First Impressions

They say that ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’. I have no idea who said it originally, but whoever it was is absolutely spot on.

Within legal recruitment we commit a large part of our time to preparing candidates and clients for interview to ensure that both parties do the best possible job of selling themselves to the other. As the war for talent reignites it is just as important for the interviewer to convince any new recruits that the firm can meet their requirements as it is for the potential employee to show that they are the person for the job.

Usually when you are dealing with high calibre lawyers the basic rules of making a good first impression are generally ingrained already......usually....!

Wearing a best suit and a well-ironed shirt tends to be part of the culture with most client-facing solicitors anyway, along with polished shoes and the ability to employ a smile and a firm handshake. Even in these days of relaxed dress-down cultures most lawyers are only the time it takes to put on a tie away from being in interview attire.

What does continue to both surprise and frustrate us though is what we would consider to be the ‘pre-first impression’. Allow me to give you two examples, both of which have happened in the last fortnight:-

Firstly we are asked to recruit a corporate associate for a large regional player which consistently punches above its weight and attracts high calibre individuals from leading national and international firms. Having introduced one particular candidate we are asked to supply additional information as to why this person is considering leaving their present firm after just four months.

Obviously we know the true nitty-gritty of why this person is leaving as well as the ‘official’ reason, but as a matter of course we contact the candidate to cross-check this so that there is no discrepancy. After two days of waiting we are forced to go with what we have so that the candidate does not appear to have ‘gone cold’. Following this the firm comes back with four possible dates and times, which we again speak to the (now-delighted) candidate about, who promises to get back to us in three hours once she’s checked her diary.

Two days ago, and counting.

Second example; working with a Magic Circle senior associate who is looking for opportunities closer to his Thames Valley home. He has particular opinions of some firms in the area, some of which are very accurate, others we would say are wide of the mark.

One firm which he wasn’t as clued-up on actually would represent a very good move for him, and after discussing the benefits of what they could offer him versus his requirements he is happy to have a conversation with them if they are interested.

The firm is indeed interested, and so after identifying two suitable gaps in the diary we advise the practice that either of these dates would suit, and await their confirmation.

That was a week and a half ago.

In previous blogs we have discussed a number of benefits of utilising legal recruitment companies for both candidates and clients. The ability to work proactively and confidentially on your behalf, provision of targeted and impartial career advice, and even using a recruiter as a go-between in salary negotiations can make the whole process go much more smoothly from both sides, with each side having a reduced level of culpability if a ‘dealbreaker’ is introduced into the equation when it comes via the recruiter, albeit at the candidate or client’s behest.

What is also important, and is perhaps not as well-documented, is the use of the recruiter as a ‘buffer’. Whether it be a firm looking to delay a decision and hoping to ‘buy’ a weekend without upsetting the candidate, or whether it be an individual looking for an extra day for another offer to land to contrast and compare, we can be involved in making sure that this leeway can be found without making one side look like they are stalling unduly. It’s much harder to do this when speaking to the other party directly!

However, our buffer can only work so far. If you are unable to come back with interview times in less than a week then exactly what kind of preconceptions will any firm or candidate have about you?

“Yes, we do invest in the greatest IT systems that are out there, and everyone has access to everyone else’s diary for greater transparency and cohesion between our teams......but it takes me three days to discover that the partner is in France that week.”

Or for a candidate:- “I pride myself with providing the highest levels of client care possible. I have my BlackBerry/iPhone/carrier pigeon* (*delete as necessary) beside me 24/7 and will always respond within 15 minutes, no matter how insignificant the query. However when it comes to my OWN CAREER you’ll be lucky if I even acknowledge your interest before the end of the month.”

Let me make this clear:- impressions matter. At ALL stages of the process. You may turn up for interview on time with your designer suit and your shiniest shoes plus tie with matching cufflinks, but if your dealings up until that point have been less than professional you’re fighting your way uphill from the start.

