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How to get chosen by the one you want

Mon, 27 May 2024 06:59:14 GMT

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I’m not the first person to make the comparison between recruitment and dating agencies. At its essence, we are about connecting individuals with organisations, we are the link bringing the two together. As with dating, sometimes through sheer good luck, fortunate timing or just being ridiculously attractive, you find the right match for you without any help from anyone else. Other times you need a bit of help, someone to help you look your best, or at the very least introduce you to a few like-minded people and see if there is a connection.

So as recruiters, we need to have a good understanding of what you like, what will be good for you, and what your hopes and dreams are. We also need to know what each firm is like to work for, what sort of people work there, will they take good care of you? Like dating, sometimes it doesn’t work out, but the more we know, the better the chance that it will work out for both parties and be a long and happy relationship.

So how do you improve your chances of being picked by the organisation that is the right match for you? Here are 3 tips to improve your recruitment success, and possibly your dating life.

1. Help us help you

Like any intermediary, there are some that don’t really care, they just want to make the connection, clip the ticket, and get paid. There are lots of recruiters like that, so don’t bother with the ones that just take your CV and shotgun it to as many firms as they can, hoping something might hit the target. At Legal Personnel, we really do care, and we take the time to meet you, get to know you and find out what you are really looking for. So let us help you! Be honest, tell us if you like long walks on the beach, or if you just like to sit on the couch and watch Netflix. Think about what has worked for you in the past, what hasn’t, and where you want to go. We can only help you if you are real and honest with us. Sometimes you might not know for sure, but we can help you work that out, provided you are willing to be open with us.

2. Be realistic

If you want to date Taylor Swift, but you live in NZ, you can’t dance, don’t really like pop music and have no connection at all to the music industry, you may just end up disappointed, and lonely. In the legal sector, whether we like it or not, your grades from your law degree will be one of the first things a firm will want to see, especially if you are a grad and have no experience. Some firms have much higher expectations than others, and unless there is something truly incredible about you (see number 3) you’re unlikely to be considered. So, if you’re a B-, don’t set your sights on a firm where they will only look at an A, you will only be disappointed. But there are plenty of great law firms that will look at a B-, and you might even find they are a better match for you and you’ll be happier in the long term.

3. Make yourself more attractive

Recently I was at the LawFest Innovation & Technology in Law conference in Auckland, which by the way was a great event. The moot for the great debate at the end of the day was “Technology will render future law degrees obsolete.” The star of the debate, in my opinion, was Phoebe Clifford, a current student at The University of Otago who argued that so much of what is taught in a law degree does not even remotely prepare you for legal practice. She gave the example of Blockchain, a technology which could revolutionise law, but one in which she has learnt very little about at university. Fortunately, Phoebe will have at least got a basic understanding of Blockchain at one of the earlier sessions.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, get noticed by a person or organisation you really want to be with, sometimes you might need to hit the gym, find a hobby, dress to impress, whatever you think is going to make yourself more attractive. For your career that might include attending conferences, doing volunteer work, writing articles, speaking at conferences, attending networking events, getting connected in your industry. If you are a grad looking for your first role, highlight the things that make you different, prior work experience, sporting achievements, academic achievements.

Finding the love of your life, or a fulfilling and rewarding job is not easy. You probably won’t get it right the first time, but that is all part of the learning. If you are looking for a legal job, we can help, but if it’s dating help you need, you might want to call on a different team of

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How to say "goodbye" in a good way

Wed, 15 May 2024 03:26:14 GMT

How to say goodbye in a good way

This topic comes to mind as a result of a recruitment experience the team had while recruiting for an in-house position.

It highlighted the importance, particularly of how an employer should handle and/or react when a key member of the team decides to leave.

Yes, it can be devastating when your key legal person decides to change jobs, moves away, looks for progression, more responsibility, independence or more challenge.

In this situation, on the one hand, the company and in particular the CEO went to great lengths to get the candidate to stay. They had plans for the candidate’s future development going forward, becoming part of the leadership team, salary increase and much more. On the other hand when the candidate did decide to leave it was like the CEO was throwing their toys out of the cot by making all kinds of accusations about the shortcomings of the new position, the company and industry sector.

Now, if you just stepped back for a minute and assessed the situation, do you not think that the CEO has just revealed their true colours by the way they reacted? Is that surely not a very good reason to confirm that the decision to leave was the right one?

