1. Do your research.
Lawyers are known for being good researchers. You spent countless hours in law school researching and scrutinizing information. Before every interview, know who you will be speaking with and research their background. Find them on LinkedIn, and conduct a light Google search to find any commonalities between you and your interviewer(s). Note down their accomplishments, awards, and accolades. Bringing it up during your interviews will show them you took the time to get to know who they truly are and gives them a sneak peek into your research capabilities.

On top of knowing the interviewers, walk into your interview with a deep understanding of the firm itself. After all, this is where you plan to dedicate your next several years. Having a good understanding of the firm’s founding story and partners will give you a good sense of the culture the firm builds.

Know what role in the firm you would have if you got the job. Knowing this in great detail will help you craft your narrative on where you want to take your career and how the firm closely aligns with your goals.

2. Be presentable and dress your best.
A Solicitors core job is to represent their clients, and coming to your interview polished and presentable bodes well. First impressions are powerful, and making it extremely important to you as you prepare for an interview will heighten your chances of being well received by your interviewers. The good news is law fashion has loosened up over the years.

3. Come prepared to ask questions.
What kind of lawyer would you be if you were not naturally curious and thorough? Let your curious nature shine through during your interview by coming prepared with well-thought-out and intelligent questions. Avoid questions that are related to your personal benefit. For example, don’t talk about money, vacation time, billable-hour logistics, and other related questions.

Think big picture and ask about the successes of the firm, where the firm is headed, and how you can contribute to their growth. Promote positivity in the interview and avoid any negative sentiment. If they were in the press for a controversial case, avoid bringing up uncomfortable topics that could sour moments in your interview.

4. Be personable and show enthusiasm.
Good Solicitors know how to build relationships. It starts with trust and one way to build trust is to be personable and get to know your audience. Show interest and enthusiasm for meeting your interviewers. They are taking time out of their busy days and their billable hours to meet with you.

Show respect by fully engaging in the conversation. Show up on time or early even. Being late is the kiss of death in the interview world. Be polite and courteous to support staff, such as secretaries, front desk receptionists, and other non-attorney staff. No need to come across as pretentious in the interview or ever for that matter.

5. Be genuine.
Repeat after me: Never, EVER, lie in an interview. There is no quicker way to bomb an interview than by starting to tell lies—even little white lies.

If you are invited to lunch during your interview day, don’t let your guard down. Those lunches are often strategically placed in the interview process to test how you interact in a casual setting. Be your usual genuine self, stay professional, and represent yourself just as polished over lunch as you would in an interview room. The same goes for virtual interviewing.

Sample interview questions and answers

Review these sample interview questions and answers to form your own responses:

Why do you want to practice law?

This question allows you to talk about what attracted you to the legal field. Your answer to this question can position you as the best person for the role and can provide the hiring partner with a glimpse of the knowledge and experience you can bring to the job. Employers want to hear how important this field is for you, so show your genuine interest in law when providing an answer.

Example: “I want to practice law because I’m passionate about bringing justice to clients and upholding the law of our country. I believe it’s important to be fair and unbiased, and I’d like to help someone experience that in their case. Being an attorney is more than filing paperwork with the court—it’s a chance to represent someone who needs help.”

What are your strengths as a lawyer?

Employers want to know your strengths so they can see how you could work with their current team. Since your strengths are unique, you can use your response to stand out from other candidates. Answer this question by relating your strengths to the job you’re applying for and the tasks you expect to be responsible for. Use the STAR technique to give a specific example of your strengths.

Example: “One of my biggest strengths is perseverance. I once represented a client who filed a suit against their employer for failing to pay for injuries they sustained while on the job. It was a difficult case to gather evidence since no employees claimed to witness the accident and there was no video footage. After performing some in-depth research and interviewing several employees, I was able to find out that there was a delivery driver present who corroborated my client’s story. Thankfully, we were able to settle quickly after that.”

What do you want your clients to know about you?

This question helps a hiring partner understand more about your client relations. Think about how you want a client to feel after an interaction with you in the office or courtroom. Consider what attributes you have and how you work that makes a client happy to have you represent them. Employers want to make sure that you treat clients well and represent their law firm in a positive light.

Example: “I want my clients to know that I’ll work hard in their case because they matter to me. I care a lot about their personal outcome and do my due diligence in researching their issue to offer solutions, file the appropriate paperwork and represent them in disputes. My clients should know that I am their advocate, and they can be honest with me about their situation and take comfort in the fact that I’m providing a safe space for them.”

Describe your approach in the courtroom.

How you perform in the courtroom can be the determining factor in winning your case. Answering this question is your chance to share how you interact with members of the court, present your case and represent your client. Give a detailed, step-by-step answer that shows exactly how you prepare and work in a courtroom.

Example: “Either the night before or the morning of a case, I study all of my notes so I’m fully prepared for the trial. I make sure any witnesses or evidence I need to present are confirmed. I usually take an aggressive stance during proceedings so my client gets fair representation. When the opposing side is presenting, I take thorough notes so I can counter effectively.”

Law firm interview tips

Here are some interview tips to consider so you can present yourself well to the hiring partner:

• Familiarise yourself with recent court rulings.
• Research the law firm.
• Bring examples of papers you’ve written.

Research the law firm

Especially if the law firm is well established in the community, the partners want to make sure you will continue to bring good representation to them. It’s important to show that you have researched the firm and are excited to work there. You’ll also be able to better explain what makes you a good fit for the firm and why you chose it as your new place of employment.

Bring examples of papers you’ve written

A large component of working at a law firm is being able to articulate your case in a clear, concise and professional way. Hiring partners may want to see evidence of your writing, so bring some examples. This could include court documents you have prepared, an extensive legal research paper you wrote in school or a legal memo.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from Partners to Legal Executives, Solicitors to Paralegals and Legal IT personnel to Practice Managers.

