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Author: Eventus

Eventus Recruitment Group > Articles by: Eventus
19Nov

Choosing the Right Recruitment Consultant

Choosing the Right Recruitment Consultant - A Guide for Success

In today’s competitive landscape, firms often find themselves approached by multiple recruitment consultants eager to assist with filling a vacancy. With so many options available, how can firms determine which consultant will truly add value to their recruitment process? How can firms be sure that they are choosing the right recruitment consultant for them? Guiding firms, here are some key considerations to make the best choice. Simultaneously, these will ensure a strong partnership is established for future hiring needs.

1. Evaluate Industry Knowledge and Expertise

When choosing the right recruitment consultant, firms should prioritise those with a deep understanding of the sector, and the geographic. Consultants with specific expertise will have vital insights into market trends, candidate qualifications, and the unique demands of various roles.

At The Eventus Recruitment Group, we pride ourselves on our specialised knowledge in the legal, legal finance, and financial services sectors. Ensuring we provide our clients with candidates who both meet the technical requirements and fit within the firm’s culture.

2. Assess Track Record and Success Stories

Look for a recruitment consultant who can demonstrate a proven track record of successful placements within your hiring sector. Ask for case studies or testimonials from previous clients to gauge their effectiveness. Sharing success stories, particularly within similar firms/roles, proves the necessary experience to navigate your specific hiring challenges. This way, you can ensure you are choosing the right recruitment consultant in regards to your hiring sector needs.

3. Consider Communication and Relationship Building

Effective communication is paramount in recruitment. Consultants who actively listen to your needs, maintain transparency throughout the process, and provide regular updates elevate the recruitment experience. Building a strong relationship with your consultant fosters trust and ensures they have a genuine understanding of your firm’s ethos and requirements.

Emphasising open communication, at Eventus Recruitment Group, we take the time to truly understand our clients’ needs and check-in regularly. Therefore, we are ensuring a tailored approach that reflects the firm’s values.

4. Evaluate the Consultant's Network and Resources

A well-connected recruitment consultant can significantly broaden the talent pool available to your firm. Evaluate the strength of their network and the tools they employ to source candidates. Consultants who utilise innovative sourcing methods open up a whole new realm of candidates. Social media or industry events can uncover hidden talent that may not be actively seeking new opportunities.

5. Prioritise Cultural Fit

Beyond skills and experience, it’s crucial to consider how potential candidates will fit within your firm’s culture. Taking the time to understand your firm’s values and work environment is crucial. Choosing the right recruitment consultants who do this will be better positioned to identify candidates who will thrive in your specific setting.

Always, Eventus Recruitment place a strong emphasis on cultural alignment. Hence, ensuring that the candidates we present not only meet the technical requirements but share the firm’s values and vision.

6. Understand the Risks of Multiple Consultants

Choosing the right recruitment consultant ideally means choosing only one. While it may be tempting to engage several recruitment consultants simultaneously, doing so can lead to confusion and frustration. When multiple consultants approach the same candidates, it can create a perception of desperation, making your firm appear less attractive to top talent. Instead, focus on building a solid relationship with a select few consultants who truly understand your firm and its needs. This targeted approach enhances your firm’s reputation and fosters a more streamlined recruitment process.

7. Looking for Strategic Insight and Guidance

The recruitment process should be a strategic partnership rather than a transactional interaction. A valuable consultant will provide insights and guidance on market conditions, salary benchmarks, and candidate expectations. This strategic approach can aid firms in making informed decisions and streamline the hiring process.

8. Trust Your Instincts

Finally, trust your instincts. If a consultant demonstrates a genuine passion for your firm and the recruitment process, it translates into better results. A positive rapport can make a significant difference in navigating the complexities of recruitment.

Conclusion

Choosing the right recruitment consultant is a critical decision that can impact the success of your hiring efforts. By prioritising industry knowledge, communication, cultural fit, and strategic insight, firms can ensure they select a partner who will add real value.

At Eventus Recruitment Group, we are dedicated to supporting firms in law and financial services in finding the right talent that aligns with their goals. We believe in fostering strong relationships and delivering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients. In addition, all our recruitment consultants are sector and geographic recruitment specialists. If you are a hiring manager looking for your next top talent, or a professional on the job search, contact us here.

Written by Nikki Phillips, Senior Recruitment Consultant at the Eventus Recruitment Group.

The team at Eventus Legal always take time to fully understand the needs of the business and each role they are involved with, putting forward only those candidates who closely match our requirements. Feedback from successful candidates sourced by Eventus Legal has been excellent and they offer full support throughout the whole process from initial stages to job offer.
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Marsden Rawsthorn Solicitors
31Oct

Siobhan Courtney escapes jail and raises over £1,100 for St John’s Hospice

Thanks to your donations the Eventus Recruitment Group’s Managing Director Siobhan Courtney was freed from Lancaster prison on Wednesday 30th October 2024 at 3pm.

Siobhan’s arrest
At 10 am on the 30th October 2024, Siobhan was “arrested” by Lancaster Police having been reported by her colleagues for her excessive chatter and was escorted to Lancaster Castle with 31 other workplace criminals and locked up in HMP Lancaster Castle. For her successful bail, we had to raise £999 for St John’s Hospice by the end of the day.
Siobhan’s release

It was touch and go as to whether she would be released due to Siobhan being late back to the line-up after visiting time and being caught wearing extra layers of clothing in which she may or may not have used to smuggle contraband into the prison. However, thanks to the donations of our wonderful clients, family, friends, colleagues and local law firms the bail money was raised for Siobhan’s release. In total your donations exceeded the bail amount and raised a whooping £1,133 for St John’s Hospice. A charity that is vital within our community and is close to the hearts of everyone in Lancaster and the surrounding areas.

After formerly working as a Prison Officer, Siobhan enjoyed her return to Prison – perhaps a little too much, as when on her release the Prison Officer told her to “behave herself”, she responded “NO”. 

Thank you for your donations to St John’s Hospice

We would like to express a huge thank you to everyone who donated and to St John’s Hospice for arranging such a fantastic fundraising event. Although the Eventus team were grateful for day of peace and quiet in the office, they are thankful to have Siobhan back with them and with new prison stories to tell.

Before her release, Siobhan recorded a video of thanks from her cell and explains how valuable your donations are. Watch the video below.

22Oct

Employment Trends Report Available Now

Confidence in the job market has increased, whereas satisfaction with employers has decreased

The Eventus Recruitment Employment Attitudes and Work Trends 2024 survey report is now available to download, and we are excited to share our findings and insights with you. We carry out this survey annually to assess how work trends differ year on year. From this, we provide you with unique insights into the preferences of your employees / future employees and recommendations to enhance your recruitment and retention strategies. This year, the Employment Trends survey has revealed that confidence in the job market has increased from 12 months ago.

Our survey was sent out to professionals and shared on our social media channels, reaching employees from a range of sectors such as legal, finance, financial services, and more. It delved into topics such as working environments and preferences, employee benefits, work-life balance, career motivators, and progression. Furthermore, we also asked about emerging trends over the last 12 months, like the 4-day working week.

Download Employment Trends Report

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Employment Trends Report: Key Findings

As our survey covered a range of topics, there’s many key findings within the report. However, here’s a snippet of some of the findings:

  • 70% of people are actively and passively job searching, with confidence increasing in the job market.
  • The majority of people would prefer some hybrid working.
  • 89% of people take into account employee benefits when job searching.
  • Only 11% don’t consider employee benefits when deciding on which jobs to apply for.
  • Recruiters remain the go-to resource when a person comes to job search.

Employment Trends Report: Key Takeaways

So, what do these findings all mean? Whilst it’s great to see differences in work trends year on year, they are no use if you don’t act by them. Utilising these findings to tweak and better your recruitment and retention strategies is a great way to showcase that you are listening to what your employees and potential employees want. Let’s discuss the key findings in further detail and see what they mean for your business.

Firstly, 70% of people are actively and passively job searching. This highlights that it is absolutely essential to have a strong retention strategy in place. This will ensure your own top talent does not become part of this figure. Some ways to improve your retention strategy are:

  • Give your employees a voice and bring in initiatives that they ask for
  • Regularly meet with your employees and review not only their salary but their goals as well
  • Ensure you have a competitive benefits package and support flexible working

Furthermore, this statistic is great if you are looking to expand. It implies you should have a thorough recruitment plan in place. If you would like help with your recruitment or retention strategies, then please contact us here.

Secondly, the majority of people would like some hybrid work. Hybrid working has become ever so popular particularly since the pandemic, as it allows for a good work-life balance and more flexibility.

To read more, download the full Employment Trends Report below.

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14Oct

Building an employer brand for hiring

Building a strong employer brand can often be overlooked. However, it is crucial for a top recruitment and retention strategy to develop robust employer branding that will set you apart from your competitors. An employer brand is the way an organisation can differentiate themselves in the jobs market. It enables them to attract, hire, retain and engage the right people (CIPD).

Why does having a good employer brand matter?

