Ten Percent Legal Recruitment

leaving job
in Careers Advice, CV Writing, Interviews, Job Applications

Should I tell a potential employer why I am leaving my current employer?

Reading Time: 2 minutesShould I tell a potential employer why I am leaving my current employer?
In most cases, the answer to this is no, absolutely not. This is because the overwhelming number of people leaving employers is due to either a personality clash, a perception that they are poorly paid and can get better money elsewhere. or unpleasant working conditions.

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asking for more, human nature
in Careers Advice, Changing Jobs, Employers, Interviews, Job Applications

Negotiating for the sake of negotiating – the risks of haggling on salary during the job offer process

Reading Time: 3 minutesA couple of job offers recently have ended up in a stalemate situation between the employers and the employees. The employees have asked for a higher salary and the employers have taken umbrage at the fact the employees have asked the question. Here are our top 10 pieces of advice when considering negotiating on salary…

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in Careers Advice, Job Applications, Legal Profession, Relocation

What do my South African qualifications count for in the UK? I am a South African qualified lawyer.

Reading Time: 2 minutesIf you are a South African qualified lawyer who has decided to come to the UK to experience our high quality weather, our stable political system and our well functioning courts, congratulations! You may have spent 20 years practising in a good quality South African law firm undertaking high quality legal cases and you may…

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in Careers Advice, CV Writing, Job Applications

Why do I never get offered job interviews – Top Tips for getting a job application noticed

Reading Time: 3 minutesEvery week we get lots of permanent vacancies and locum assignments from solicitors’ firms and in house legal departments. They’re often looking for a specific type of solicitor, with sufficient experience to do a specific job. Lets take a recent example. A firm in the South East of England are looking as follows: Permanent, Full…

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in Careers Advice, Employers, Job Applications, Legal Profession

We want to recruit a paralegal and he’s got to be male

Reading Time: 2 minutesWe took a call yesterday from a solicitors firm somewhere in England and Wales, and the conversation went as follows: “Hello I wonder if you can help, we’re looking for a family paralegal.” “Yes sure, can you give me a bit more information please?” “Yes, we would like a paralegal who’s able to assist with…

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in Careers Advice, Changing Jobs, Employers, Job Applications

Restrictive Covenants – do they put employees off?

Reading Time: 2 minutesWe have recently introduced a candidate to an employer where a restrictive covenant was used which must surely fall foul of rather a lot of employment regulations! The role is a fairly junior fee earner position and not senior management or director level. The restrictive covenant was actually called a “non-compete clause” and included the…

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Decision for NQ Solicitors
in Careers Advice, Changing Jobs, Job Applications, Legal Profession, Newly Qualified Solicitors, Staying in Your Job

Should I leave when I qualify? The dilemna for Newly Qualified – 1 year PQE Solicitors

Reading Time: 4 minutesShould I Stay or Should I Go? In April every year we are regularly contacted by newly qualified and 1 year PQE (post-qualification experience) solicitors who ask the following questions: 1. Should I stay with my training law firm for at least 2 years when I qualify? 2. How much should I get paid? 3.…

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in Careers Advice, Changing Jobs, Job Applications, Legal Profession, Relocation

In House Legal – is the grass greener on the other side?

Reading Time: < 1 minuteFor our full advice on in house legal jobs and moving in house from private practice (and vice versa) please visit our In House page by clicking https://ten-percent.co.uk/in-house-lawyers/ The advice sheet includes the following: How easy is it to move from a solicitors’ firm to an in house legal department? Can anyone do it? Is…

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human rights lawyers non-existent
in Careers Advice, Job Applications, Legal Profession, Training Contracts, Pupillage and Work Experience

Human Rights Lawyers – do they exist?

Reading Time: 6 minutesWhen I grow up I want to be a human rights lawyer (and marry George Clooney) We’ve been meaning to write this article for ages and I was only jogged into action by a long train journey and a recent spate of enquiries! So many teenagers and young adults have the idea that they want…

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in Careers Advice, Employers, Interviews, Job Applications

Matching Current Salary with a Job Offer – a good idea?

Reading Time: 2 minutesMaking a Job Offer and matching current salary – a good idea? A candidate looks to make a move and we send them over details of vacancies. The candidate applies for a vacancy and we send a CV across to a firm, indicating current salary levels. We go through the recruitment process – interview, discussions,…

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in Careers Advice, CV Writing, Job Applications

CVs – have Linked In and video CVs made paper and digital CVs obsolete?

Reading Time: 2 minutesAre CVs obsolete thanks to the Internet? We recently attended a recruitment agency trade fair where numerous salesmen attempted to flog us video CVs and online pre-interview software and a number of speakers told us that CVs were no longer necessary. In the digital world it is so easy to find out about someone –…

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in Careers Advice, Job Applications, Legal Profession

Locum Dilemna – Firm have cancelled an assignment at short notice – what do I do?

Reading Time: 2 minutesLocum Dilemna – what do I do if a firm cancels an assignment at short notice? For a full detailed list of FAQs on locums and a guide on how to be an successful locum please visit www.interimlawyers.co.uk “Hi Jonathan. I was booked back in February for a conveyancing role to last for a week…

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in Careers Advice, Job Applications, Training Contracts, Pupillage and Work Experience

I’ve had a Training Contract offer from a small High Street Law Firm – should I take it?

Reading Time: 4 minutesWe had a request in for legal careers advice from an LPC graduate who has been offered a training contract in a smaller sized law firm somewhere in the UK who do a lot of family law (plus other areas). His questions are as follows: I am unsure whether to take the training contract or…

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in Careers Advice, Employers, Job Applications

Improve your chances of success of recruiting Conveyancing Solicitors

Reading Time: 2 minutesThere remains a national shortage of conveyancing and commercial property lawyers at all levels. We are finding it harder than usual to recruit locums this year, although we still get CVs in to over 95% of assignments, but the permanent side is very difficult. What is interesting is the trend of firms recruiting new conveyancers…

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