Whether you are building your legal team or are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected all sectors. Just how much of an impact it has had on the legal industry will not be ascertained for many months, but we can, however, expect some changes in the coming weeks and months.

The lockdown has caused an economic slow-down which experts are predicting will lead to a recession. Your practice will likely change in certain areas, as some specialisms lose custom, while others remain buoyant or expand.

Consequently, your role might look different as you return to work – but how?

In this blog, we look at the ways we can expect your legal career to change post-lockdown.

1. Increased Remote Working

Firstly, there is a good chance that if you have been working from home during the lockdown, you could be asked to continue doing so.

The efficiency with which many practices went fully digital has made employers aware of the benefits of this working model.

Some have found it easier than others, with a lack of working space or a proper home office set-up.

• Is your firm’s cloud-based software running smoothly or will it need to be improved if remote working is here for the long-term?
• Are you as productive remote working as you were in the office?

If you have enjoyed working from home, there might be a possibility for you to continue to do so either part or full-time. You might have to think about how this could impact your home life if you need to set up a permanent home office space or upgrade your technology.

Speaking of technology, let’s look at the importance of digital legal services in the post-lockdown legal arena.

2. Going Digital

Working from home has made many legal employees realise the importance of being able to connect with clients digitally.

Caroline Fox, Principal Attorney at CJFox Law PLLC, highlighted the importance of this recently, stating:

“Lawyers need to be up-to-date on technology, including secure forms of video communication. We need to know how to securely access documents and enable quick, efficient communication with our staff and clients.”

“New lawyers need to be taught how to mail certified letters, when and where to send important documents, how to send a fax (with or without a fax machine), and other seemingly “trivial” administrative tasks that are the backbone of the legal practice.”

If home working is going to a part of your longer-term plan, you must now think about how you need to change to be able to give 100% service consistently.

Keep your manager and Senior Partners updated as to where digital services need to be improved. Inform them of what is working well and if any of your digital services need updating, such as digital document signing software or investing in new video platforms.

3. Lockdown’s Impact on Family Law

The two-month lockdown has created a surge in some legal specialisms. Family law is one area which has seen a dramatic increase, with matters of divorce, childcare and domestic violence issues featuring heavily.

Forced living arrangements have brought family tensions to a head, with a reported increase in divorce rates in both China and America, with the UK expected to follow suit. Families who unfortunately find they can’t resolve their issues will be seeking legal advice in the weeks and months following lockdown.

If you specialise in family law, you can expect an increase in business. Are your team prepared? You might have to think about enlisting help from other departments (more on this later) or expanding your team to deal with the influx.

4. Employment Law Issues

Lawyers dealing with employment law will see a surge as we emerge fully from lockdown. Clients will be trying to navigate the economic slow-down and manage their employees.

With the highly changeable situation regarding temporary workers in some sectors, clients will need extra guidance in these areas. Many commercial organisations have hired staff on short contracts en-mass for the first time and made changes to permanent workers’ contracts – all of which come with their legal implications.

Additionally, with the inevitable redundancies in some sectors, this is predicted to lead to an increase in legal action with employees believing that they have been mistreated or let go illegally.

Additionally, there could be an increase in workplace disputes during the return to work over the coming months. There is already unease among some employees not wanting to return to work in regards to workplace safety and childcare issues.

The unusual situation we are in will likely create unprecedented lawsuits.

5. Slowed-Down Specialisms

As with every period of economic slow-down, law firms will see a reduction in some specialisms.

Conveyancing is one area expected to be affected. The two-month ban on house viewings and government guidance not to move unless it was necessary meant the residential housing sector came to a standstill.

Some firms are also reporting a decrease in activity across numerous sectors, as clients try to cut back on using legal services to cut costs in the short term. But this short-term cut back will only increase clients needing legal services in the longer-term.

A recent McKinsey report on the impact of COVID-19 on law firms highlighted that law firms historically weather downturns better than the overall economy.

It is important to remember that a natural dip in the market has not caused the recent economic problems; it has been a forced slow-down due to the virus. This means that if a vaccine is found, or when the majority of businesses are open again, the economy could rebound quickly.

Finally, we look at how specialisms will need to adapt to ensure the survival of the firm.

6. Cross-Functional Teams

Many Practices are finding that a solution to the coronavirus crisis is to put together cross-functional teams. This means working with members of your firm that you haven’t previously; it involves a big shift in the dynamic of your team and will include creating new working relationships and possibly working in unfamiliar territories.

We can’t be certain yet as to where the real opportunities will be, but in the next few months, it will become clear which specialisms and client types will be critical to your success.

What Next?

There is going to be a wide range of demand across many legal specialisms as we go forward. Opportunities will appear in different areas, and the future of your legal career might not be with your current employer.

If you would like a conversation about what opportunities are available to you right now in the emerging market, call us on 01772 259 121 or get in contact here.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help.  Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

Are you looking for a new legal role?

It’s a generally held opinion that it’s much easier to find a job if you’re already in a post. You’re already in the ‘thick of it’. Liaising with other legal professionals and interacting with contacts on a daily basis.

If you’re unemployed, you don’t have that sort of access.

Additionally, if you’re in a job, you have the luxury of being able to look around and take your time. You don’t need a job; you want a new job. And you can wait for the right one if necessary.

But it’s wise to practice caution when job hunting while still employed. Nothing will turn a potential new employer off faster than a breach of ethics. And finding out about a breach of ethics by your current manager or senior partner won’t look good for you either.

Seeking to avoid burning your bridges with the law firm you are currently with it a good idea – they are still paying your salary, after all. The least you can do is job search ethically.

Here are the steps to take to ensure your legal job hunt remains professional.

1. Job Search in Your Own Time

Here at Clayton Legal, we advise candidates to avoid job searches in work time.

That means not looking for jobs when you should be working on a caseload, not looking for new opportunities when the rest of the team are out at a meeting, avoiding sending job hunt related emails out from your firm’s pc or looking jobs up on the internet in between seeing clients.