Building a strong employer brand matters as it:

  • Establishes a strong reputation which positively impacts hiring
  • Leverages competitive advantage as you differentiate yourself to competitors
  • Increases interest from candidates when hiring
  • Increases loyalty and engagement, as well as retention from employees
  • Improves brand credibility
  • Reduced costs such as recruitment and turnover costs
  • Displays consistency

How can you build a strong employer brand?

There’re many ways to build a strong employer brand, including:

  • Increasing your social media presence
  • Entering business awards
  • Acquiring testimonials
  • Attending networking events
  • Maximising on PR Opportunities
  • Utilising job boards / review sites
  • Participating in CSR activities
  • Reviewing your employee benefits
  • Enhancing your website

Entering awards

Entering business awards allow you to showcase your business and receive the positive recognition it deserves. They highlight all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, as well as successes. This can increase your brand awareness, recognition and visibility. When it comes to hiring, more candidates will be attracted to your firm as they have seen the business be represented well in a well-respected setting such as an award ceremony. Not to mention, who doesn’t want to work for an award-winning company? Winning awards, or even being finalists, gets you ahead of competitors, which will do wonders when it comes to your recruitment strategy.

Social media presence

Using social media consistently is key to building a strong employer brand. There is no point in posting the odd thing here or there. Consistency on social media can promote your company positively when used correctly. When it comes to hiring, social media is one of the first things a potential candidate goes to, to research about your firm. Do you post consistently? Do you have a theme? Is your content engaging and relevant? If the answer is no to these questions, then a potential candidate will struggle to be engaged with your company based on lack of presence.

Consult with your marketing team and develop a content a content strategy. Also, involve all your employees, incentivise them to be active and post on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is so important as many professionals are on the social media platform and job board. Employers can list one free job on LinkedIn, also.

Stand out employee benefits

Having employee benefits that differentiate from competitors sets you miles ahead when it comes to hiring. Job seekers will associate the best benefits with your brand as you establish your firm as one that sets themselves apart when it comes to employee treatment and benefits. In our annual Employment Trends Survey 2024, we found that 89% of people collectively consider employee benefits when applying for jobs. From this, it’s clear that being open about employee benefits and having them stand out from competitors makes your employee brand more transparent. Therefore, potential candidates are attracted to your firm from the get-go.

Testimonials

Testimonials from both clients, customers and employees build credibility.

There’re many ways you can collect feedback from clients or customers, including:

  • Feedback survey – create a survey that can be emailed or physically completed at the end of your survey.
  • Google reviews – send them a direct link to your Google profile to leave a review for your company on Google. A review link can be generated from your Google My Business account.

Also, you incentivise people to leave a review through prize drawers and competitions.

Job Boards / Review sites

Be active on job boards and review sites by responding to reviews and taking ownership of your company profile. Make sure you have an active company profile on all the review sites that your customers, clients and employees use. Furthermore, complete the company profile section on the job boards that you use to advertise your job vacancies. Many job boards and review sites will allow you to upload your company logo and add a company bio. Some review sites that customers / clients will use to review your services include Google Reviews and Trustpilot. In addition, there’s review sites for workers to review you as an employer, which include Glassdoor and job boards like Indeed.

Your website – add an Work for Us / Careers section

This is a key part of employer branding that businesses often miss, and is one of the most important parts of attracting people to work for you. When people are preparing for job interviews viewing the company’s website is often one of the first things that they will do. Also, if you are well-known in your geographic or are focussing on building your brand reputation, people are likely to research your company to see if there’s any job vacancies. As a result, it’s important to have an engaging and attractive careers section on your website.

There’re many elements that you can add to a careers section on your website, including:

  • An overview of your company, company culture, values, and what it is like working at the firm.
  • Information on the benefits of working at the firm and the benefits package you offer.
  • Latest job vacancies.
  • Employee testimonials.
  • Photos / videos of your premises, teams and working environment, especially if you have a modern or unique office / working environment.

In addition, having a modern, easy to navigate website with a meet the team page will be beneficial for when you are hiring. Furthermore, it will help you stand out to customers and help sell your services.

Networking

Attending networking events are beneficial to building an employer brand, as they are an opportunity to connect with professionals who you might like to employ in future. Search for both local business and wider sector specify networking events to attend. Networking events are great for increasing your brand’s visibility, building a positive reputation and building working connections in the business community.

Furthermore, if you have a large or quirky office space you could host your own networking events. Alternatively, you could offer the space to your local Chamber of Commerce or business networking groups for their networking events.

CSR Activities

Aside from giving back, conducting charitable and CSR activities will enhance your company’s reputation and position your firm as a caring employer. Your employees’ values are more likely to align with your company if the firm’s culture is based on more than just making a profit. Also, teams within the firm can get involved in charitable and CSR activities, which will boost team morale and teamwork.

PR Opportunities to enhance your employer brand

Maximising on PR opportunities will enhance your brand reputation and raise awareness of your company in your local geographic and sector. Getting published in the press will enhance your employer brand and it isn’t as difficult as you may think, as long as you have a newsworthy angle. It could be that you are hiring due to expansion or that you are hoping to raise £10,000 for a local charity, for example. The key is to ensure that it is newsworthy, and your content isn’t just an advert selling your services.

If you have a company blog giving advice away, these blogs can be turned into articles, then sent to the media. For business-to-business (B2B) firms, utilise your Chamber of Commerce, Business Networks and business news publications.

Advice on building an employer brand for hiring

If you would like to discuss building an employer brand in more detail or would like tailored advice on your recruitment plans please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re dedicated recruitment specialists with over 100 years of combined experience in Law, Finance and Financial Services.

“I have used Eventus, and Amy Watson in particular, for a number of years and have always found them to be friendly, helpful and professional. They really take the time to understand the firm, and the roles that we are looking to fill, so that only candidates that fit our requirements are put forward. I would have no reservations in recommending Amy and Eventus.”
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Adrienne
Mewies Solicitors

Further Reading

Marketing in recruitment – Why is it important for hiring? Click here to read.

Creating a recruitment strategy that facilitates business growth. Click here to read.

Do businesses need core values? Click here to read.

10Sep

From Paralegal to Trainee Solicitor – Ross Simmons’ journey to a training contract

Recently we sat down with Ross Simmons to ask him about his recent transition from Paralegal to Trainee Solicitor and to find out about his career-to-date in litigation. Our recruitment expert Nikki Phillips placed Ross as a Paralegal at Oglethorpe Sturton & Gillibrand LLP (OSG) in Lancaster, where he is now completing his training contract. Here, Ross tells his legal story and gives his advice for those aspiring to a training contract.

What are the main day-to-day duties in your role?

I’m front of house and deal with new enquiries. So, I take the initial interview with new clients, getting all their documents in place and finding out what the issues are. I do the onboarding, the anti-money laundering compliance. In addition, I review the documentation and help prepare the written advice. I have similar duties to my superiors, and I am given a lot of autonomy in my role. I have had the opportunity to conduct advocacy independently before the County Court. 

The duties I’m given definitely put my skills to use. I think the worry when you start a Paralegal job is that you will be doing photocopying and compliance. However, my time with OSG has been interesting and intellectually challenging.

How did you find the transition from Paralegal to Trainee Solicitor?

When I joined I felt my abilities were recognised and I was given the responsibility to manage my own caseload. So, there hasn’t been much of a change in my role. There are various items of paperwork to complete for the regulator on a training contract. As a result, the focus for me now is on continuing professional development and reflective practice. Overall I feel the responsibilities I received during my time as a Paralegal was on par with my role now as a Trainee Solicitor. The transition may not be as straightforward for everyone and some firms may take a traditional approach to progression. However, if you say yes to opportunities and demonstrate your ability early on, you can give yourself more time to practice your skills before coming qualified.

What tips / advice do you have for others looking for a training contract role?

The best advice I can give is that you shouldn’t be disheartened if you don’t get a training contract straight away. The average qualifying age for solicitors is around 30 according to the Law Society. I was 26 when I joined OSG and I will likely be qualifying around that age. I think when you leave your studies there’s an expectation that you go straight into a training contract. However, that’s simply not the reality. 

Secondly, you shouldn’t overlook the good that working in a Citizens Advice, Law Centre or even a claims firm, can do for your career prospects. Especially the Citizens Advice, where I and two other colleagues at OSG have previously volunteered. There are so many areas of law. So, make the most of your post-graduate years to explore the sectors and learn more about which areas of work interest you. Make the most of these years before you drop your anchor.

What’s the most challenging part of your role?

The job requires you to be detail-oriented and in litigation specifically you’ve got to be able to work at pace. I think also, being a Solicitor comes with a duty. Despite negative media connotations about the legal profession, actually we are also charged with protecting a number of human rights. For example, the right to a fair trial and the right to no punishment without law. Front line workers, such as paramedics and police officers, govern a number of our fundamental human rights. Solicitors are officer of the Courts and are governed by regulation requiring them to upholding the rule of law and the proper administration of justice. 

There are a number of hazards to the job which can be a difficult burden to carry. When you’re acting for a client, you have to naturally be able to guard their best interests. As if you get things wrong the consequences can potentially be drastic. It can often be very difficult to switch off from worrying about your clients and I think that is a problem that most of us share in the profession. So, it is really important to have a supportive and approachable employer like OSG. Colleagues and heads of department have an open-door policy and work collaboratively to resolve difficult issues.