So in summary; yes we appreciate you’re busy. We understand that you have clients who are also demanding some of your time. Yes we know you have other concerns apart from organising an interview, but bear in mind that unless you can give it 100% of your attention for 2 minutes now you may have to sell yourself a whole lot more later on to get that deal you’re after.

To discuss your options from either a recruiting or a candidate point of view talk to one of our specialist consultants, who guarantee you their full attention, on 0121 233 5000 or 020 7649 9094. Alternatively visit our website – www.vgcharles.com.

Hanging On The Telephone

Let me say it – I’m not happy. Firstly it’s Monday morning, which is never a good thing.

Secondly I haven’t had a weekend because I’ve spent the whole of Saturday and Sunday doing DIY and then to crown it all I’ve woken up with a sore throat which is making it difficult to talk. Whilst this may lead to some blessed relief for the rest of the office it does put something of a dampener on your day when you normally spend at least 40-50% of your core hours on the telephone.

The phone is a key part of the armoury within legal recruitment; whilst the advent of the internet has meant that a lot of researching can be done from your desk, it is only by picking up the telephone and speaking to firms and candidates that you can build up enough market intelligence to ensure that you are ahead of the game. After all, if you don’t and it’s not on the firm’s website then you’re going to be well out of the loop.

Our belief is that we have a responsibility to our candidates to make sure that they have the best possible opportunity to secure their next position. This encompasses career counselling, advice on CVs and also making sure that candidates are fully briefed and prepared for interview, but it goes further than this. Any legal recruiter can sit there and wait for a client to instruct on a requirement, but by this time the role has already been advertised and the firm has about 40 other CVs for the candidate to compete against.

Those of us who have been in the legal recruitment market for some time are aware that the smart way of working is to be on the telephone to clients, both actual and potential, on a regular basis talking to them about their strategies and areas of growth over the coming months so that you know what is coming up well in advance.

This is obviously very good news for our candidates when they’re in the market for a new opportunity; if you can introduce them whilst the firm is still at the “we might think about recruiting a...” then the candidate stands a much better chance of being able to say “this is what I can offer” and the role gets tailored to their capabilities. If however the firm has reached the point of job specification, person specification, expected psychometric profile and have invited CVs from all and sundry then there it is likely that the firm has a fixed preconception of what it is they are after and thus may be less likely to consider applicants’ individual merits which may not match the job description.

This is also where the use of a legal recruiter can stand you in better stead than relying on direct approaches. Unless you are out of work and in a position to assess who the relevant decision maker is in every firm then it can be a real slog to get your CV in front of the right person. However due to the relationships that a recruiter builds with their clients, it is common that we can pick the phone up to the relevant partner and discuss our candidate’s qualities and sometimes even arrange an interview before a CV is ever submitted. In fact some of our relationships are strong enough that a CV doesn’t even change hands until an offer has been made and someone in personnel highlights that one is missing!

The use of the telephone to build market information also works to the benefit of clients. As well as speaking to candidates who are actively on the market, a good legal recruiter makes a policy of speaking to others who are ‘in the market’; ie those who wish to keep a watching brief of what is going on, interested in being kept informed if and when something interesting comes up. Again, sometimes this market intelligence is crucial when a firm is looking for a high calibre individual but when candidates of this nature may not be so actively looking that they are searching online job boards, or even have an up to date CV.

There is no doubt that the introduction of the internet and email has revolutionised the way in which business is conducted, but in terms of building up the market intelligence necessary to source roles effectively, the telephone still remains king. The old adage that people do business with people that they like remains as crucial today as it ever has, and there is no better way to build a rapport with someone than through a proper conversation.

After all, in the words of Confucius “it’s good to talk”.*



*(Actually it was Bob Hoskins on the BT adverts, but he doesn’t have quite the same gravitas.)

To discuss how one of our specialist legal recruiters can help you with opportunities in the market call us on 0121 233 5000 / 020 7649 9094; we like to talk! Alternatively visit our website at www.vgcharles.com or drop us an email and we can call you back.