And not using the firm’s printer to do multiple copies of your CV is a given too!

2. Keep it Quiet

If you want to maintain your ethical job search in your own time, it’s wise not to discuss it at work. Not even with your best work buddy. Once someone knows, it’s only a matter of time before word gets out.

Not only could knowledge of your job hunt suggest to your Manager or Senior Partner that you are unhappy in your current role, but you could also find yourself in the awkward position of being removed from discussions and even cases if they perceive you are less than 100% committed to your current role.

While keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date is vital in your job hunt, not mentioning that you are looking a new role is prudent. Just make sure all your details such as recent awards, training, qualifications and experience are there for prospective employers to view.

3. Schedule Your Interviews Carefully

Taking time out for a ‘dentist’ visit or contriving a sick day when you’re going for an interview is not ethical.

Try to schedule interviews before or after your regular work time, or in your lunch hour. If it’s impossible for the interviewer to see you at a time that works outside your current hour, take a day’s annual leave.

That way, you’re not likely to bump into your firm’s Solicitor in the high street at lunchtime when you’re supposed to have flu.

4. Remain Diplomatic

If you’re asked about your current firm or employer at interview, do not be tempted to use the occasion to let potential employers know how unhappy you are, how your Senior Partner hasn’t a clue how to run a law firm, or how much you loathe the clients.

It should be obvious, but sometimes even seasoned legal professionals fall into the trap at an interview of being too candid with their opinions.

Maintaining diplomacy at all times is the key. Concentrate on what a new job could offer you (career path, the broader scope for legal areas to cover, diverse clients, etc) and less on what your current position doesn’t provide.

After all, if you are keen to rush into a character assassination of your current employer, your interviewer’s first thought will be “Will they talk about my firm the same way in 12 months?”

5. Keep Up the Good Work

You may be leaving your current employer because you don’t like working for their firm, or you may be going to increase your chances of moving up the career ladder elsewhere.

Whatever the reason, while you are still employed at your current law firm, it’s the mark of your integrity and professionalism to keep up the standard of work expected of you.

Knowing you are doing everything in your power to remain ethical and principled in your job search will be rewarded by the self-knowledge that you handled the situation well, and it will demonstrate your sincerity and honesty to your future employer.

Conclusion

Job searching while employed can be difficult, not least due to the time constraints you face, but it does have its advantages. You are in a better position to negotiate your preferred salary, and you won’t be under the same pressure to take any job that comes along just to meet your mortgage or rent payments.

Additionally, by conducting your job search ethically, you can be sure your current employer will be more than happy to provide a glowing reference.

Good luck in your search!

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

As a legal professional, you take your career seriously.

You may well already have a personal brand that you’ve spent time developing. Mapping it out will have made you more self-aware and knowledgeable, as well as signalling to Senior Partners and Managers that you are the ideal candidate for the next promotion opportunity.

Establishing yourself as a go-to for specialist legal knowledge has made you the person everyone looks to for advice. Your brand indicates your strengths, capabilities and enables you to stand out above the competition.

In short, few things are more critical to building a successful legal career than having a strong personal brand.

So, what could go wrong?

Sometimes, your personal brand can slip and work against you, preventing you from moving forward in your career. So, it’s wise to look out for these tell-tale signs that your brand is failing – and how you can rectify it before any damage occurs.

1. Your Goals Are Too Vague

Why are you building your brand? What are your end goals?

A vague “I want to become a leader” isn’t clear enough. You need to have a definite goal in mind. Be it achieving a Senior Partnership, Managerial role or Senior Solicitor within your Law Firm, having a clear objective will help you focus and plan on how exactly you’re going to get there.

And understanding why you want to develop your personal brand will keep you on track too.

2. You’re Neglecting ‘Real’ Interactions

Blogging and vlogging may be all the rage, but are you neglecting the more traditional channels of communication?

It’s tempting to follow the herd, and there’s nothing wrong with having an online presence it’s essential (more on this later), but it’s also worth considering other ways to get your brand across.

Keynote speaking at law events, networking at conferences or writing a guest piece for a legal publication – all these can help establish your personal legal profile. Face to face interactions have a lot more impact than online relationships – so make sure you utilise both well for maximum impact.

3. You Don’t Practice What You Preach

While we’re talking about interactions, considering your interactions with your team in the workplace is crucial to maintaining your personal brand. Having one persona for the outside world and another in the office isn’t going to cut it.

How you treat your legal team is going to directly affect how they view you. Consistency in your communication, from important meetings to casual chats in the hallway, is crucial.

Be aware of your communication style, actively listen and make time for your staff. They are the ones who will bolster your position and recommend you to others, thus building your credibility.

4. It’s All About You

Hopefully, you don’t have any controversial tweeting habits, but when online it’s ideal to mix promotion of yourself with legal industry knowledge that conveys your expertise without it seeming as though you are endlessly indulging in ‘over the top’ self-promotion. In other words, the Goldilocks effect: not too much, not too little.

Ideally, 10 per cent of your posts should be about you (for example, recent achievements or awards) and the rest should highlight current legal news and trends, provoking discussion and sharing your perspective on things that are happening in the legal world.

And it goes without saying – keep your private life private, and your professional life professional online. Mixing the two is inviting trouble.

Be mindful that it may not be something you write on your personal feed that will damage your reputation, but it could be a controversial response from a friend; from political comments to excessive personal information – keep it off your professional profile.

5. You Don’t Stick to Your Promises

If you promised to appear as a speaker at an event, you wouldn’t not show up, would you?

Similarly, if you guarantee an in-depth article to your online followers every week, you need to ensure its there. If you fail to keep your promises, even at this level, you will lose the trust of followers and damage your brand.

So, think carefully before you promise articles, videos and twitter posts and ensure that you can fit them into your schedule.

6. You Don’t Follow Up

Credibility is built on consistency, so being constantly mindful of behaviour is critical.