What’s your favourite part of your role?

It’s seeing the transformative process a client goes through. From when they initially come to you about something that’s really bothering them to then seeing them come out of the other side with an outcome they can live with. It brings me good feelings to stand up for someone who might be struggling to do this by themselves. Litigation can be quite a stressful process for people, and I enjoy being able to take the worry away from people and support them through the issues they are facing.

Other than that, I think it’s also nice to have a job where every day is different. In litigation you’re dealing with a variety of areas of law. You feel stimulated when you come to work, and you encounter a number of legal puzzles requiring solving. As a department we are also often an extension of the services already being provided within the firm. So, it is a good area of law if you enjoy working collaboratively and interdepartmentally.

What do you like the most about your employer?

OSG has a very supportive and collaborative culture, and you don’t feel lonely here. I have found that some firms can be discouraging of any form of dependence on colleagues for help. However, I think that can be a very dangerous approach in this line of work. OSG regularly organise social events like the summer BBQ or an evening of bowling. Also, we do a lot of fundraising for local charities, such as St John’s Hospice. We make a number of social events out of our fundraising activities. I also like OSG because it really cares about its professional ethics and its regulatory obligations and has robust procedures to protect staff, clients and the wider public. 

We’re very thoughtful about professional independence and we are really honest with our clients about any concerns we have. So, that we can address those issues early on. It is a great place to train as it is a firm which has been practicing law successfully for over 150 years.

Why did you choose to specialise in litigation? Was it difficult making a choice over your specialism?

I found myself working in contentious roles since I graduated, and I’ve stuck with it because of the impact it can have. I think it’s a really rewarding area of work and jobs are in demand in this field. The sector doesn’t attract enough people because it can seem daunting. However, if you have a good team around you then you can really make a positive difference to people’s lives. It’s often a huge relief to people to have their conflicts resolved so they are often very grateful for your work. 

Litigation is fast paced. So, you’re processing a lot of information and you’re touching on quite a lot of different areas of law. You learn quite a lot over a short amount of time. I think also it’s the variety of work you get involved in which makes for an interesting career. I’ve always worked in contentious roles and it’s just something I find myself really enjoying. It’s nice seeing the impact that it can have on clients when you help them to get a good outcome.

What advice would you have for others wanting to specialise in litigation?

Think about the job specification and the personal qualities required for the job. You’ll need to enjoy working at pace, be able to organise your work and meet deadlines. You need an objective mindset because ultimately you need to think about how a Judge might deal with the legal and factual issues.

You’re regularly under scrutiny by the other side. So, you need to be detail oriented and identify all the bases that need covering. They will often try to pick away at your arguments and you need to be able to take a step back and take in the bigger picture. Sometimes it’s a case of keeping the faith in your client’s position and marching on. Or it’s a case of having honest conversations with your client about the strengths and weaknesses in their case and formulating strategies to overcome the issues that lie ahead. It’s not always about putting your client’s instructions forward but about being dynamic, responding as the case develops and identifying possible ways that the case could be settled.

Litigation can also be a very stressful and intrusive process for clients. So, you need to be emotionally responsive and able to support your clients through what can be a very challenging and difficult time. I think that it also helps if you find you are good at resolving conflicts in your personal life. Also, it helps if you have a diplomatic personality type such as the ‘mediator’, ‘protagonist’, ‘advocate’ or ‘campaigner’ personality type.

How have you grown professionally since joining OSG?

I think I have become a more resilient person, able to think and articulate quickly and that does help you to build good relationships with your clients. I am also a lot more attentive to detail and I have better foresight of problems that could arise as the case progresses, which I think is mostly where we add value in our work as lawyers. The autonomy I am given in my work has made me take great pride in what we do here for people. 

My communication skills have improved, and my written work is much more thoughtful and diplomatic. OSG has around 150 years of experience and they’ve built up really good practices. We put a great deal of care in our correspondence which ensures our clients cases are put across well to the other side and to the Courts. I’ve also learnt a lot more about the agricultural sector and how important the green belt is to our local economy.

What is your aspiration for your career as a whole?

Since joining OSG, the firm has supported me to become a trustee of a local Citizens Advice where I enjoy applying my legal knowledge to the management and governance of the charity. I’m really interested in the legal aspects of running companies and navigating constitutions and directors’ duties. I’ve also really enjoyed providing advocacy at Court and I would like to look at developing my skills in that area too. I’ve not started any new seats yet, so I am keeping an open mind. However, I am hoping for a seat in our corporate and private client departments to build on the skills I am developing as a trustee.

Why should someone take up a career in Law?

It’s not just about money or status, it’s a very serious and challenging job where clients can be at risk of an injustice. Solicitors have important duties to their clients and the wider public. There are fundamental human rights which they protect and with that comes a sense of purpose in the work you do. Legal advice can really make a difference to people’s lives. If you’re doing a job where you truly believe it is making a difference to someone, somewhere, then in my view it is worth doing. 

It is also a career where it is very unlikely that you’ll become disinterested because the law is always evolving and changing. Your clients and cases can change from one week to the next. I think that if you enjoy learning something new every day, you enjoy being faced with solving complex and challenging problems and you enjoy developing relationships with people then it is definitely a career for you.

How would you summarise your experience of working with Eventus to secure your job at OSG?

Nikki was friendly and personable and took the time to get to know me in order to find the right role for me. Nikki matched me with firms where I was already thinking about applying to, which showed that she really took the time to understand my aspirations. She gave me an honest appraisal of my skills set and identified areas of my CV which could be improved. The most helpful part of the process is that you don’t often get feedback for the job you were unsuccessful in applying for. Whereas because Nikki has established relationships with local firms, she is able to follow up with the employer to obtain that feedback for you and this is so helpful. The rejection can knock your confidence in the next interview and the feedback really makes a difference to your chances of success.

Nikki would also do a brief and de-brief with me around the interviews. She provided me with preparatory reading material, and pointed out some of the key characteristics of the firms from where I could direct my research. Nikki is an established recruiter who knows the sector very well. I think that finding work after a second interview speaks volumes of the great work that Eventus do. I am really thankful to Nikki, and all at Eventus Recruitment Group, for helping me to find a role in a firm where I feel settled, happy and able to thrive.

Legal Career Insights

We hope you have enjoyed this interview. The interview is part of our series of legal career insights with professionals specialising in Law at all levels. View the other interviews in the further reading section below.

If you would like tailored career advice don’t hesitate to contact us. We are legal recruitment and job search specialists, who offer support at every stage of the job search process. Combined we have over 100 years’ experience in recruitment and we’ve built strong relationships with the top law firms.

Contact Us

Further Reading

Insight into Helen Milburn’s career and journey to Partner and Head of Private Client, Wills, Trusts and Probate at Jacksons Law firm. Click here to read.

Sarah Jane Lenihan’s career journey to Partner and award-winning Family Lawyer at Dawson Cornwell. Click here to read.

Insights into Legal Apprenticeships with Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips. Click here to read.

Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips’ personal experience of a Solicitor Apprenticeship. Click here to read.

19Aug

Sarah Jane Lenihan’s career journey to Partner and award-winning Lawyer at Dawson Cornwell

Recently we sat down for a conversation with Sarah Jane Lenihan – an award-winning Family Lawyer and Partner at the internationally renowned Family Law Firm, Dawson Cornwell. During the interview Sarah Jane discussed her career, achieving Partnership at a young age and her advice for those wanting to start a career in Law.

Would you be able to start off by telling me a little bit about your career history and your progression to becoming a Partner?

I started as a trainee at a small High Street firm in Kent. It was a multi service High Street firm that specialised predominantly in family law but also offered private client services such as wills and probate, conveyancing, crime and employment law. It had a legal aid franchise when I first joined but decided to move solely to private work as the cuts came in and it became non-profitable. I undertook my two years training there and qualified in 2010. Following that I spent three years working in Kent at a couple of different firms, which included a little time in-house in the Children’s team at the Local Authority. At the time I felt I wanted to ‘save all the children’ from harm, but it wasn’t for me. It was an extremely stressful experience being faced with the worst treatment of children on a daily basis.

Following this, I decided that I wanted to specialise more in finance work, and I made that my focus. Then, after three years in Kent I decided that I wanted to try and move to London. So, I moved to a Kent practice that were keen to set up a London office, and I set up a family practice there. I began working between both Kent and London. Then Siobhan from Eventus Recruitment helped me secure a role as an Associate in 2016 in London. In 2017 I was made Senior Associate, and Partner in 2019. Resultantly, I’ve spent the last eight years working in London and my career has massively progressed.

I have moved a little bit, but each role has been for career progression, therefore always with a view of something greater. For example, looking for a firm that was interested in opening a London office, and then moving to London, and then moving to a more senior position. Now, I have been at Dawson Cornwell for the last two and a half years based in Central London. I hope to spend the rest of my career here.

Are there differences between working in London to working outside of London?

