to compete against rather than a future colleague. It really made me take a step back and think twice about whether it was something I wanted to do. My next interview was at Sellick Partnership and I had much more of an opportunity to be able to ask any questions about the organisation, the role and what they could offer me. I was invited to meet the team for coffee before accepting the position and the whole experience made me feel very welcome. The interview process should not only be an opportunity for you to sell yourself and your skillset but also an opportunity for a business to sell itself to you, and to separate themselves from every other agency out there. If you are interested in a career in recruitment, get in touch with our Internal Talent Manager, Simon Briffa today. Alternatively, check out our internal vacancies here.