You’re not likely to come back anytime soon either.

This is only one story of many I’m sure, about how companies or firms and in particular people, because it is people that leave people and an organisation too, have reacted.

Rule number one

Don’t bad mouth the other firm or company. It’s not going to change the decision and in fact it is more than likely just going to confirm to the candidate that it is the right decision for them. Remain neutral and professional. Ask questions to try to understand the decision about to be made.

If you are faced with a counter offer what do you do?

It depends on whether you want the employee to stay or not and the size and shape of the other offer on the table. It also depends on why the employee is looking to move. If it is for more responsibility or career progression, throwing more money at it might get them to stay in the short term, however, if it is more progression or responsibility they want in the long-term they are going to leave unless you are able address those needs. Sometimes a smaller company just cannot offer progression and you need to be able to recognise this and be honest about it.

Be very clear as to why you would make a counter offer. Don’t just make it about money. Make it more responsibility and more money or more independence and more money. Base it on the reason why the person is looking to leave.

Make it a partnership where the employee needs to take responsibility for whatever is decided needs to change, as well as the employer paying more.

It has been said that you shouldn’t make a counter offer and that it is better to let the person go and just maybe they might come back in 12 months’ time.

In the end it might just be ….

“Look, it sounds like a great job and I know you need a change of scenery. You’re bored. This is the only place you’ve ever worked. Go off, enjoy the new place but think of us when you want to come back again. You still have a home here.”

Regular catch ups

In an ideal world, you need to have your finger on the pulse as to where each of your team members are at and thinking career and job-wise. Regretfully, we are not in an ideal world and the ‘busy-ness’ of doing the business tends to take over. A quick catch-up and touch base every 3 months is a good way to check in and get a feel of how your team member is feeling about their performance and progress. It’s only 1 hour out of 450 hours. Put it in the diary and make it a regular event.

How could you respond?

Balance the often strong emotional reaction you will have when you hear the words “I am resigning” or “I have another job” with a degree of pragmatism. It happens!

When a resignation comes in the power game is reversed for the employer and it is the employee who supposedly has the upper hand. This can often create a feeling of rejection and negative connotations for you, the employer. In this situation, you just have to be the ‘big person’. It is not always the case or the intention of the employee to set you up. Many times it is the only way they know how to present the situation. In my discussion with candidates they often find it the hardest thing to do and say. For sure there are the acrimonious situations when both the employer and the employee are pleased to part company. Do it graciously.

Leaving the door open

For whatever reason an employee elects to go, there are advantages in leaving the door open to return if they are someone you would employ again. They may well find the decision to join another firm or company turns out to be not what they thought it was going to be or led to believe. Why wouldn’t you have then back if they were a good employee?

Keep in touch

An important aspect to consider when someone leaves is that your employees will talk about you and what you are like to work for. They have the potential to send or recommend candidates to you and equally so, to turn candidates away. When I am doing a reference check on a candidate, it is always good to hear that the previous employer and the candidate have kept in touch. It means that there is a good level of healthy understanding and respect present.

I often think it is a bit bizarre that every lunchtime there are lots of employees racing around town, going for job interviews in secret and thinking nobody in the office notices.

In truth, office colleagues and managers are very perceptive when it comes to even a slight change in habit or pattern, suspicion sets in and they instinctively know. Wouldn’t it be great if it could be all very transparent and accept that people move on for whatever reason. Sometimes we can do something about it and then sometimes we can’t. It is just how it is.

What makes a candidate choose one job or employer over another?

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:59:14 GMT

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This is a good question to ask yourself whether you are looking for a job or looking to recruit a new person in to your team.

A candidate I met recently summed up her expectations and her foundation for choosing one position over another: “If I am not going to be home with my children then I want to be part of a family (at work)”. We are in a market which is candidate driven and candidates have choices often with several offers and positions to choose from. I hesitate to oversimplify what is often a daunting and an anxious time for both candidates and clients however it consistently comes back to “how you make me feel” and that works both ways. Underlining this statement is a whole stack of emotions and I dare anyone to fully understand the complexity of emotions and why we feel like we do!

From the very first interaction, usually from an advertisement a candidate has seen the way the firm or company has projected itself in print – the tone, the style and the sound of the words to a prospective employee. The application process can be long, arduous, and feels like jumping hurdles or can actually be engaging, personal, timely and tailored. When you answer the applicant’s email, is it responsive, welcoming and engaging or a stock standard reply?