There’s more international work and varied work in London. Now, I work with lots of clients internationally. They don’t always live here or there’s some international element involved, whether it’s assets abroad or spouses abroad. So, there’s more variation and to be honest certainly more wealth. The cases I was dealing with in Kent compared to the cases that I’m dealing with now have a significant difference in terms of wealth.

Why did you choose to specialise in family law?

I’d always wanted to do a job that was helping people. That came from my family. They have always been quite philanthropic and always done charity work alongside their work. So, from a young age I’ve always been involved in helping people and found that quite rewarding. At first, I thought I wanted to do criminal law. So, I did quite a bit of work experience. Some of that included working and spending time in a prison, which I didn’t enjoy. There are a couple of instances and things that happened that really put me off, and I thought I don’t have the nerve for criminal law.

So, I had the opportunity to do some voluntary work for the National Centre of Domestic Abuse and found a real passion in helping victims of abuse. Then, when I was then looking for my training contract, I was keen on something that was primarily family law and really enjoyed it. I’ve always enjoyed being a part of people’s lives, being part of their stories of improving their lives. So, I think that’s been a big part of it.

Was it difficult making that choice?

Yes, as with most areas of law you are generally helping people or companies. But in family law you get to be more personable. You really get to know people’s stories, which motivates you to help get them through to the other side. So, I think for me it was just something that clicked. The work experience was really key in that. I did some work experience with some barristers doing road traffic accidents, trust law, environmental law and spent time at an immigration appeal court. Consequently, I think that’s one of my key tips. Get as much experience as possible because on paper something can look like it would be the right fit for you but in practice it is not what you expect. For me with Criminal law I’d enjoyed it on paper and did very well in it in my exams, yet in practice it wasn’t the right fit for me. Whereas family law was just something that I took to.

What motivates you in your working life and what aspects of your role do you particularly enjoy?

I’m motivated by making a difference to people’s lives. Seeing the growth in my clients from the moment they walk through my door and helping them on their journey to getting out the other end to a happier, better place is rewarding. Working with victims of domestic abuse has become my niche specialism. So, I help victims not only in finance work but also children matters, injunctions or non-molestation orders / occupation orders.

It’s rewarding when you’re closing your file and you see them in a completely different position to where they started – smiling, excited for the future with confidence and stability and you’ve been a part of that journey.  Recently, I did a final video call with a client (as she lives abroad), and the client was so grateful in terms of the impact both myself and the team have made in gaining her divorce and achieving the financial settlement. Particularly as this was done without a need for a Final Hearing, which she was very keen to avoid. As she was not coping with the litigation and having to constantly be in correspondence with her husband (via Solicitors) due to the emotional abuse she had endured during the marriage. For her it was an extension of this so be able to close this chapter for her was a massive relief. 

Knowing that I can be a part of an individual’s / sometimes family’s story in making their lives better, is what keeps me motivated to work hard and do everything I can to help them.

What's the most challenging part of your role as a Family Solicitor?

For me it’s having boundaries with clients. It’s quite easy to be constantly available because there’s so much emotion involved. Also, clients become quite dependent upon you. So, it’s important that there are boundaries in place because otherwise I would work 24/7. And I think as a Solicitor who really enjoys helping people and who wants to make a difference, if someone needs me, I feel like I need to be available. Therefore, I make sure that clients are aware that yes, I’m available in emergency situations out of hours, but not available 24/7. For my own sanity it’s important that I have time away and allow myself to refresh for the next day. In any job it’s important that you have that time and space to yourself as well.

How did you find the transition from a junior to a senior role within a law firm?

It was quite natural because as the years go on you gain more experience. Also, I think you go from wanting to do everything yourself to gain the experience, to being happy to delegate tasks that the more junior people can do. So, I think it was quite a natural progression. When I was junior, it was good to have experience of different individuals above me that were mentoring me, and learning from them to enable me to become the best Solicitor that I could be. Now, being in a position where I’m mentoring or supervising juniors, it’s quite nice to be able to give back in that way.

What tips and advice do you have for others looking to specialise in family law?

Work experience is so key as being a family lawyer isn’t something that’s easy. You need to have a passion for it because without that passion it makes it more difficult to do the job. Also, clients are looking for that. You need a connection with clients and be able to empathise with them. Without that passion, it makes it harder. Work experience is key for this and will allow you to find what your niche is.

Also, now I conduct training contract interviews. When interviewing I’m looking for trainees that have experience, because for me it shows that they’re not just coming to us and saying that they want to do family law because we are a family law firm. I want to see those who can actually show solid experience in what they’ve done and the reasons why. As I want to find other Solicitors similar to me who have that passion. Ultimately, I find they make the best trainees, the best Solicitors and will connect with clients easier.

What do you like the most about working for Dawson Cornwell?

I like that it’s a niche family law firm and really is shaping family law. I believe we have the most amount of reported cases of any family law firm. We are changing the law regularly and it’s exciting to be a part of that and I am proud to be a part of that team too.

We have a separate specialist children team and a specialist finance team and we’re quite split in the work that we do. This means a client gets an expert for the advice they need. For example, if I’m assisting a client with a financial settlement and one of the children are abducted in my case, I can hand it over to somebody that really knows what they’re doing and doing this work regularly. Therefore, we can provide the best service to clients.

How have you grown professionally since becoming a Partner?

Professionally, both learning to delegate and learning to share your work. Generally, lawyers like to be in control of everything. So, I found letting go of work quite challenging at first. It’s allowing your juniors to learn and accepting that it doesn’t necessarily need to be done exactly how you would do it. Learning that other Solicitors will have different styles and allowing your juniors to develop their own style. Supervising has been something that I’ve enjoyed more than I thought I would and I have got much better at delegating!

I also enjoy seeing the juniors achieve great things, or prepare a great statement, or win awards, more than my own achievements now. Seeing other people doing really well whose careers I’ve been apart of is the most enjoyable.



How have you found managing and mentoring people as well as keeping on top of your caseloads?

I’m the sort of person that will make time for anyone at any time. So, even if I’m really busy, I will always take time out of my day to help juniors, which means I have more people coming to me because they know that I offer that.

It’s something that’s important as other people did it for me and that’s something that I really appreciated. It could be something that would take me as a senior a couple of minutes, but a junior could spend all week or the weekend worrying about it. So, by taking a few minutes to help them with something, that to me is minor, actually means an awful lot to them. Also, I mentor students from my old university as part of their programme. And again, people say to me, how did you find the time to do it? But, you know, it’s something that’s important to me because somebody did it for me. So, I just somehow find the time to answer the question.

What's been your biggest achievement in your career so far?

Winning Citywealth Future Leaders Family Lawyer Partner of the Year last year. That was massive for my firm to put me forward for this and then for me to go on to win was amazing. The key areas of my work that I was congratulated for were my mentoring, helping victims of abuse and my EDI work which I undertake for the London Resolution committee.

Did you have to give a speech?

No. Luckily, they didn’t ask for a speech because, somebody said to me, “have you written your speech?” and I was like “very funny”. And then all of a sudden when I won, I had this panic. But luckily, they weren’t doing speeches.

What's been the biggest challenge in your career to date and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge is dealing with unpleasant opponents. Whether it’s a Solicitor or somebody that’s self-representing on the other side of the case. Sometimes they can be particularly unpleasant and quite difficult.

As I’ve become more senior I’ve been able to rise to that less. Beforehand, it used to really get under my skin, and I would write more aggressive emails back. However, now my biggest thing is ‘kill them with kindness’, and if anything I’m more nice to them. As I find when someone receives a really nice response it makes it much harder for them to be aggressive or unpleasant back. I’m not saying that that always works, but I think it helps me. Whereas when I was more junior, I think I could get more caught up in the kind of tit for tat. So, they send something aggressive, and I’d send something aggressive back. It’s very unpleasant for the client because the client has to read it all at the end of the day as well.

As a result, now I’m more likely to pick up the phone to the client saying that I’ve had a horrible e-mail, I’m not going to send it to you, but this is how I’m proposing that I deal with it. Just to try and diffuse it and sometimes that works. Also, often I will pick up the phone and try and have a conversation with the Solicitor on the other side to bring the heat out of the situation because family loss shouldn’t be done in an aggressive and unpleasant way. It doesn’t need to be. The people that suffer are the clients or the children. You are then put in the middle of this contentious relationship between their parents, which is really sad. So, I’ll try and do everything I can to diffuse that situation.

How do you manage to juggle personal commitments with being successful and an award-winning legal professional?

It’s difficult and I think it’s vital to have a good support network around you. So, for me, that’s my husband and my Mum, who are really supportive in terms of helping with my children because sometimes work needs to be done out of hours. There are things going on that you can’t just leave, that can’t just wait until tomorrow. For example, there might be an emergency situation. So, having a good support network in place is crucial and sometimes you have to cancel dinner with friends and things that you had planned.

However, I think it’s making sure that for me it’s questioning myself. Is it really urgent? Does it really need to be done now? And if the answer is yes, then for me then I will get it done. If the answer is no, then it’s just managing the client’s expectations in terms of that. Because quite often for a client, everything is urgent. However, in reality it doesn’t necessarily need to be done that day. For example, it can be done the next day or week or you can find somebody else to assist.

How do you switch off after a day working on complex and emotional cases?

