Career Clinic: No jobs in my preferred area - time to look elsewhere?

Look elsewhere

I think you should make sure you get a job of some kind at your firm, while at the same time you should sign up with a couple of recruiters.

Qualifying into a field that you are not totally happy with is clearly not ideal, but the choice between a healthy NQ salary and the dole is a no-brainer.

When you sign up with a recruiter, don't let anyone at your firm know you are doing this - don't even tell any fellow trainees. If you do, no matter how trustworthy your trainee confidants are, this fact will inevitably get disclosed at some point and it will most likely harm your chances of getting a job at your own firm.

Some recruiters are great, and some are rubbish. There is no surefire way to pick the good ones, unfortunately. They will tell you that, for your own good, you shouldn't sign up with more than two different agencies at once - I don't know whether this is true or not, or just a way of making sure that they, and not a competitor, get a commission from placing you.

Hope that helps.

Sympathetic, of Chancery Lane -17 Jun 2010 | 10:30

I agree to an extent with the previous poster. However, I don't think the level of secrecy suggested is necessarily required. We are currently in one of the toughest periods in recent history for NQs and firms will know fine well that trainees are looking externally when it comes to the end of their third or fourth seats. It is inevitable.

At my previous large City firm just over half of my intake were offered NQ roles. We were told well in advance there would be insufficient NQ positions, so it was only natural that almost all trainees had at least a tentative look at the external market. Qualifying in August 2009, however, meant that there was next to nothing available for NQs as firms were generally not recruiting externally at that level.

From what I have heard in London, although things have picked up a little, generally retention rates are not forecast to be anything like their peak in 2007-08, so firms would be completely naïve to think that their trainees were just waiting patiently until their fate was decreed to them.

However, I agree that some degree of secrecy is required - whilst you don't want to shout from the rooftops that you have interviews etc elsewhere you shouldn't necessarily guard that secret with your life. You need to sound off about such things with trainee mates you can trust who understand all of the circumstances - it is a very stressful time. My biggest word of advice though about playing the recruitment market is this: ALWAYS keep track of where your CV has been sent to, and make it crystal clear to recruiters that your CV must not be send without your consent. Having your CV sent somewhere more than once (or even worse, to your own firm!) will do any chances you might have had no good at all. It follows from that of course that you should only give your CV to agents you can trust. I'd advise meeting with them in person before deciding whether or not to entrust them with your CV - there are some excellent, trustworthy agents out there, but from experience there are a few cowboys with targets to meet and little regard for your interests at all.

From my own perspective, I left my firm as I wanted to qualify in my preferred practice area. I was one of the lucky ones to secure an external NQ role in the practice area I really wanted. That said, whilst it is not ideal to qualify into a practice area that you don't want to do, it is certainly better to have an NQ job than being on the dole. However, if you plan early and get yourself out there, you may find that you can secure your preferred NQ role elsewhere before you need to make the decision with your own firm. If you do go down the latter route, keep an open mind: don't rule out good smaller practices or strong regional firms (chances are you would get excellent experience and responsibility there).

Good luck.

NQ -17 Jun 2010 | 11:52

Be realistic

Agreed, you should try to get a role in your current firm while simultaneously looking elsewhere. Be realistic, as few mid-sized City firms will be opening up NQ jobs to external applicants, especially not in hotly contested areas like commercial. Commercial teams are usually small, and if there is a role it is likely to go to one of the firm’s own trainees.

It is never easy to change areas once you have qualified, but I agree with the previous poster that it is better to be employed than otherwise. You don’t say what your other options are; would it be possible to qualify into corporate or IP at your current firm? If your desire to qualify into commercial is driven by a wish to move in-house in the future, experience in one of these areas would be useful.

Recruiter -17 Jun 2010 | 11:53

Follow your instincts

Your instincts appear to be telling you to be cautious of the area you qualify into and I believe this is very sensible. Over the last 15-20 years, I have seen a pattern of people taking any position in order to secure an NQ position. This has more often than not meant that they are unable to switch back to their preferred area resulting in unhappiness and demotivation with their career path.

However, I'm not saying that you should risk unemployment. I suggest that you should spend some time considering exactly what you want from your future career, then identify what roles/areas would match this. Yes, use a recruiter but also don't be afraid to approach directly those firms which are your ideals.

Make yourself a very appealing proposition. Ask around and identify what makes an ideal candidate in this area and become that person. Remember to think outside the box.

The very best of luck with it.

Michaela Hardwick -18 Jun 2010 | 08:06

Look elsewhere

You should look elsewhere and try to get a job that you really want.

Working in a City law firm can be exciting but it is also hard work. There will be days when you will feel down, and doing something that you do not enjoy will only make things worse. The exhilaration of having secured a job - especially if it is "any job" will soon wear off.

I am speaking from experience having qualified into corporate law when what I wanted was an IP/Commercial position. It is very difficult to get off the treadmill once you are on it and I have now left the profession having spent 4 years applying for that IP/Commercial job that I really wanted.

Jack Springer -24 Jun 2010 | 09:39