Putting your brand ‘out there’ but failing to keep consistency is going to damage your brand. You’ve got your LinkedIn profile updated and your articles written for your blog posts – what else can you do?

Just as you would if you were marketing your law firm, you need a marketing strategy for your brand (remember the goals we talked about earlier?) Consistent messages and actions keep your sense of identity and credibility going and help power you towards those goals.

Maintaining your identity online and in-person will add value to your propositions and opinions.

That way, you will establish your professionalism and earn the trust of peers, colleagues and industry professionals to build authenticity and make the most of your personal brand.

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

You may be a legal professional with knowledge, experience and the right soft skills to nail your next role, but it’s still easy to slip up in an interview.

Preparation and knowing how to act at your interview will allow you to showcase your talents, but if you don’t prepare sufficiently or think carefully about what you are saying on the day, you risk falling into the trap many legal professionals make, scuppering your chances of getting that ideal legal role.

Here are the five most common interview mistakes legal professionals make – and how to avoid them.

Not Being Prepared

Fail to prepare; prepare to fail. Failure to do your research and preparation can make you look lazy and uninterested in the role.

Reading up on the firm’s background, noting its place and competitors in the legal sector, its specialisms and recent positive news will put you in a great position to arrive confidently ready for anything. Your background research will give you a ‘feel’ for the firm and will demonstrate to the interviewer your understanding of both the firm, the market/verticals in which it operates and the role on offer.

Research can be as simple as checking out the firm’s website for information. Additionally, you could dig a bit deeper by checking out individual LinkedIn profiles, reviews, blogs and articles to give you a rounded view of the firm you hope to work for and help you prepare for the questions you may be asked.

Not Looking the Part

Legal roles, be they at trainee or Senior Partner level, require a certain level of professional dress.

I know it sounds obvious, but some candidates do fail to dress suitably for interview.

You should arrive for your interview as you would expect to arrive at work. Smart, professional, clean and tidy. First impressions do count in the legal world, and you won’t impress an interviewer if you roll up in creased, worn or just plain inappropriate clothing.

If in doubt about how formal you should go, lean on the side of caution – too formal is better than not formal enough and of course check in with your legal recruitment consultant who will be conversant with what is expected at the firm where you are being interviewed!

Looking the part will also give you an air of confidence: if you know you look professional, you will feel it.

Oh, and remember to switch your phone off too!

Talking too Much (or Clamming Up)

There’s a fine line between showing you’re interested and taking over the conversation. You don’t want the interviewer to think you’re going to be the employee who spends all day chatting to colleagues, but neither do you want to hold back and appear disengaged.

Waffling is a common side effect of nerves, so if you feel yourself beginning to ramble, take a moment to gather your thoughts and think about the question you’re being asked before giving your answer.

Conversely, being too concise in your answers can make you appear indifferent to the job or worse still lacking knowledge.

Practising answers to the type of questions you are likely to be asked will help enormously. You can practice with a friend or your recruitment specialist. The more you rehearse your answers, the more you will find you are confident in what to say. This will go a long way to help alleviate your nerves on the day and will allow you to deliver your answers calmly and with confidence.

Remember, interviewers are human too, and they know that nerves can be an issue. So, if your mind goes totally blank, it’s fine to take some time to gather your thoughts or ask if you can come back to that question to give you time to think about your answer.

Bad-mouthing Former Employers

This is an absolute no-no.

Regardless of how you feel about a former workplace or colleagues, your interview is not the appropriate place to indulge in a rant about how awful your ex-team was, or how you believe the Senior Partner was incapable of doing their job.

Nothing will put your interviewer off you quicker than listening to you complain about former colleagues. It gives a terrible impression of you and will make them wonder what you might say about them in future!

I always advise candidates that diplomacy is called for if you are asked about former work situations. If they weren’t great, try to focus on the positives by concentrating on how you dealt will potentially tricky occasions (without going into detail) so you are seen as loyal and proactive, rather than hostile.

Not Thinking About Your Own Questions

Preparing for the questions you will be asked is only one half of the interview. It’s a two-way conversation, and you are almost certain to be asked if you have any questions.

Whatever you do, never say you don’t have any or ‘I think you have covered everything’, even if your interviewer may have!

As part of your preparation, it’s ideal to come up with three or four questions to ask when it comes to your turn. Suggestions include:

“What does a typical day look like?” (shows you imagine yourself in the role)

“Is there scope in this role for me to add value to it?” (shows you are keen to develop and expand your abilities)

“Do you see the firm scaling up/taking on additional specialisms in the future” (indicates you are planning to stay, and are interested in helping the firm grow)

Questions you definitely should not ask include anything related to salary or annual leave. Those concerns can be discussed once you’ve been offered the role.

Remember, preparation is vital for interview success; prepare well, and you will have confidence in yourself on the day.

Your interview is an opportunity to showcase your talents, interest and character, and be memorable to the interviewer – for the right reasons!

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

Temporary legal roles are becoming more and more popular. There is an increasing demand for interim or contracting Solicitors and Lawyers (locum legal professionals) as a result of the current candidate-driven legal marketplace. Due to this spike in demand, many legal professionals are beginning to consider the advantages of becoming a locum.

Sometimes it isn’t easy to find the right legal position. It could be that you are relatively new to the legal marketplace; you could have been made redundant or just be looking for a change in your legal career. Making sure you get the right permanent job is not always straightforward.

On occasions like this, it’s wise to consider a locum legal position.

After all, some of the highest achievers in business started out in temporary roles – even the likes of Steve Jobs!

Working in temporary positions has increased in popularity since the recession of 2007, with 800,000 temporary staff now part of the workforce, a new report has found.

This marks an astonishing 40 per cent rise over the past ten years, according to research carried out by the Resolution Foundation.

The main advantage to law firms in hiring locums is an easily scalable workforce, but there are many benefits for the individual choosing to take a locum position too.