Brand On The Run

There’s an email that comes around every so often, and which may well have previously landed in your inbox. It always amuses me each time I receive it, and works by posing you two moral dilemmas:-

Question 1:

If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three who were deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had syphilis, would you recommend that she have an abortion?

We’ll come back to that one, but first try this next question:-

Question 2:

It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three candidates. Who would you vote for?

Candidate A:- Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologist. He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.

Candidate B:- He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whisky every evening.

Candidate C:- He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Candidate B is Winston Churchill.

Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.



Whoops. Yeah, I went for C too.



Recently we were retained on a national Head of Property opportunity with a Top 100 practice. As is standard we discussed potential candidates with the client before approaching and meeting these partners face-to-face to discuss the opening in some detail, initially on a confidential basis until we has ascertained that there was sufficient interest to discuss things more formally.

As is occasionally the case, when we disclosed which firm we were representing one of the candidates opted not to be considered further, despite the fact that she was presently with a smaller firm, the job specification ticked all of the boxes and that the position represented a significant uplift in salary. Why? Quite simply the brand wasn’t good enough.

Interestingly enough there were others who were pleasantly surprised when we revealed who our client was. Having discussed the PEP, the projected earnings, ambitions of the firm, the turnover and the calibre of the client base some of the individuals were perhaps slightly surprised that a brand they believed to be inferior could offer work of that quality and the financial remuneration to match.

Brands can be weakened or tainted through a number of factors. Loss of high profile clients (or high profile loss of clients!) poor financial performance and departure of key staff can impact a firm’s standing, although dodgy write-ups in the press or a well-documented high staff turnover can also lead to a firm being tarred with an undesired reputation. After all, as the economy recovers from the recession there are a number of law firms who didn’t do themselves a huge amount of credit by the way that they handled the downturn.

The other factor that firms need to consider is how long their brand may remain tainted or frowned upon following a period of negative press. For those who are putting short-term profits first by axing staff it may be worth considering the longevity of their actions and the consequences when it comes to trying to attract staff:- we recently spoke to a partner reluctant to consider options at a firm due to their performances a decade before!

The fact is that the partners who will gain are those willing to look beyond the rumour and the brand, and instead look at the opportunity. One client we have acted for in the past who have a damaged brand can also boast of top equity being substantially higher than any other client in the city; is it worth discounting an opportunity just based on the name when you’re talking about those numbers?

Obviously as the saying goes there is no smoke without fire; if you hear horror stories about a firm it is worth looking in some detail as to whether these are genuine and if there are currently issues in need of resolution. However you may just find that these rumours have been greatly exaggerated and that there’s actually an absolute diamond in the rough where you can handle good quality work; only by exploring the options and not discounting opportunities out of hand will you get the opportunity to discover this further.

And, by the way, back to your answer to the abortion question: if you said yes, you just killed Beethoven.

For an open-minded discussion on opportunities in the market at all levels contact one of our specialist consultants on 0121 233 5006 / 020 7649 9094 or visit our website www.vgcharles.com

Partners In Crime (or corporate, property, family, employment, etc.)

Look at this; a blog that goes straight(ish) to the point. Apologies to those who’ve grown fond of the usual witless, meandering introductions; normal service will hopefully be resumed next week.

I had a very interesting meeting with a senior corporate associate in the East Midlands last week. As legal recruitment consultants we go to great lengths to emphasise the ‘consultant’ aspect of what we do, a factor which is sometimes overlooked by both clients and candidates alike, who perhaps are used to dealing with ‘CV factories’; those so-called-recruitment consultancies which are often little more than a resumé relay service.

As consultants our expertise includes providing careers advice, information about the market as a whole, discussing salary levels and advising on general management of an individual’s career to help them achieve their goals.

Of course if a candidate is desperate to leave a firm then we can do our utmost to facilitate this, ensuring that the new practice ticks the boxes for what that candidate is seeking.

