Now is a really tough time to analyse the market with so many changes going on this last 12 months. However, one thing we can analyse is where firms are placing their newly qualified solicitors. This is always a good indicator of where firms are feeling the need for new people coming in and so these areas of law often ones that will expand in the next 12 months.

This chart is an analysis of over 200 newly qualified solicitors that we were following and talking to in 2020. The most striking thing we have seen during this qualification year is the diversity of the roles on offer. Early specialism is becoming even more popular and the big growth area on this chart are all the tiny slices of specialist roles. There are still steady areas of law such as private client, commercial and property. Family and employment law qualifiers continue to grow in number.

If you have any questions about the market or your current career path please do get in touch always happy to talk.

We are always happy to help even during these tricky times:

I have known Clara for many years as a candidate and as a hiring manager and she has always been really supportive and able to find the time to talk to me and update me on the market and potential opportunities.

Clara has recently helped me find a new role – something I was doubtful would be possible in the middle of yet another lockdown amid an ongoing global pandemic. Clara gave me great practical advice as to how to approach zoom interviews and was really knowledgeable about the firm which was great. She obviously had a good relationship with them. Despite new ways of now working due to Covid, the recruitment process has been seamless. Thank you so much for your help!”

Greetings!
10 years ago we were coming out of a recession. It wasn’t the most obvious time to set up a new business but because it fitted with my family life I decided now was the time to set up Clara Rose Consultancy.

This month: Celebrating 10 successful years

For those of you that know my story, you will already be aware that following my degree in law and my Masters in commercial law I spent nine years in legal training planning over 2000 courses each year across the country, and finding tutors to present them. That was when I was based in Bristol.

Plans to start my own family brought me back to Suffolk, my original home, and after a six month stint in accountancy and finance recruitment (which was interesting but felt odd!). I was headhunted to set up a legal desk for a small headhunting agency. After working there for a year I had my first child and then during my maternity leave the 2008 financial crash happened. On my return to work I was understandably made redundant and it was after my maternity with my second child that I set up Clara Rose Consultancy.

I can honestly say I don’t know where the 10 years have gone!

I do know that it has been a rollercoaster ride and I’ve certainly never looked back. It’s been great to help people move their careers forward. There have been loads of memorable moments; people who have said there was no light at the end of the tunnel who we have moved into roles where they have gone on to become a partner. People admitting that office politics was reducing them to tears and finding them a happy new workplace that they never thought could exist. Of course, there is the odd story about an interview having to be cancelled because of a sick cat! But we are certainly proud of everything we’ve done to help people in the last 10 years.

We find ourselves now hopefully edging towards the tail end of this current crisis, and no doubt the economic implications will continue for a long time, but life goes on and we are seeing some positive signs. We are always happy to discuss your career and help you figure out the best path for you so do get in touch.

Here’s to the next 10 years!

Greetings!

This new year is the most exciting of times. We are all hopeful that the worst of the pandemic is behind us and we are looking forward to a 2021 offering more growth and stability!
However, before we move on it is worth reflecting on what 2020 gave us and what we can learn.

This month: The good, the bad and the ugly of 2020

The Good – home working and flexibility. I sincerely hope that as we move forward we keep the enormous positives of homeworking. The pandemic proved that we can work from home , be productive and still hit targets. Lots of firms I have spoken to are intending to continue to incorporate homeworking moving forward, I hope they do!
Video calling has become the norm. We have commissioned a full online interview platform which allows us to record interviews and send them to firms. Better than that the ‘interviews’ can be solo interviews where you answer questions and record yourself, only sending the recording back to us when you are happy with it! We know this really speeds up the process, essentially replacing first interview. It means you don’t need to book time off work for that first interview and by second interview you have a 70% chance of getting the job which is a far better use of your time!
The Bad (ish) – salaries in 2020 tended to be reserved, mainly they were being matched or a moderate uplift, people were moving for purpose rather than money, some NQs were unfortunately not getting the usual NQ rate but were feeling obliged to take the roles. Hopefully, this will be rectified in 2021.
The Ugly – unfortunately, there were two terrible practices that I heard about in 2020. Firstly, third parties offering work experience that then they ask people to pay for. Shamefully taking advantage of juniors who were desperate to get a foot on the legal work experience ladder. Luckily I alerted the JLD to this issue and they have warned others about this which is great.
Secondly, other ‘agencies’ acting badly, sending CVs that they find to multiple firms without consent; thereby ruining any chance of an organised market exploration by someone like us who agrees with you which firms to send your CV to. (Never mind the GDPR implications!) We saw this happen unexpectedly to individuals right up to partner level. Again, our video platform helps to eliminate this by providing a date and time stamp to conversations where we gain your permission to work with you and to explore opportunities with a particular firm. We hope that helps to eliminate bad practice and at least prove that the fault lies with the third parties not with the individuals who are often sadly unaware. From your side please be careful who you send your CV out to and where you put it online!

This month we have the StressLess coach, Vikki Pratley, giving us her festive wellbeing tips.
“So the lead up to Christmas and all the festivities are going to be like never before… rather than a whirlwind of dark days, balancing client deadlines, glittery social events and Christmas shopping as we know it; this year the fun stuff is likely to be what’s missing.
The over-indulgence of Christmas’ past could leave us feeling sluggish and struggling to sleep. What will the effect of this year be?

This month: Festive well-being tips

Many people I speak to are reporting feelings of being over worked, stressed, lacking motivation and generally low. And it’s not even January yet!
So what can we do to look after ourselves during this period?
My top tip? Go back to basics. And what I mean by this is:

#1 Prioritise your sleep – we now know from science why sleep is so important. Check out Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep or watch this 4 minute clip, to inspire you to commit to creating an eight hour sleep window for yourself.

#2 Commit to moving – this doesn’t have to be grand gestures! Stand up and stretch to the ceiling every 25 minutes; get out for a walk every day. If you don’t feel you can justify the time, why not at least try taking some of your work calls whilst on the move? You might inspire others to do the same.

#3 Eat well – we know what’s good for us and bad for us yet when the pressure is on we tend to reach for the food that does us no favours. Instead plan to nourish your body – have healthy yummy snacks and meals planned and in grabbing distance. As much as we like the naughty stuff, we also like ease!

#4 Know your vision – when the pressure is on we can flap and panic and work in a reactive way, meaning long hours and high stress levels. The result? We feel tired before we’ve even started. Instead, get organised. Knowing your vision should also include the small steps to get us to our long-term goals. So know what you need to do each day, week and month. Prioritise your top three ‘must do’s’ each day and ensure they are your focus.

#5 Inject some fun! – block out time in the diary for other activities that are just for fun. For the sociable amongst you, physical distancing doesn’t mean social distancing so get creative! If you need accountability commit to classes or events that have set starting times, book in calls with your friends and family or set aside time for a good book or a bath with candles.
And LAUGH!… it is the best medicine after all.”
Vikki works with Senior Executives and professionals of all levels to support and challenge them to create healthy and sustainable high performing environments through leadership and self-management skills. If you’re interested to know more contact her at Vikki@skylark.life or check out the website.