Temporary work is a good way for unemployed legal professionals to get back into employment and of course, there is the advantage that the interim role you take on could become permanent. Although there is no guarantee that this will happen, locum work offers distinct advantages that can aid your legal career, so you should seriously consider these when wondering if you should take a temporary role.

Advantages of locum legal positions include:

1. A Psychological Boost

Being unemployed can take its toll; eating into your self-confidence and motivation. So, a locum position can raise your morale and give a sense of structure and meaning to your day.

And if you take several locum positions, you will soon become adept at starting new jobs and taking everything in your stride, thus building your confidence.

2. Flexibility

Locum positions provide the perfect way to get more flexibility in your life. If you want to study and gain further legal qualifications, if you provide care for someone else, or have interests you would like to devote more time to, temporary work is ideal.

Locums also have the advantage of being able to often negotiate their working hours, shifting the work-life balance to suit their lifestyles.

Additionally, the nature of locum work, where you will be exposed to a variety of different roles and tasks, means that no two days are likely to be the same so that you can enjoy increased diversity in your work.

3. Continuous Employment on Your CV

When you go for a permanent post, it doesn’t look good if you have long gaps between jobs.

An interviewer is likely to ask you what you’ve been doing since your last job, and you don’t want to admit to watching endless daytime TV or reorganising the kitchen cupboards.

It looks so much better if you can say you’ve been in temporary work to keep up to date with industry standards, training and upskilling to put you in a good position for permanent legal work.

Not only does this show your commitment to finding a job, but it also demonstrates that you are a naturally upbeat and positive person who makes their own luck – the type of colleague who would be a bonus to any law firm.

4. Opportunity for Work Experience

Locum work is a great way to get a varied and diverse range of experience – and fast.

If you are looking to change direction or upskill in your legal career, say you are thinking of retraining in property law, locum roles are a great way to gain experience and ability in a variety of roles and arm yourself with additional, critical soft skills such as communication, adaptability and attention to detail.

A locum role also allows you to keep up to date with your current skills and provides a chance to learn new hard skills such as the latest software packages or developing your presentation abilities.

Additionally, legal professionals with many years’ experience already under their belts offer employers the benefit of their valuable knowledge. Your experience will build your credibility and reputation in the marketplace, making you a desirable and in-demand employee as law firms recognise the benefits an experienced locum can bring to their firm.

5. Test the Waters

Locum work is also an excellent way to try before you buy.

So, if you are interested in working for a particular law firm taking a temporary role will enable you to see what they are like to work for, what the company culture is, what their staff development commitments are, as well as allowing you to get a general ‘feel’ for the firm.

If you want to try several firms, temping also offer a low-obligation way to assess each one and try several different roles. This gives you the space to think about where you want to go next before committing yourself to a permanent position.

6. Build Your Network

Locum work is the dream way to quickly build your network.

It allows you to rapidly grow contacts across a wide range of law firms and legal connections as well as establish links with the recruitment company that placed you in the role. This can play to your advantage as you can use the same recruitment company to access future locum roles!

7. Temporary to Permanent

Make a great impression, and your role may become permanent. Even if it doesn’t, already being in the firm and showing you can do a good job could put you first in line for consideration if a full-time legal role comes up, as you already have experience of working for the firm and they know you.

Starting out as a locum and ending up in a full-time position can be extremely rewarding. The advantages include not having to go through a period of being on probation, already being part of the team, acclimatised to your law firm’s culture and knowing your colleagues.

8. Work-Life Balance

Of course, not everyone enters locum positions as a stopgap before something permanent comes their way.

Locum roles offer the chance to have greater control over your career.

I see many candidates who prefer to temp on a permanent basis to avoid the stress and burn out which is so prevalent in many legal professions where individuals regularly work long hours.

Locum work can offer flexibility and the experience of meeting a wide range of people and doing different things. Learning about the various law firms you work for and gaining skills and knowledge quickly can be rewarding.

Additionally, temporary work can enable you to use this knowledge to move to more senior locum positions while still allowing you to choose when and where you work, resulting in a great work-life balance.

Finding the Right Locum Position

If you’re looking for a locum position, a knowledgeable specialist recruitment agency such as Clayton Legal can help steer you in the right direction.

We know the legal marketplace inside out and are familiar with working with individuals looking for temporary positions and clients seeking to engage temporary staff. Working with one contact, we will get to know you well: your interests, skills and qualifications and your preferences so we can make sure you find your dream locum role – or roles!

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

Here we are, over halfway through the year already, and if you’re currently on a sun lounger sipping a cocktail (lucky you) enjoying a well-earned break, you may be thinking about your return to work and whether you’re currently happy in your career, or if it’s time for a change.

We all get the mid-career blues. And it can be for several reasons.

Perhaps you feel you have plateaued in your legal career, reaching a certain level of achievement but you can’t seem to break through to the next level?

Or you may be feeling a bit jaded in your current job role and looking for the thrill of something different?

Or maybe you really do think it’s time to up sticks and seek out a new career with a different law firm?

Spending some time asking yourself what the cause of your dissatisfaction stems from will enable you to make a rational decision on how to progress so that when you return after your summer break, you’re one hundred per cent committed and sure of your next steps.

So, let’s take a look at some of the things that could be stalling your career.

Have You Become Static in Your Current Law Career?

If you feel you have reached a plateau in your legal career, it may seem that there’s no way you can progress. Asking yourself what you ideally want to accomplish at work will help you decide the best way forward in this scenario.

There are several options to consider:

Make a lateral move. Perhaps there’s an opportunity for you to do a similar job elsewhere in your law firm but working in a different area. This would give you new day to day challenges and prevent you from feeling you are stagnating in the same job role.

Using the soft and hard skills you have already acquired in your career will set you up for success in a slightly different position as you will be able to adapt quickly to different tasks.

New tasks could also lift you up from a wellbeing point of view, improving your mental health and outlook and enabling you to feel positive about the future.