Get the feeling!

In the interview the candidate will be nervous and as the interviewer you might be too. Building rapport is the first step and an important step - some might call it the small talk. Not to be underestimated, the candidate is measuring the engagement on how they are feeling in the room and the relationship that is developing. The interviewer is also forming an impression on who this person is who has applied. Put simply, “do you like me and do I like you?” and “are we on the same page?” (that’s value driven). There are many articles written on how to run an interview and on how we can get it wrong – chosen the wrong job or offered the job to the wrong candidate. Savvy candidates know when you are looking and talking with them (not at them) and understanding what they want and a proactive employer knows how to engage, really engage.

Not only do you need to feel that you like your colleagues, you also need to like the clients you work with too - even enjoy socialising with them. A candidate is looking for a collegial work environment. Now that doesn’t mean that they have to feel the love with everyone all the time but it does mean there is respect both ways for diversity; diversity of work style, thinking, practice and so on. You need to understand and relate to the clients you are working for. If you don’t then you are never going to perform to your best. For example, if you take a relaxed, personable and at times, fun approach then maybe you are more suited to working with small to medium sized organisations or firms and private individuals.

The work environment needs to reflect your values as does the job needs to utilise your skills – that’s the “fit”. It could be your ‘family away from home’. A set of values might be described as open and honest, having respect and being recognised for who you are. Values are what you stand for and can’t live without. If you join a team or firm that has different values, then you may not stay long term. Obviously, you need the skillset for the role because without that it will become apparent very quickly that you can’t do the job. Candidates will get a feeling about the ‘personality” of a firm or team and if there is mutual trust and understanding by the way you make them feel.

How you make someone feel outlasts anything that you might say. Feelings come from the values that you hold. As too in a candidate choosing one role over another; all the thinking and analysis of which job and where, the pros and cons, the money, the location, progression opportunities, it is often how you make them feel that sways the decision on which job or employer to choose.

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Is your workplace changing you for the better?

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:59:14 GMT

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I was watching the movie Fury, a very good, yet very disturbing movie set at the end of the second world war. In the movie, the main character Norman is a reluctant young soldier who was trained to be a typist but is forced to become the assistant driver/gunner in the tank “Fury” after the death of the previous gunner. Initially, he refuses to shoot the enemy, but he is forced by his Sergeant “Wardaddy”, played by Brad Pitt to shoot a Nazi in the back as he kneels begging for his life. As the movie progresses he realises he has to kill in order to stay alive and save the lives of his crew and begins to relish killing Nazis.

I was fascinated by the transformation from Norman to “Machine” his nickname from his crew. He had to change, and change fast, in order to survive. The typist who refused to fire his weapon transformed to become a ruthless, efficient killing machine. What disturbed me more, is the thought that the transformation Norman experienced could happen to any of us in the horrific situation he was in. Many of those who fought would have been considered ordinary men, not trained killers before they joined the army.

To survive in war, soldiers must be prepared to kill the enemy, to do that, you have to dehumanise them and view them as lesser people. An interesting counterpoint to this came at the end of the movie when Norman was hiding under the tank and was found by an SS soldier (the worst of the Nazis according to Wardaddy) and instead of dragging him out and shooting him, or worse, torturing him as he was told would happen, the soldier left him alone, and the movie finishes with Norman being rescued and labeled a hero.

It’s easy to see how war could change someone dramatically, but how much do other changes in our environment change us? I’m sure we know people in relationships who have changed either for better or worse when they start a relationship with someone new. Sometimes change is necessary to make a relationship work, compromise is essential, you must think of someone else, not just yourself. Other times one or both will be forced to change, and not for the better. One test for a good relationship, do you make each other better people?

Whilst it’s a bit of a stretch to compare work to war, there is no doubt in my mind that your workplace can change you. At the extreme end, some people become depressed, overwhelmed, burnt out by their work whereas others grow, thrive and become better people. Sometimes it’s just called the culture of the organisation, and you either fit or you don’t. Those that don’t make it weren’t cut out for this environment or didn’t have the right attributes to succeed.

If you don’t think your workplace changes people, take a look at the senior people in your organisation, especially the ones that have been there for a long time. Are there similarities in values, working style, management approach, communication? Is this a result of self-selection, recruiting people who are all similar, or perhaps the organisation moulding and changing people so they fit, or some combination of all three?