Switching off after work has definitely got easier. At the beginning it affected me a lot more particularly working with victims of abuse than it does now. I’m not saying that there aren’t still cases that I do think about at the weekend or in my own personal time.

However, for me exercise has been key. So, my advice is to make sure that you carve out that time for exercising and even if the minimum you can do is walk in the fresh air, it’s still something. For example, I quite often get off at the station before to increase my walk by another half an hour back home. So, that I can decompress after a long day before walking in the door at home. Also, I do the same before work quite often, I’ll get off at the station that’s a bit further away, to have a nice walk into the office. It gives me a refreshed feeling before I start. I feel that that makes a real difference.

Throughout the day, I’m good at telling people to step away from their desk but not necessarily good at doing it myself. However, a lot of people say taking that time away is good, because sometimes actually going for a walk around the block and coming back can make you deal with the task a lot quicker than you would being tired stuck at your desk. Ensuring you take breaks is very important.

You're featured in the press a lot. How did you develop that relationship with the media?

It started from social media. I used to provide a lot of commentary on social media on family law issues that were taking place. Back then journalists were looking through searching for somebody key. Then if somebody’s already commenting or writing about that, they were likely to get in touch with you. In addition, I would always make myself available. So, if a journalist called me and said, look, “can you do a call in 10 minutes?”, I’d be like, “yeah, fine”. “Can you go on the radio tonight?” “Yeah, fine.” And so being available for that, meant that they kept me as a contact knowing that I was willing and available. Now they contact me to comment on more family issues directly.

What is your aspiration for your career as a whole?

I suppose my kind of career / life motto is to leave this world having given more than I’ve taken. So, for me, that drives me to continue helping people, which I hope to do throughout my career.

Why should someone take up a career in law?

I think it’s highly rewarding if you find that passion and the right specialism for you. I thoroughly enjoy my job and everyone who knows people who specialise in the area of law they’re passionate about will say that too. So, I think if you can find that area of law that you really are passionate about that you can enjoy, it makes it enjoyable and therefore it doesn’t make it difficult. Often people say “find a job that you love and you won’t work a day in your life”. Personally, I don’t believe that because you’ve got to work hard. However, I think if you enjoy your work, it does make it easier, definitely.

What advice do you have for someone wanting to begin a career in law?

Work experience is just so key. Also, alongside work experience, taking a year out to be a Paralegal is so beneficial. Sometimes people feel like they’ve got to come out of university, go to law school and then get a training contract and it needs to be like bang, bang, bang, bang. However, having a year behind you as a Paralegal makes your CV more interesting for interviews and applications. In addition, it’s an opportunity to see inside a law firm and potentially trial different areas of law, which will help you decide on your specialism. Also, when you have Paralegal experience, it will help to hit the ground running when you start your training contract. You will be ahead of your peers.

What could someone do to make them stand out to you on top of the work experience? Is there anything you've seen before?

I’d say do something different to make your CV interesting. For example, have you had a different experience, something that’s a talking point. It doesn’t have to be a legal experience. Such as something that you’ve done that makes you a more interesting individual. As when I’m undertaking interviews, I want to meet people that are interesting, passionate, and have a good life experience as well. It’s imperative for family law that you have that.

Obviously when you start, you’re very junior. However, if you have some life experience, whatever it is, it will make you stand out. For example, maybe you’ve worked for a charity / helpline or volunteered in a third world country or something else that’s a bit different. As doing so will make you more interesting to us because 99% of those applying to us have outstanding grades.

So, having something interesting to talk about on your CV plus the work experience, are the two key areas that I’m certainly looking for when I’m interviewing.

Have you come across any unique ways to get work experience, aside from Citizens Advice or in a law firm?

Voluntary work is a great way to acquire experience. I volunteered at the National Centre of Domestic Abuse. Also, there’s Citizens Advice, Support Through Court. Now there’s legal advice centres where you can volunteer your time. Lots of voluntary sectors are desperate for people to help and would be grateful for assistance. There are lots of domestic abuse charities and other voluntary places that you can make contact with who would probably snap your hand off. Again, you might not be on the phone line advising a victim of domestic abuse, but if you’re doing something within the organisation, you will get exposure into that area.

Also, it can be about opportunities as well. So, you might go into something that might not be too relevant. For example, you might be part of the fundraising team for a domestic abuse charity. But then, you meet somebody and something else progresses from there. So, I think just getting involved with as much as possible is key.

How would you summarise your experience of working with Eventus?

It’s been very positive. Siobhan was the person I worked with. She gave me great confidence to move to London permanently, having qualified outside of London. I was worried that I wouldn’t secure a role in London and she really encouraged me and believed in me. She made me feel I was definitely right for London and that it was the place where I could progress. So, she gave me a real boost and the confidence for the interviews I had. 

Siobhan got me a job in London and then helped me secure my plan for my second role here as well. Prior to meeting Siobhan I had had a couple of knock backs on the basis I did not have London experience and I did start to wonder if London was right for me. Siobhan was of course right and it has been wonderful.

Since I have been in London, Siobhan has helped me recruit amazing juniors for my team. Undoubtedly, she just has a real feel for the London market.

She really gets to know both the candidates and those who are recruiting really well. So, she can really make sure that there’s a good personality match, which is so important. Now I’ve got a team, to bring someone in who you know ends up not being a good fit, could completely disrupt the whole team. She just gets how important that is and is not just interested in getting a placement.  She is super responsive, very lovely and fun to work with which makes the whole process more enjoyable.

Legal Career Insights

We hope you have enjoyed this interview. The interview is part of our series of legal career insights with professionals specialising in Law at all levels. 

If you would like tailored career advice don’t hesitate to contact us. We are legal recruitment and job search specialists, who offer support at every stage of the job search process.

Contact Us

Further Reading

Insight into Helen Milburn’s career and journey to Partner and Head of Private Client, Wills, Trusts and Probate at Jacksons Law firm. Click here to read.

Trainee Solicitor Ross Simmons’ experience of securing a training contract after working as a Paralegal. Click here to read.

Insights into Legal Apprenticeships with Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips. Click here to read.

Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips’ personal experience of a Solicitor Apprenticeship. Click here to read.

13Aug

Eventus Recruitment continues expansion in Lancashire

Exciting times for the Eventus Recruitment Group as they look to expand their legal division

The Eventus Recruitment Group are delighted to be expanding their legal recruitment services and are now searching for two recruitment consultants to join their team in Lancaster.

So far, 2024 has been strong for the recruitment company. They’ve seen an increase in demand for their bespoke and tailored recruitment services. As a result, they are now looking for two recruitment consultants to join their legal division in their Lancaster office with hybrid working available.

Law firms value the unique service offered by Eventus Recruitment, as Eventus offers advice / support at each stage of the recruitment process and thoroughly gets to know both the hiring firm and candidates to facilitate the right match for the job vacancy. Also, they have a large database of professionals, having over the years built strong relationships with legal professionals looking to progress in their careers. As a result of this high level of service, their legal recruitment division has expanded across England, Wales and Ireland.

Siobhan Courtney, Managing Director of the Eventus Recruitment Group, said: “We’re delighted to be in this position of growth and there’s some exciting times ahead for the Eventus Recruitment Group. Ideally, we’re looking for two recruitment consultants to join our head office in Lancaster with the option of hybrid working. We would love to hear from people with either recruitment or sales experience, who would like a rewarding career in legal recruitment. All necessary training will be provided in-house from our experienced Managers and Directors.”

Also, this year Eventus Recruitment has successfully expanded their recruitment services into the Financial Services sector. Experienced Recruitment Consultant Duncan McIlroy joined the firm back in January as Head of Financial Services.

If you are interested in or know of anybody interested in joining Eventus Recruitment’s friendly and supportive team in Lancaster, please contact Siobhan Courtney at siobhan.courtney@eventuslegal.com or call 07970 252 772.

View full job details
"I love what I do. Talking to people comes easily to me and is by far the best part of my role. When that turns into a new job for someone who's looking or I've helped a law firm hire in a particularly difficult discipline it gives me a real boost. I also like the fact that no day is ever the same and I'm always learning, be that from my colleague, clients or candidates. Pay day is quite nice too - especially when I've had a very successful quarter!"
Nikki Phillips
Senior Recruitment Consultant
08Aug

How to best prepare for your early career after graduating and advice for early careers

This year’s university graduation season has just passed. Daunting to any student, what comes next? A gap year? Travelling? Or going into a graduate scheme or full-time job? From personal experience, it’s definitely not easy deciding what to do with your future. The world is your oyster. However, there are so many resources in place, and things students / graduates can do, to set them up to help them reach their best potential when they leave education. Research published by Prospects Illuminate (October 2023) found that 59.6% of graduates were in full-time work 15 months after graduating, and 10.4% were in part-time employment. Let’s explore some advice for preparing for your early career.

Preparing for early careers

Work Experience

Internships, part-time jobs, volunteering, and industrial placements are examples of work experience. Work experience can be so beneficial to anyone, whether that’s industry-specific to what you want to do, or just making new connections and learning new skills. Getting work experience in early can make you stand out on your CV, and give you practical experience dealing with customers, being in a physical workplace, and handling problems to name a few. Also, you can see if it is a career route you would be interested in pursuing in the future. Learning valuable skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem solving early on from your work experience will only make your CV stronger.