However at other times we need to advise on the overall strategy of a candidate’s career to reach their overall aim. Sometimes this can involve advising a sideways move or that even a ‘one step back to take two forward’ move may suit them best. At other times it needs some ‘tough love’ to outline that actually a candidate is better off staying where they are in the short-term and building a client following or business case to make them a more attractive proposition in the future. Often there is little or no chance of a firm being interested in an individual with what they can currently bring to the table.

Anyway, back to my corporate associate. She was trying to choose between whether to make a sideways move to another firm where she could hope to progress to partner, or whether she should stick it out at her current practice and hope to make partner there before looking to move as a lateral hire.

An interesting conundrum, and one which generated some discussion until we dug down further into the potential business case and following and discovered that actually:- there wasn’t one.

As discussed in an earlier blog (http://vgcharles.blogspot.com/2010/11/to-follow-or-not-to-follow-that-is.html) the following aspect is increasingly crucial for lawyers at all levels, not just for partners, as firms seek more ‘rounded’ solicitors with an ability to attract new clients. Unless a practice is absolutely snowed-under with work or if there has been a resignation with no obvious internal replacement then applicants will have to be able to generate client instructions, and even if there is a surplus of work firms are still looking at the ability to attract new business once the current pipeline is exhausted.

The same remit is in place for those who are perhaps senior associate or legal director at one of the larger practices and are looking to take the step-up to partner. Firms are usually seeking a business plan indicating clients attracted, marketing successes, business development capabilities and most importantly the resultant billings which have been generated by all of these; in fact with top firms there is often little difference in the process for an internal promotion or an external lateral hire.

One thing which should be highlighted however is that whereas it is sometimes difficult for an associate to move without some level of following, for a partner it is nigh on impossible. Therefore candidates need to ensure that if they are indeed offered partnership without them having to produce a business case that they are intending on staying with the same firm for quite some time.

I have a lot of time for this particular associate as she has endeavoured to build up her client following and is doing all the right things; she’s networking, she’s referring work, she’s tweeting, LinkedIn’ing and getting herself known locally. Technically she is excellent, and I have no doubt that she will make partner in the future, but unless she is able to establish her business case then she may end up finding it difficult to make the move; even more so if she does make partner where she is and still finds that she has no quantifiable following of her own clients.

Therefore with this individual I did advise them that looking for a sideways move did represent their best option. We are looking at opportunities now for this individual to make this move and the initial signs are encouraging; now it our job as consultants to make sure that the firms we are speaking to can offer her the marketing opportunities and support to build this following, meaning that the partnership title is a realistic and attainable goal.

The reason for highlighting this particular case in this blog is that what struck me during the meeting was the associate in question wasn’t truly aware that a following was so essential, and that simply being a partner in one firm didn’t guarantee partnership in another. Whether this is widely known to non-partners or not seems to vary from firm-to-firm, with different practices taking a different approach to followings as they strike the balance between solicitors bringing work into the firm versus being keen to retain the clients should those solicitors move on.

To discuss your options in the market, following or not, call one of our specialist consultants at VG Charles & Co on 0121 233 5000 / 020 7649 9094 or visit our website www.vgcharles.com

Control Freak

I’m sure this scene will be familiar to many of you. You get back from work, have something to eat, pour yourself a glass of wine and settle down to watch a DVD.

First thing you get? That anti-piracy warning:-

DUN-DUN-DUN “You wouldn’t steal a car” DUN-DUN-DUN “You wouldn’t steal a handbag” DUN-DUN-DUN......

Fairly presumptuous I suppose, but in most cases quite valid. However by this point your head’s throbbing and you’re starting to doubt yourself. Actually, would I steal a car? Have I stolen a handbag? Are those sirens I can hear? RUN....!

If this doesn’t ring a bell then how about the warning which originated on American TV – “it’s 10pm – do YOU know where your children are????” Even at 4 years old it still put the fear of God into me. Where’s teddy? I told him not to go across the road and now I can’t find him and......oh there he is, next to the train set where I left him.