Become an expert in your area. If a move is not possible, you could consider becoming the ‘go-to’ person for information and expertise in your specialist area.

For example, if you are a Dispute Resolution Legal Secretary you could enhance your knowledge of IT so you are able to help others with IT-related questions.

Or if you are a Residential Conveyancing Fee Earner you could hone your customer service skills and knowledge to become an in-house trainer for colleagues.

By expanding your understanding of a specific area and developing your personal profile, you can soon become the name everyone thinks of first for advice or guidance.

Additionally, with your expertise, you could offer to train up new employees, giving both yourself and the firm a boost.

Consider an alternative to a salary increase. If there’s little chance of a pay increase in the foreseeable future within your law firm, have you considered other non-material rewards instead?

As well as the options of adjusting your working hours, having more flexibility with working from home will improve work-life balance – giving you more opportunity for activities outside the office: going to the gym, socialising with friends or spending time with your family.

It’s also worth remembering that by staying with your current firm, you could also enjoy less stress in your day to day job as you know what you are doing and what the firm’s goals are already.

This avoids the stress and anxiety that a new job can bring.

Are You Feeling Jaded in Your Current Role?

If you feel you have exhausted all opportunities within your current career specialism, it may be time to look for a new challenge.

Changing jobs is always a daunting prospect – especially if you have dependents, rent or mortgage repayments to think about, or even just a step outside of your comfort zone.

The Law Society offers practical advice on changing specialisms.

Although not for the faint-hearted, it is possible to take on a new challenge. This could be a move within your current firm from Property Law to Personal Injury, for example.

If you do decide to go down this path, being prepared is critical. Make sure you do the necessary research and be focused in your approach.

It takes courage to choose this route, but it could reap dividends in the long run.

Are You in Danger of Burn-Out?

The dangers of over-doing things at work and suffering burn-out, as a result, are very real.

There’s a lot of pressure on all employees these days, and especially on Senior Partners and Managers within a complex and competitive legal marketplace.

It’s crucial to remember that it’s vital that you remain mentally at the top of your game at work – you can’t run a legal firm with employees who are trying to burn the candle at both ends.

Something is going to crash and burn.

So, look after yourself.

Daily exercise, yoga, meditation, socialising with friends – whatever is your preferred way to relax away from your desk.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day (or by one person!)

Stop trying to do everything and make time in your life for relaxation to ensure you are in peak form physically and mentally when you are in the office.

Is It Time to Break Away and Look for Something New?

If you really can’t see a way forward in your current law firm, then perhaps it’s time to consider a move.

If you are considering this option, here are a few tips to help you plan your move:

• Set up job alerts. Make sure you have registered with relevant career search sites online.
• Update your LinkedIn profile as recruiters and hiring managers will be looking here to find out about you.
• LinkedIn also provides the opportunity to seek employment and new challenges but beware of making this visible on your page unless your current manager is aware of your intentions!
• Talk to colleagues you can trust at work and ask them to let you know of any opportunities. They can also provide an excellent sounding board for interview practice.
• Contact a specialist legal recruiter to help you navigate the job market. They can offer valuable advice and have many contacts to help find the right job for you.

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

Interviews. They don’t get any easier with time, even if you are a seasoned legal professional, it can still be nerve-wracking attending an interview.

Obviously, you are there because you want that ideal legal role, and the key to success is always in your preparation.

So, along with the usual planning of what to wear, how to get to the interview, times, dates and name of the interviewer, there’s the essential practising of potential interview questions.

But how on earth do you know what the interviewer is going to ask?

There will be specific role-related questions; that’s a given. And as you have worked in this role before and/or have all the relevant qualifications, you’re ahead on that one.

There may be questions about the company you are hoping to work for, so with a bit of research online, you can garner information about them, their latest news, company newsletters, mission and goals etc.

You can also bring your soft skills in to play by aligning them to the role. If you’re going for a Senior Partnership or Manager role, these could include your ability to lead a team, to time manage efficiently, delegate, and give constructive feedback thanks to your emotional intelligence.

If you are early on in your career and looking for a Fee Earner position, your soft skills could include being a great team collaborator, empathetic to others, able to manage your own diary and with an excellent work ethic.

There will likely be questions on all of the above, but there is also a set of fundamental questions that legal hiring managers ask all candidates time and time again.

So, note them down now and make sure your answers are ready to ensure you nail that interview!

1. Tell me about yourself.

This is often the first question interviewers will ask. They don’t want to know your life history here, so don’t be tempted to go off on a tangent.

What this question is trying to do is act as an icebreaker and test how you respond to open-ended queries. This could prove useful to the employer in gauging how you will react to similar questions within your working role.

You can use this question to (briefly, please!) describe how you got to be where you are today – so tell them about your achievements so far in your career, career highlights you have most enjoyed and your goals for the future.

Use the ‘present-past-future’ formula to enable you to give a potted version of your career history.

So, for example, you are applying for a position as an HR Manager in a law firm. Your answer to the past, present, future may look something like this:

“My interest in HR started about 6 years ago when I was working at X firm. I partnered with the HR team helping to design some custom training programmes.

I’m currently working as X. I recently completed my Master’s degree in Y, which I’ve studied part time.

My ultimate goal is to become an HR Director within a law firm.”

It’s also appropriate here to mention your hobbies. For example, you may enjoy chess or hunting in antique shops at the weekend.

Additionally, an interest in a sport or physical exercise such as tennis or yoga shows you take your health and mental wellbeing seriously.

2. Why do you want this role?

Don’t be fooled into thinking this question is asking about your personal goals and ambitions in the legal world.

It’s more about testing what you know about the job role you’re applying for: have you done your homework, and are you really keen, or is this just one application in a scattergun approach to job seeking?

Employers know that the best employees will proactively seek to improve their performance by embracing lifelong learning and growing their skillsets. This question, therefore, also addresses your motivation to learn new things and develop your career.