Additionally, a lot of university courses now offer a year in industry, or a placement module, to give you an opportunity to get that experience. Employers love to see that you have taken an interest in your career earlier on, so it sets you up well. Personally, I was lucky enough to join the Eventus Recruitment Group for 10 weeks on an unpaid, flexible placement scheme in the marketing department. This was my first time being in a ‘real’ workplace, that wasn’t a part time job doing the likes of waitressing/bar work. I have learnt so many new skills here that I can take with me wherever the future takes me. Luckily, I was offered paid part time hours when I returned to my final year at university. This is another example of the many benefits work experience holds. If you make a good impression, you may be offered more work than just the initial work experience, and new doors will open.

Make the most of opportunities offered by your university

Over the last decade in particular, universities have started to create more opportunities for their students to gain practical work experience whilst studying. As within many sectors, employers value practical experience as well as qualifications. For example, some universities have Law Clinics to allow Law students to work on real-life legal cases. Also, some universities offer modules that give students the opportunities to work with real businesses on projects. So, we would advise you to make the most of these opportunities and speak to their careers team to see if there’s any additional opportunities to gain practical experience.

Utilise work experience to find out what you would like to do

After graduating if you are unsure of what you would like to do, contact companies to see if they would offer you some work experience. This could also open doors to jobs. Recently we interviewed Helen Milburn who told us how she completed a work experience placement at Jacksons Law Firm, and from there she was offered a job. Since then, she’s worked herself up and she is now a Partner and the Head of their Private Client department.

Work experience after graduating

For example, if you are interested in marketing and know of a business start-up you could offer to do their branding, set up a business profile / social media pages for them. Giving you vital experience to put on your CV.

In the legal sector, gaining work experience within a law firm can be challenging and competitive. So, if this is the case, volunteer at charities like Citizens Advice to give you valuable work experience that will help you stand out to law firms.

reaching first job goals
Be proactive

Demonstrating proactiveness to potential employers will only make you stand out in a positive way. For example, have you gone out of your way to learn more than the basics about the sector you want to go into to? Or, even if a certain company isn’t necessarily hiring that you want to work for, make yourself known to them. Introduce yourself to them and hand over your CV. Hopefully, they will like the proactiveness and find an opportunity for you. Alternatively, they will keep you in mind for the next time they hire. Proactiveness demonstrates enthusiasm, motivation, and a good work ethic. All of these are qualities that employers value.

Transferable skills

Transferable skills are vital in today’s dynamic working environment. Examples include problem solving, communication, teamwork, time management, and dependability. These can help you adapt to a new environment efficiently and allow you to be flexible in your career. Demonstrating these to potential employers showcases readiness to excel in your career.

It is quite easy to pick up transferrable skills. For example, having a part-time job in a shop whilst studying gives you essential time management skills. Also, there’s plenty of ways of gaining transferrable skills after you graduate. For example, volunteering for charities, fundraising for causes or working / volunteering abroad whilst travelling on a gap year.

University graduate jobs

Universities often offer jobs within various departments to their graduates. This is a great way to acquire practical and transferrable skills as soon as you graduate, if you are living near to your university. Also, this could present the opportunity to try something different to your degree if you aren’t sure what you want to do.

Additionally, universities often partner with external businesses to offer graduate opportunities. So, it’s definitely worth booking an appointment with their careers team or looking on their careers page to see what’s available.

Consider apprenticeships

Today more and more companies are offering apprenticeships. They are no longer just for school leavers. Now within some sectors there’s graduate apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are a great way to get your foot into a company whilst being trained to do a job at a higher level. Consequently, opening many career opportunities for you in future.

The Legal sector is currently introducing and increasing the number of legal apprenticeships they have to offer. We sat down with legal apprentice, Ellie Phillips, who gave us an insight into her experience as an apprentice at BHP Law. Some benefits of an apprenticeship rather than a traditional university route include:

  • Degree expenses are covered
  • Practical experience
  • Head start in your legal career
  • Earning a salary
  • Develop transferable skills earlier on in your career
Prepare your CV

Often your CV is the first impression an employer sees of you. So, make it count. Ensure it is structured well, grammatically correct, and tailored to the job you are applying for. Highlight your education, relevant experience, skills, achievements, and anything that will make you stand out from the crowd. There are lots of resources online, or at your school/university, that can help you structure and write your CV. Click here for our best tips on writing your CV.

Contact firms directly

This is an efficient way to show proactiveness, it shows initiative and genuine interest in the company. Tailoring your experience to showcase how you can gel within their firm makes you stand out. Even if the firm aren’t actively hiring, you might pleasantly surprise them by your enthusiasm and if they feel you would fit an opportunity can open sooner than you think. Contacting them directly can make you stand out from a sea of applications, especially within a competitive market. Only strong impressions can be made by contacting firms directly.

Advice when starting your career

Start at a lower level or junior role

When you join the world of work, you will be motivated to start as high as possible with the best salary and benefits you can get. However, to get that perfect role, it might be worth starting at a more junior level. From this, you can work your way up and become established within your firm. Embrace this opportunity as a junior to learn as much as you can, as a full-time career is a lot different to theory in the classroom. Opening more hiring opportunities by going for a more entry level position, employers are more likely to want you.

Stay in your first role for at least two years

Consistency is key. Staying in your first role for at least two years can reap benefits for your early career path. Allowing you to develop a true understanding for job responsibilities, as well as building up experience and key transferable skills, can help you further down the line. Attributes such as commitment can stand out to future employers as you have demonstrated that you can be a valued member of a team and trusted with more responsibilities. Additionally, by staying in your first role for longer, you open opportunities for more challenging projects as you become a trusted employee. Not only this, but you establish strong connections in the professional world which opens future opportunities. The stability that staying in your first role offers makes your resume more attractive to future employers.

Be eager to learn

Make the most of every opportunity offered to you in your first graduate job. If you are offered training courses take them and take time to understand how all departments work. As you may decide you want to work in another area further down the line. Just don’t take on too much that you suffer burn out.

Conclusion

As you set out on your exciting journey into the professional world, remember that preparation is key. By building the relevant skills, networking as much as possible, and being proactive, you will only benefit your future self. Remember to embrace every opportunity that comes your way, to learn and grow as a professional. Whilst every professional faces their own challenges, the more you prepare yourself for the ‘real’ world, the easier you will overcome them. Celebrate the little wins as they are the stepping stones to a successful career, and good luck.

Written by Ellie Pomfret, Marketing Assistant at the Eventus Recruitment Group

05Jul

Navigating a Career in Financial Planning in the UK: A Comprehensive Guide

A guide to starting a career in financial planning

Financial planning is a rewarding and dynamic field that offers a range of career opportunities in the UK and beyond. With an aging population, increasing financial literacy, and evolving financial markets, the demand for skilled financial planners is on the rise. This blog provides an overview of what a career in financial planning involves, the qualifications required, career paths, and the benefits of choosing this profession.

What is Financial Planning?

Financial planning involves helping individuals and businesses set financial aims, achieve their financial goals through tailored advice and planning. This includes retirement advice, managing investments, tax planning, mortgage advice, income protection, insurance, estate planning and risk management. Moreover, Financial Planners work closely with clients to understand their financial situations, set goals and create comprehensive financial plans.

Qualifications and Certifications to enter the financial planning sector

In the UK, to become a financial planner, typically you need a combination of formal education, professional qualifications, and relevant experience. Here are the key steps and qualifications:

Formal Education

Many degrees can give you a give a step into financial planning. For example, degrees in finance, economics, business management, accountancy or a related field is often preferred. However, you can enter the financial planning sector with other degrees if supplemented with relevant qualifications.

Apprenticeships

It’s also possible to do apprenticeships in Financial Planning alongside college / degree courses. Apprenticeships are on the rise within many sectors with businesses now receiving funding to help with the costs. As there are many benefits of apprenticeships for both businesses and apprentices and they are a great alternative to full-time post-16 education.

Professional Qualifications

A Financial Planning Administrator is a common entry level role to Financial Planning. It is a great way for industry newcomers to gain knowledge and become familiar with the sector. Such a role provides a great foundation to commence studying towards a Level 4 qualification recognised by the Financial Conduct Authority or another examining body in Financial Advice.

There are different examining bodies that individuals can study through and gain their Level 4 Diploma. Some examining bodies and Level 4 Diplomas include:

Level 4 Investment Advice Diploma (IAD) – This is offered by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI). It provides a grounding in financial services and consumer relationships in the UK, macro-economic environment, settlement, safe custody and prime brokerage, financial protection, exchange traded futures and options.

Level 4 Certificate in Paraplanning – This is offered by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).

Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (DipPFS) – This is offered by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA) – This is offered by The London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF).

The Level 4 Diploma is the minimum level qualification you need to become a financial adviser, as laid down by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It covers key areas such as investment principles, taxation, and retirement planning.