Do you find yourself in situations where you are wrestling with your conscience, just bursting with the need to disagree, challenge or object, but you suppress that because you know you will be swimming against the tide? Are you having to justify decisions to yourself that previously you would have said were just wrong? Do you feel the need to comply with the company line? It may not be ethical dilemmas, it could just be that you feel you need to suppress who you really are to fit in. You might be able to do that for a while, but eventually, it becomes suffocating.

If you find yourself in this situation you have 3 options:

You adapt, change and compromise, just like Norman did in Fury

You stay and swim against the stream, be an internal agent of change to make a difference in the organisation (in my experience, unless the leadership are also swimming against the current with you and trying to change the culture, this is futile)

Or, you get out and find a place where you can be yourself, thrive and excel.

There are a lot of workplaces that don’t make better people. Some even do real damage in the pursuit of winning. But there are some that make people better, not worse. If you need help getting out of an environment that is changing you, and not for the better, get in touch, let’s talk about your options.

Jarrod Moyle

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Four Ways To Retain your Best People

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:59:14 GMT

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There is no doubt that the world of work and the way people are attracted to and retained in work is very different to how it used to be.

What was interesting in the report was the four ways they highlighted to retain your best people:

Paving strong career paths & highlighting advancement opportunities

Money & value

Recognising professional accomplishments – both big and small

Creating an inspiring culture that invests in long term relationships

These four ways are key drivers in keeping people engaged.

Paving strong career paths & highlighting achievement opportunities

One thing that I have noticed is that career paths are no longer vertical – they used to be but now are more like road maps. Not everyone wants to strive to the top and certainly less so, as it seems, to be partners. It is more like a road map where there are lots of destinations and different experiences along the way and at each destination. It is more collaborative by nature in the journey along a personalised road map. Everyone’s road map is different, however, what is needed is ‘clear expectations’ and ‘visibility’ into opportunities that help advance a career or develop new skills. Talk about careers and road maps often with your people. Look to your current team to open up new opportunities and invest in training your people in critical new skills.

Money & Value

While it would be foolish to say that money doesn’t matter, it does. What is interesting about this market from a recruiter’s perspective is that we are not getting candidates looking to move just for money or to increase their salary. By and large, it would seem that compensation is about right in the market for most candidates. What is increasingly becoming more sought after is time. The lifestyle benefits of part-time, flexible hours, 9 day fortnights and working remotely from home are seen as more desirable benefits. Time has become more valuable than money. So, a combination of a competitive salary and ‘stay worthy’ benefits such as flexibility are an ideal approach.

Recognise professional accomplishments

A ‘thank you’ goes along way. Recognise and celebrate accomplishments, big or small.

Choose the right approach as every one is different. Some like the limelight and the attention so make it public and others like a quiet more personal approach. A thank you note or an email at times is right. Other times a gift or voucher for a dinner for two is appreciated. When did you last show a sign of appreciation? Can’t remember, then it must be time!

Create an inspiring culture

The ‘Alliance’ by Hoffman, Casnochs and Yeh highlights a major shift in the world of work. Jobs were once jobs for life but not now.

”The employer-employee relationship is broken, and managers face a seemingly impossible dilemma: the old model of guaranteed long-term employment no longer works in a business environment defined by continuous change, but neither does a system in which every employee acts like a free agent. The solution? Stop thinking of employees as either family or as free agents. Think of them instead as allies.

As a manager you want your employees to help transform the company for the future. And your employees want the company to help transform their careers for the long term. But this win-win scenario will happen only if both sides trust each other enough to commit to mutual investment and mutual benefit. Sadly, trust in the business world is hovering at an all-time low.” (Book Depository summary excerpt)

The sands are shifting on a frequent basis so how do you engender loyalty and commitment in your people so they want to stay? The work needs to be mutually beneficial to you the business owner, and to the people you employ. Your people need a mission or individual missions that are mutually beneficial to both of you and can be achieved in a specific or realistic period of time. Its collaborative – that word again!

A strong road map, the right money, lifestyle benefits, recognition and a collaborative culture that is mutually beneficial is going to get you much further down the path towards a happy and stable team. I think we have a lot of those teams in law firms, which is why it is so hard to attract talent as they are happily engaged elsewhere with the right mix. I would be interested in your thoughts if you have found other ways to retain your best people or the reason why you have stayed in a position for the time that you have.