As well as establishing your interest in the role and your motivation to develop, this question will also allow you to give credibility to your current skills and qualifications and confirm you can hit the ground running in your new position.

If you mention the benefits of working for the company as a whole, you’ll score additional points too!

3. Tell me about a time you faced a significant challenge or problem in your last role – how did you successfully overcome it?

This question is trying to ascertain how you react to problems and your ability to solve issues that arise. It is looking to see how you work under pressure, test your emotional intelligence and resilience to stay positive and focused if things don’t go to plan.

The answer to this will require you to have one or two examples to hand, so ensure you can illustrate your response with tangible examples of a time when you dealt with difficult situations successfully.

4. What is your greatest weakness?

This one is a classic interview question and catches a lot of people out.

Whatever you do, don’t respond with the implication that you are perfect – the interviewer won’t believe you anyway!

The question is devised to test your self-awareness by acknowledging your less-positive strengths and how you cope with them. So, the best answer to this one is to give an example of an area you know you need to work on, and what you are doing to overcome it.

For example, you could say that you are a perfectionist who needs your work to be perfect every time, and consequently, you find projects can overrun as you tinker with things. But you are dealing with this by setting yourself deadlines to ensure you hit targets.

5. What can you bring to this law firm?

The interviewer is assessing the law firm’s ROI here.

They want to be sure they take on an employee who will be a good fit for them in terms of team working, skills, ability and dedication.

They are investing a lot of time and money in interviewing, hiring, onboarding and providing training – so they want to get it right first time.

So be sure to show your enthusiasm in your answer as well as expressing your confidence that you can help them increase the business in terms of clients and monetary value and collaborate in striving to achieve company aspirations and goals.

Armed with your responses to these questions, you can sail through your interview confidently and land your perfect legal role.

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our latest guide here.

As a legal professional, you know that mistakes in business happen. It could be the big deal with a project that doesn’t go as planned or a legal case that doesn’t go your way. These are the sort of mistakes that can be addressed and rectified to a greater or lesser extent. You can learn from them and move forward.

The problem with career mistakes is that they creep up so slowly it’s likely you won’t even notice they are there until they’ve taken root.

It’s crucial to know how to deal with the career mistakes that so many solicitors like yourself make. Not addressed, they can impact your general happiness and sense of unfulfillment in your legal work, as well as affecting your quality of life in general.

Here are the three main career mistakes to watch out for and tips on how to overcome them.

Fear of Failure

It’s easy to take the familiar route, the path more travelled, and where you feel most comfortable.

But comfort can slip into coasting without you noticing.

Then one day you realise you are bored at work, or dreading Mondays. Your work can suffer as a result of your lack of motivation and enthusiasm, and colleagues start to notice you’re not your usual self, or ‘on your game’.

You know inside, deep down, that you’re disinterested in your job and should think about moving to a new role or challenge, but you’re stuck in a comfort zone. Your salary is good, and it’s easier to do nothing than branch out – and risk failing.

If you’re not engaged with your current job, it’s worth identifying what’s behind the dissatisfaction and lack of motivation.

Ask yourself how fulfilled you are in your work on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being totally unfulfilled.

Has your income stagnated because you’re not engaged and motivated? Is being unhappy with your law firm impacting on your private life?

You spend nearly one-third of your life at work, on average. So, it’s crucial that you enjoy it. If you find yourself scoring low on your current job satisfaction, finding it hard to move to the next level of seniority within your law firm, and just not enjoying what you do – it’s time to ask the big question.

Should you stay, or should you go?

You have two options to consider. The first is to address what’s making you unhappy at work and seek to improve it. It could be negotiating flexible hours to improve your work-life balance. It could be requesting training to upskill yourself so you can meet future challenges head-on. Or it may just be a case of re-engaging with the job, your legal clients and colleagues.

The second option is to get a game plan in place for your escape.

If you can’t see a future in your current role, don’t be so afraid of failure that you feel you can’t move. See it as an opportunity to try something new.

A specialised legal recruiter can talk to you about your aspirations, hopes and ideal scenarios and help you find a legal role where you will be more fulfilled.

So, put fear of failure aside and never be afraid to leave your comfort zone behind. It could be the best career move you make.

One of my favourite quotes is from Mark Twain, who said “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Losing Connections

After a while, working in the same place and doing the same job, it’s not uncommon for many solicitors to give up networking. It’s easy to think it doesn’t matter anymore. After all, you’ve got the position you wanted; you already know the people you need to know. What’s the point in investing time and energy into developing your network further?

The problem with failing to maintain and increase your network is that you are limiting yourself to those people you have regular contact with; you’re missing out on the chance to meet new people and connect with important influences outside your law firm.

Failure to build your network and invest in relationships could see you missing out on opportunities. That new person you meet could be the one who changes your life!

Without new connections, your old network will eventually dry up, and there will be fewer people to turn to when you need help or advice, and fewer who will think of you when opportunities are there.

So, no matter where you are in your career, keep those networks going. Seek out professional relationships with colleagues and peers. Commit to meeting several new people each month, whether at a seminar, workshop, meeting or other event.

You could consider a mentor too. Mentors provide several positives. They teach you how to adapt, so you remain an asset to your law firm; you’ll have someone to share concerns with and who’s got your back. They can also help you plot your career path and spot personal development opportunities.

Not Fulfilling Your Potential

If you’re comfortable with things just the way they are, you’re in danger of stagnating and becoming out of date in your skillset.

Or perhaps you have been hopeful of achieving Partner in your law firm and it hasn’t happened. You may feel jaded and overlooked, and have become apathetic to chances to upskill.

The mistaken belief that your current knowledge will carry you through could see you out of a job if you refuse to acknowledge that you need to grow professionally and embrace lifelong learning.

Complacency will see you fall behind in skills and ability, and others will overtake you on the career ladder.

Not believing in yourself is a common mistake made by solicitors.

No matter how you feel inside, project an air of confidence and sound assured when you make decisions. If you don’t, others will stop believing in you too.