Higher level qualifications

There’re many qualifications that Financial Planners and Advisers can take to enhance their careers. These include:

Level 6 Chartered Financial Planner

Provided by the CII and LIBF, achieving Chartered status demonstrates a higher level of expertise and commitment to professional standards.

CISI Qualifications

The CISI offer many qualifications including:

To see the full CISI Financial Planning pathways click here. Alternatively to see the full Investment Advice pathway click here.

Work Experience

Gaining practical work experience through internships or entry-level positions in financial advisory firms is crucial. As many employers look for candidates with hands-on experience in addition to formal qualifications. However, apprenticeships are on the rise within the financial planning sector. Some firms now offer apprenticeships to people straight out of full-time education or to those seeking a career change.

Career Paths in Financial Planning

The financial planning sector offers various rewarding career paths, each with unique opportunities and challenges:

Independent Financial Adviser (IFA)

IFAs provide unbiased advice to clients and can recommend products from the ‘whole of market’. This role offers flexibility and the potential for high earnings. But it also requires the top qualifications within the sector and building and maintaining a client base.

Tied or Multi-tied Adviser

 These advisers work for a single financial institution or a limited range of providers. They offer products and advice specific to their employer’s offerings. This path can provide more stability and support compared to being an IFA.

Paraplanner

Paraplanners support financial planners by preparing reports, conducting research and developing financial plans. This role is often ideal for those who prefer a more analytical and less client-facing position. Alternatively, it’s great for people who are building experience whilst studying to become a Chartered Financial Planner.

Wealth Manager

Wealth Managers usually work with high-net-worth individuals and provide a holistic approach to managing their wealth, including investment management, tax planning, and estate planning.

Compliance and Risk Manager

This role has become increasingly important in recent years, as regulations in the financial sector continue to evolve. These professionals ensure that all financial planning practices adhere to legal and regulatory standards.

Financial Planning Administrator

This is an entry point into Financial Planning. In this role you will be supporting Paraplanners, Financial Planners and other team members with administration. It will provide exposure to financial planning work and the day-to-day running of financial planning firms.

Benefits of a Career in Financial Planning

A career in financial planning can be highly rewarding and has many benefits, including:

Job Satisfaction: Helping clients plan for the future and achieve their financial goals can be very rewarding.

Diverse Opportunities: The financial planning sector offers a variety of roles and specialisms, allowing professionals to find their niche and passion.

No two days are the same: Work within financial planning is varied, with each client having different financial backgrounds, requirements and goals. This means that no days will be same and the work will vary day-to-day.

Financial Rewards: Experienced financial planners can earn significant incomes, especially those working with high-net-worth clients or running their own practices.

Continuous Learning: The financial markets and regulations are constantly changing, providing opportunities for continuous learning and professional development.

Challenges and Considerations of a career in Financial Planning

Although working within financial planning has many benefits, it also carries its own set of unique challenges:

Regulatory Changes: The financial services sector and regulations are constantly evolving with external factors playing a huge part to this. In addition, financial markets are also constantly changing, with political and environmental influences impacting the markets. As a result, Financial Planners must stay up-to-date with regulatory changes and ensure compliance. This can be quite demanding.

Building a Client Base: For those starting out, especially as IFAs, building a client base can be challenging and time-consuming. However, not all roles within financial planning involve having your own client base. Some companies have their own client base, which their employees serve.

Ethical Considerations: Financial planners must always act in their clients’ best interests, as you are entrusted with their financial futures. This requires a strong ethical foundation and commitment to professional integrity.

Conclusion

A career in financial planning in the UK is both rewarding and challenging, offering those with an interest in the financial markets a range of career paths and progression opportunities. The financial planning field provides a dynamic professional environment, where you can make a significant impact on clients’ lives whilst enjoying professional growth.

If you’re considering a career in financial planning, start by exploring relevant qualifications and gaining practical experience. Also, explore the different specialisms to find your passion. The journey might be hard work, but the rewards of helping others achieve financial security and success are worth the effort.

Here at the Eventus Recruitment we are specialist recruitment consultants in financial planning. Our Financial planning is headed by Duncan McIlroy who has over 20 years’ experience in Financial Services recruitment. For further advice, do not hesitate to contact us for a confidential chat.

"The service I received from Duncan exceeds expectations, from my first initial chat through to my job offer he excelled! I always felt assured following our conversations. Duncan always offered support where I needed it and checked in regularly. My career has now returned! Thanks a million!!"
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Samantha, Mortgage Administrator
01Jul

Helen Milburn’s Inspiring career journey from Private Client Solicitor to Partner at Jacksons Law Firm

In this exclusive interview with Eventus Recruitment, Helen Milburn gives an insight into her career in Private Client and gives her top tips for those wanting to begin a career in Law. Also, she explains why she thinks there are less Trainee Solicitors wanting to specialise in Private Client. Helen is now Partner and Head of Private Client, Trusts, and Probate at Jacksons Law Firm.

I’m Head of Department of the Private Client Team and a Partner here at Jacksons. I have a nice story when it comes to my career history; I first came to Jacksons on work experience in February 2010 having already completed my legal studies. Whilst I was here, I must have made a good impression, and I was offered a training contract to start just two months after. After I completed my training contract I qualified into Private Client and progressed into more senior positions within the department over the years. I was offered partnership last year. It’s a career history that really shows Jacksons’ commitment to developing and supporting people. People want to be able to move forward in their careers and it’s good to be in a firm that really encourages that.

It’s always been something that I’ve been interested in, which I think is quite unusual as it’s not particularly the most well-known area of law. I initially did a degree in English and then a law conversion course during which I did my electives in Private Client, so I covered a lot about Wills and Trusts. Whilst I did then spend time in other areas of law on my training contract, they just didn’t appeal to me as much as Private Client did.

There are really two things I like the most about Private Client. Firstly, it requires in depth technical knowledge. It’s heavily focused on the details which appeals to my meticulous nature, and it’s deeply rooted historically, which I always find fascinating.

The second is it’s dealing with people. It’s a very people focused side of the law. You get to meet a lot of clients and you really feel you get to know them which gives great job satisfaction. As part of the role you meet with families, build rapport, and usually not for a one-off service – you’re often building long standing relationships as their Solicitor, which I really enjoy. Private client covers a wide range of different practise areas; wills, trusts, estate, planning and probate. It’s never the same thing on your desk day in and day out and I like that.

Private Client spoke to me straight away. I was lucky enough to do a long stint in it when I was training, and I knew it was what I wanted to do. The whole ethos of it just fitted in with me personally. I always say to trainee solicitors that you’ve got to keep your mind open when you’re looking at what areas of law to do. It’s important to pick something that you’re genuinely interested in; then you’re going to be passionate about it and be dedicated to it. That’s important in any job, isn’t it? But I think it’s important in law for a long and successful career.

It’s difficult to identify a single reason. However, when I was thinking about this, I don’t know whether it’s because it isn’t as glamorous as other areas of the law or as much publicised. When you’re a law student or a trainee, when you think of being a Solicitor, you’re only really thinking of being in a court room, I think these non-contentious areas do go under the radar a little!

It’s a really rewarding area to work in. You’re dealing with people who want your help and advice, you are their trusted advisor and it’s a very positive client experience.

In terms of your legal development, there’s a lot of technical law involved and a lot of complexities to really get your teeth into. You’ve got a lot of opportunities to deal with marketing and business development, working with other professionals in other sectors, who compliment and develop your own work.

Sometimes people think it’s just drafting Wills, but it’s so much more! There are plenty of opportunities to develop your own specialism within Private Client for example, estate planning, agricultural, business, high net worth as well as opportunities to show creativity – to be able to do things a bit differently – and make your own mark on the way things are done.

In terms of the work, I would probably say estate administration. I’ve had a lot of complex estates over the years, where I’ve got to work with accountants and tax advisors in addition to the clients over a long period of time. It’s very interesting for me and always enhances my professional development; I like this collaborative approach.

I think the most challenging part is probably juggling everything! We’re quite a small department but we are wanting to grow. It’s coming up with new ideas and initiatives and balancing that with the day to day running of the department and looking after our clients. It’s good to be busy but you can come in with your to do list and then new things happen, and you’ve not ticked everything (or anything!) off that you wanted to that day!

For me personally, it’s quite simple, I like to do a good job and to do well at what I’m doing. I like to build relationships with my clients; getting positive feedback from them is really fulfilling for me as part of my job. In addition, I’m really motivated by managing my team. I’ve been in the department since I qualified, coming up 12 years now and it’s been important for me to develop myself, and others and grow the department. It’s really rewarding and motivating to bring people on this journey along with me and supporting them to build their own careers.

It’s been character building for me. I was given the opportunity to really step up to the plate in terms of working independently and be in a supervisory position quite early on in my career, I quite quickly became the most senior person in my team. Sometimes I do look back and wonder how I managed it! I think it’s full credit to the firm to allow that opportunity. Sometimes you have to be out of your comfort zone to see who you really are, I think that opportunity was formative and really kickstarted my career.

It was a big shift for me and very exciting, perhaps bigger than I had imagined because I’ve been a Head of Department for many years so considered myself to be in a leadership role. When I was offered partnership, it was a decision that I took seriously. It was not just a title to me, it’s a huge responsibility and commitment to the overall firm and its future. 