So you know you’re watching a kosher DVD, and that the car and handbag have been paid for legitimately. You know that the kids are safe outside and wouldn’t dream of crossing the road without your consent:- what about your personal information? Who may be looking at that without your knowledge?

As the world becomes more digitally-focussed we spend more time making sure that our identities are protected, whether it be log-ins to online bank accounts or passwords for shopping websites. For years we have covered the keypad when entering PIN numbers and every time a bank statement comes through it usually gets shredded or thoroughly destroyed. Yet every day our consultants at VG Charles talk to candidates who are unsure about where their CV may have been sent to.

Speak to any law firm or a quality legal recruiter and they can tell you that one of the factors which complicates the recruitment process is duplicate submission of CVs. It drives firms mad, as they receive the same details four times from different recruiters for the same role, and as well as making the recruiter look foolish it can make the candidate look desperate, potentially weakening any negotiating position if and when it comes to offer stage.

A CV can be duplicated for a number of reasons; sometimes due to a poor recruiter, more often unfortunately it is the fault of the individual. How to avoid this? Well the simplest way is for candidates to extensively track where their CV has been sent and when, as well as which role it was for and the location; that way if another recruiter approaches you for the same position you can highlight that this has already been covered on your behalf.

Occasionally a CV can be duplicated when a candidate has been spoken to about an opportunity but for reasons of confidentiality the recruiter will refuse to disclose which firm it is with, and convince you that it is ‘standard policy’ to work this way.

Nonsense. Absolute rot.

Do you really want your details to be in front of your peers yet not know which people will have seen these? How can you go into a mediation yet not be slightly concerned that the person across the table from you may just know that you’re on the market, what your frustrations are at your firm and also have an idea of what you’re being paid?

If a recruiter won’t tell you who the firm is then tell them where to go. Different if it’s a headhunt, as there is usually a strategic reason for the recruitment which means the client doesn’t want it known that they’re hiring, certainly at the early stages. However for ‘standard’ contingency recruitment you should always have been advised exactly where your details are being sent.

As online job boards become more common your CV may be on a website which can be accessed by anyone who has the database search capability. At best you can then expect a number of calls to come through from people who have ‘seen your details online’; at worst, someone unprofessional may send details out to every firm in the hope that something ‘sticks’, then contact you retrospectively.

It’s imperative in this market that candidates retain full control over their CV at all times. You will find that often a job advert contains the details of the consultant advertising the position, so why not pick up the phone and talk to them about the role? That way if it’s not right for you then you haven’t released your details; if it does then you’ve already had the chance to convince the recruiter that you’re right for the role before your CV even arrives. It also allows you to verify that they will respect your details and will not send them out without your consent, which is crucial in this market.

Additionally you can get an idea of the person you may be relying on to represent you; if they sound to you like they don’t know what they’re doing will they be able to convince the recruiting firm that you’re the person for the role?

The duplicate CV question raises its ugly head more often that we’d like, and unfortunately at times can be to the detriment of a candidate’s chances of getting the role. So how to avoid it? Quick do’s and dont's.

• DO track everywhere that you’ve given consent for your CV to be sent, including when, which recruiter sent it and whether it was a speculative application or for an actual vacancy;

• DON’T trust your CV to someone that you may not have spoken to before. If it’s a recruiter, speak to them first about the opportunity and only when you’re satisfied that they’re professional enough to respect your confidentiality should you release your details;

• DO make sure that you get a guarantee from everyone that you speak to that your CV will not be sent out without your consent;

• DON’T send your CV out to every single recruiter on the web at once. Identify one or two who you feel can represent you positively and professionally, both in relation to actual openings and who can work proactively on your behalf; and finally



• DON’T steal handbags, cars or DVDs. It’s not big, it’s not hard and it’s not clever.

To discuss opportunities in the legal market on a confidential and professional basis, with absolute confidence that nothing will be disclosed without your express permission speak to one of our specialist consultants at VG Charles & Co on 0121 233 5000 / 020 7649 9094.