So, stay curious. Listen to podcasts on legal matters, keep up with the latest legal news and trends, read journals. Stay on top of change and development. Take up offers of training and development, whatever stage you are at in your career.

You may also wish to consider updating and developing your personal brand. Look at your online profile and ensure it’s current and accurate. Involve yourself in events and seminars and strive to become known as the ‘go-to’ person for advice on your specialist legal area.

Be sure your skills are current and invest in yourself by upskilling wherever there is an opportunity to do so – that way, you’ll be able to adapt to change and future proof yourself in your role.

I hope this article will help you avoid the common pitfalls made by many solicitors. If any of these mistakes resonate with you, it’s time to change the way you work.

Start today.

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our guide here.

Whether you are a Child Care Paralegal or a Senior Conveyancing Solicitor, an interview is potentially the start of a new level in your career and a step nearer achieving your aspirations. So, it’s essential to get it right.

You’ve already made a positive impression with your CV, or perhaps a direct application or covering letter – so that first hurdle has been crossed.

The interview, be it over the phone, over a video call virtually, or face to face, is a chance to bring all of those points to life – and it’s essential to put your best foot forward and create a positive first impression that increases your chance of the job offer.

Here are our top seven steps to success…

1. Plan Ahead

Give yourself plenty of time to do your research. Learn all you can about the law firm and the job you’re applying for.

Don’t just look at the facts and figures; see if they have an online newsletter and sign up for it and follow them on social media. You may spot an interesting snippet of information or news story that you can bring into the interview.

Find out what specialisms they have, and what their plans are for future scaling.

These easy hacks will show your knowledge and demonstrate you are keen to work for their law firm.

2. Work with Your Recruiter

It’s also a good idea to work closely with your specialist legal recruiter. They will be able to discuss the role in depth with you and point out any gaps in your skillset that need addressing.

They can also help you assess your value and the strengths you bring to the role, such as soft skills, as they will have in-depth knowledge of the law firm you’re hoping to join.

3. Create a Cheat Sheet

Interviews are stressful enough without adding to the anxiety.

This top tip is useful in keeping you calm and avoiding any last-minute panic. You can use the notes app on your phone to list all the essential things about the recruitment job you need to remember.

Include:

• address of the interview
• contact number
• interviewer’s name
• time of your interview

Add three or four main points you want to make during your interview, some brief notes on your answers to competency-based questions and anything else that you think you might need.

You will then have all the information to hand for last-minute revision – allowing you to walk into the interview with confidence.

4. Be on Time

Being on time for an interview is crucial to setting yourself up positively in the eyes of the hiring manager. It says you are a reliable professional and conveys respect.

Conversely, being late for an interview is a no-no. It leaves a lasting impression and will not go down well with the hiring manager, trust me.

To minimise problems on the day, make sure you know where you are going for the interview and how you’re going to get there. Ideally, do a practice run and time yourself.

Everyone knows that hold-ups on the roads or public transport can affect us all.

If the worse happens and you are delayed, phone and apologise as a courtesy. Keep calm and provide them with details of how long you will be (if you know) or ask to reschedule.

It won’t hurt to follow up with a polite email later in the day to reinforce your apology. Good manners cost nothing but can convey a good lasting impression.

5. Harness Your Anxiety

Even with the experience of presenting at conferences or making court appearances, interviews can make the most experienced solicitor or paralegal nervous.

An excellent confidence technique is to “make friends” with your anxiety, says mindfulness teacher Charlie Morley. Acknowledge its presence, but don’t let it overpower you.

Try channelling all that adrenaline by changing your thought patterns – so you view your nervous energy as excited energy. You’ll still feel charged but in a positive way!

You may also consider doing some basic breathing exercises before you go into the interview. I’ve found this NHS exercise helpful.

Finally, positive thought can work wonders. So, picture yourself having a positive outcome and landing your dream legal job. It will boost your confidence levels and give you that extra push to sail through the interview.

6. Know Your Value

Your value to the company goes beyond your knowledge and skills in your specialist area of legal practice.

That doesn’t mean to say that these are not a priority; of course, they are paramount to the job, but your soft skills are also relevant.

Ask yourself what you bring to the law firm that is your USP. Are you a great team player? Do your ethics match those of the law firm? Are you a good culture fit?

If you have relevant testimonials, referrals or letters of recommendation from satisfied clients, take them with you to show the interviewer.

7. Watch Your Body Language

Interviews are not just about talking the talk. You may know all there is to know about your specialist area of family law or litigation and have a first-class degree, but your body language can still let you down and scupper your chances of success.

Body language is more important than you might think – in fact, Mehrabian’s findings are that:

• 7% of meaning in words that are spoken
• 38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said).
• 55% of meaning is in facial expression.

So, pay attention to it!

Avoid fidgeting, crossing your arms, making wild, distracting hand gestures, or slumping in your seat.

Eye contact is the fastest way to build rapport, but at the same time remember not to stare your interviewer out!

Three to five seconds of eye contact works perfectly. If you have more than one interviewer, give the person asking the question 60% of your eye contact when answering and share the remaining 40% across other panel members.

Finally, smile. It’s a fact that smiling will make you feel more confident and you will appear friendly.

The interview is your opportunity to sell yourself and prove your potential value to the employer. So, adopt a pleasant manner and follow these tried and tested interview secrets to get your dream legal role!

Next Steps

If you’re reading this article because you are looking for the next move in your legal career, call one of the Clayton Legal team on 01772 259 121 and let’s have a conversation to explore your options. With our help, your transition can be smoother and quicker.

About Clayton Legal

Clayton Legal has been partnering with law firms across the country since 1999 and during that time has built up an enviable reputation for trust and reliability. We have made over 5,000 placements from partners to legal executives, solicitors to paralegals and legal IT personnel to practice managers.

If you are building your legal team or looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would like to know more about recruiting trends in the legal sector this year, download our guide here.