Written by Judith Eller.

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What should I expect at my next salary review?

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:59:14 GMT

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What to expect? That is a question we are frequently asked. For 19 years we have conducted a salary survey in the legal sector, so we have some pretty good information to draw from in answering this question. Last year we have had over 70 law firms from across Auckland participate in the Legal Personnel Salary Survey with some interesting insights. We are in the middle of the 2024 survey so will report back when we have more info.

Solicitors, management and support roles, have all increased on average more than 3% since 2017. We saw quite a jump in 2022, 2023 and expect the same in 2024. The data in the Legal Personnel Salary Survey is submitted directly by law firms, not candidates, which gives the data added credibility in demonstrating what is actually happening in the market. The response rate for this years' survey is also an indication of the interest in legal remuneration at present.

The location of the firm will also have an impact on salaries. Those firms based in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch are likely to pay solicitors more than those in regional towns. This is partly linked to the size of the firm, big firms tend to be in big cities, but also relates to the type of clients they serve. In the main centres, the law firms will have more large companies or government departments as clients, whom they can charge higher fees to. In small towns, the clients are likely to be mostly individuals or small business owners, and consequently charge out rates are lower.

If you want to have a chat about your salary, or if you feel like you’re not getting what you should be, come in and have a coffee with one of our consultants.

Sarah

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Flexibility, Fact or Farce?

wow@shazamme.com (Default Author) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 05:59:14 GMT

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If they are not at their desks when the work is being given out by the Partners then they just don’t get the work.”

“It’s frustrating enough trying to organise meetings around everyone’s schedules, part timers don’t help.”

“The Partners don’t like it when people are not at their desks!”

“We are just not set up for part timers.”

For candidates wanting flexibility in the legal sector, here are some of the hurdles.

“I am only paid for three days but am across work for five days.”

“The role is part time, but they said it has to be a minimum of four days a week.”

“I am billing more than some of my full time colleagues but paid a lot less!”

“I have been told that I will never make a Partner if I can only work part time.”

“I am in at 7.00am, but it always feels awkward leaving at 3.00.”

“I don’t get invited to the client golfing days, because I am part time, but I can play golf really well!”

As recruiters in the legal sector, we hear both sides. Employers feel they need full time employees to maximise service delivery to clients, billing potential and for team engagement. Older employers may resent flexibility given the lack of it in the path of their own careers. Increasingly more employees are wanting flexibility, not just for parenting responsibilities but for other life activities such as voluntary work, personal health or sporting commitments. Lawyers at all ages and stages are not necessarily wanting or able to work the long, demanding days with little balance and adverse effects on health.

However we see steps towards change. Two recent placements that we made in law firms, were both candidates who for different reasons required flexibility and had a lower number of hours available for professional work. Both law firms, one a larger firm and one a smaller suburban firm wanted full time employees, however recognised the value that these candidates could bring and offered reduced roles on hours. Both placements have been highly successful with both clients and candidates very happy with the outcome.

We see progress with broader change. The New Zealand Law Society Gender Equality Charter outlines “a set of commitments aimed at improving the retention and advancement of women lawyers.” Signatories commit among other things to “encourage and support flexible working to assist all lawyers to balance professional and personal responsibilities.” We note “all” as we are increasingly seeing male lawyers for a range of reasons such as sporting commitments or voluntary work enquiring as to part time or limited hours roles.

In summary we are seeing a wider range of lawyers across both genders looking to balance their work lives with other commitments, community work, voluntary work, study and a healthy lifestyle. On the employer side we are seeing better use of technology to allow flexibility (although this can be a double edged sword); better role models for younger lawyers, better dialogue and openness around flexibility. The amendments to the Employment Relations Act 2000 in 2015 aiming to “improve people’s participation in the labour market and to better reflect modern lifestyles” may also be filtering through to the legal sector. As Dame Bazley noted in her 2018 Independent Review on Russell McVeagh “An opportunity exists for senior and junior women to sit down together to explore what can be changed so that women can maintain their career progression within the firm as they raise a family.” We would also suggest that an opportunity also exists for law firms to explore how wider needs for flexibility can be met.

By Kimberley Alford – Senior Consultant

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