The Newly Qualified Madness

July is both an exciting and hectic month. With March behind us and September fast approaching, we are in the midst of NQ season and all of the madness that comes with it. Those who qualified in March may now be a few months into their new roles and reconsidering their choices. Meanwhile, those upcoming qualification in September are anxious about market opportunities and whether they will be offered retention or not. It can be a stressful time – but with a legal recruiter, it doesn’t have to be.

There are a lot of benefits to getting in touch with a legal recruiter. A good consultant will offer their support, knowledge, and experience at every stage of the process to ensure you are kept informed with a lot more than just the market. This includes receiving constructive CV feedback, interview preparation and an invaluable insight into the firm you are interested in, which will play a key part in helping you find the perfect role. 

With the market being less buoyant than it was coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, a sense of urgency is crucial. Having early conversations with a recruiter means you can have a prepared CV, which will be ready to send out to an NQ role as soon as possible and will ensure you are being put forward early and with the strongest application possible. 

A less buoyant market also means more competition. With this in mind, it is important to be sensible and remain open to opportunities which may not tick every single box (they rarely ever do!). For example, by exploring different types of firms or by considering a slightly longer commute. In doing so, you will gain greater exposure to a breadth of options and avoid the regret often felt by NQs who, in hindsight, realise they should have applied. This will also help you understand how your CV is being received by firms and increases your chances of being called to interview. After all, speaking with the firm directly is the best way to make the most informed decision going forward. 

Finally, always have a back up plan. Consult your recruiter, consider your top two seats, and be prepared to apply your second choice if the competition is fierce. This means you can attack the market as quickly and efficiently as possible and this will lead to the most success.

Start early, get to know the market, be sensible and consult your recruiter – Good luck!