It’s hard to describe but it’s a transition from working ‘in’ the business to working ‘on’ the business. However, it’s been important for my career development to take that step. It’s a real change of mindset from just being focused on what you and your team are doing to thinking about it in the context of the overall firm.

I get to sit round the table and understand the wider workings of the firm and have a voice on business and the direction of the firm. It’s really opened my mind and I’ve grown quite a lot in the last year by taking in this bigger picture.

The achievement I’m most proud of is the professional development of the fantastic trainees, paralegals, and solicitors that I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years; to have even been just a small part of shaping their careers is my greatest achievement and such a huge part of my career satisfaction. It’s so rewarding to encourage more fee-earners in an area of law that I love – and in a sector where they are really in demand.

Without doubt, it was taking on responsibility for the department early on in my career. I managed to navigate that successfully with the support of the firm – and some exceptional secretaries and fee-earners who were always rooting for me! Looking back, it was a sink or swim moment for me in my career. I think a lot of us do suffer from imposter syndrome (and I probably still do to some extent!)  however, it’s an important lesson for other junior lawyers, to know you can do a lot more than you think you can do if you take that leap of faith!

I was made a Partner last year so that was a huge career milestone for me. However, I want to continue to grow the Private Client team at Jacksons and put us on the map as one of the best in the North-East.

That is a huge question for everyone, I think it is hard to switch off from work. Some of my most inspired thoughts come to me in the middle of the night! It’s important to allow yourself time to switch off though and with my team I like to lead by example; I don’t encourage people to feel like they must be seen to work on the evenings and weekends. 

I encourage my team to have a good work-life balance, to know that they can leave work and take a break. Although, sometimes additional work outside of standard hours is unavoidable as part and parcel of your career, it’s important that people do have their free time to recharge their batteries. At Jacksons we have a flexible working policy to help with our work-life balance. Also, we have recently introduced term time contracts to help solicitors better juggle with family life.

Personally, I find that on the days that I’m working in the office, my long drive home helps me to get things turned over in my head and switch off into off work mode for the evening. When I’m working from home, I think it’s important to have an end of the day, so I’ll usually get outside, go for a walk, to clear my head.

Working in law is a really rewarding career, both personally and professionally. It can be a lifelong career choice, with so many opportunities to continually grow within it, ultimately all within your own aspirations.

Explore all the opportunities out there because the traditional routes into the profession are changing. You can now do the Solicitor Apprenticeship route which means you are in the working law firm office environment from day one. Being straight into the ‘real world’ has so many learning advantages.

There are a lot of non-traditional routes into law, and you don’t necessarily have to have started out thinking you want to be a lawyer. I didn’t know I did when I went to university! We have a paralegal in our team who started out on a Business Apprenticeship working on our reception and is now doing her CILEX course which is an inspiring example.

I think it’s important to do work experience, to get a taste of things and demonstrate commitment to your career choice. Do any voluntary experience you can get, law firms, legal charities, etc. I spent time at the Citizens Advice Bureau. I think you must keep an open mind about your future career. Always be authentic to yourself but take on board any advice what other experienced people in the profession can give to you, as they have once walked in your shoes.

Working for Jacksons Law Firm

Do your homework so you are knowledgeable about the role and the firm. Being able to show how passionate you are about working for Jacksons and be able to demonstrate your interest in your career with us is key.

It’s hard to answer this one without sounding cliché, but for me the culture and the ethos of the firm. If you’ve got a problem with anything, you can share that problem and know that others around you including those in the senior management team are going to support you. That sort of trust is hugely important, and I know you don’t get that everywhere.

You’re also trusted to do your job; I don’t believe anyone thrives in a situation where you’re micro-managed or you feel someone is constantly looking over your shoulder. However, there’s support there when people need it, it’s an open-door policy throughout, it is such a collaborative and conducive environment to work in.

When I think back there were times when it was just me and a trainee Solicitor in the department and then there’s been various combinations over the years where we have had real growth. We have a Private Client Solicitor in our Newcastle office also, which is great to have presence across the whole of the North-East. Now we are looking to expand the Private Client department in both offices.

We’re looking to have another fee-earner in our team, Solicitor or equivalent. We’re in a situation now where we’re looking to further grow and develop the department. We have a few exciting development initiatives getting underway and we’re really looking to have another Solicitor on board to support that. Ultimately, we’re quite flexible in terms of what we’re looking for, in terms of experience and qualification. The most important element for us is to get the right fit for the team. Somebody who’s possibly got at least a few of years of Private Client experience under their belt or equally someone who is well established and keen to develop specialisms, for example, for agricultural or business and high net worth clients. We do have quite a large agricultural and business client base and we would also like to expand our business development activities in this area.

Yes, they could be based in either our Stockton or Newcastle office. We are quite flexible and have a flexible working policy, which enables people to work across both offices and from home.

We are looking for someone who would be the right fit for our team. An applicant who is passionate about working in Private Client and can work well in the team but also has the confidence to work independently. We naturally want someone with strong technical skills and experience in Private Client, who is really focussed on the details but also has great soft skills for working with our clients and who has enthusiasm for business development and marketing.

You’ll be working with a team of people who are really dedicated and enthusiastic about what they do. We’ve got a lot of experience between us and we’re a forward-thinking and open-minded team. We are looking for people to bring their thoughts and ideas and they will all be taken onboard. It will be an opportunity to do a full and varied caseload in Private Client work.

Our Private Client team is currently a team of 7. There’s me, there’s two solicitors, a trainee solicitor, a paralegal and two secretaries. Also, you’ll be encouraged to develop your career with Jacksons in the same way as I and the rest of the team have. We actively encourage career development, for example, you may want to start or continue your STEP qualification. We would look to support you in that.

The office environment is also fantastic. It’s modern with break out spaces for collaborative working. There’s free parking at our Stockton Office and a real sense of community within the office. Plus, all the flexibility, which is a massive selling point at Jacksons!

We hope you have enjoyed this interview. The interview is part of our series of legal career insights with professionals specialising in Law at all levels. 

If you would like tailored career advice don’t hesitate to contact us. We are legal recruitment and job search specialists and we offer support at every stage of the job search process.

Contact Us
Further Reading

Sarah Jane Lenihan’s career journey to Partner and award-winning Family Lawyer at Dawson Cornwell. Click here to read.

Trainee Solicitor Ross Simmons’ experience of securing a training contract after working as a Paralegal. Click here to read.

Insights into Legal Apprenticeships with Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips. Click here to read.

Solicitor Apprentice Ellie Phillips’ personal experience of a Solicitor Apprenticeship. Click here to read.

28Jun

Typhoons RUFC – An exclusive interview with Kris Barber-Midgley

Here at Eventus Recruitment we’ve sponsored Typhoons RUFC – Lancashire’s inclusive rugby club – for the last 3 years. To honour Pride we sat down with the club’s Chair Kris Barber-Midgley for a discussion about the Typhoons, his career and his advice for LGBTQ professionals.

What was the inspiration for setting up Typhoons RUFC?

The typhoons started in 2018. It came about as a result of a conversation between a man called Lawrence Howard and some of the community coaches from the Rugby Football Union (RFU). They’d noticed some interest nationally in inclusive rugby teams and realised that up until that point, all these inclusive teams focused on large city areas that typically had quite a mature LGBT community. But what they hadn’t seen was inclusive clubs in rural areas. So, they wondered whether such a club could exist in somewhere like Lancashire, which has got an LGBT community, but it’s spread out.

As a result, the Typhoons was formed to encourage LGBT people into sport in Lancashire. Traditionally, I think it’s fair to say that our community has not felt the comfiest, whether that’s from experiencing school PE or for any other reason. And a lot of people come to our club and to other inclusive clubs in from the same position that I did. I’ve never played sport and never relished the idea of team sport. I wasn’t sure that I even could catch a ball or throw a ball and thought I was going to embarrass myself. 

That’s usually where people start. They’ve got this idea of what it means to be a sporty person and what it means to be on a rugby team. However, people come along very quickly and feel supported almost immediately. If only I had a tenner for every time someone said it just feels like a family. Everyone is just very friendly and that’s what it means certainly to us to be a Typhoon.

How has the Typhoons grown from the very beginning to now?

Howard and the RFU coaches started by putting an advert in the LEP and on Facebook. I was one of the first people to see and respond to it. Then I remember turning up to that first session being absolutely terrified, but I had a very warm reception at Preston Grasshoppers. However, to be frank I was a little surprised at the lack of turn out that there was. There were around 6 of us in total.

We all came from a similar position of having not played a lot of rugby. The coach, Kai Burns, was an experienced coach. We started playing what I could only like to describe as an adult game of Tig. Building on this over the course of the session, the rules evolved into something that started to look a little bit like rugby. We were all buzzing, we’d allayed our fears that we couldn’t catch or throw a ball. And little by little, week after week, we got more and more players, and it wasn’t long before we had just enough players to play our first game. Surprisingly, we won our first game against another team, which was also a surprise I think to the opposition at that time.

Today

Now we play rugby union and touch rugby. Our team has performed very well in terms of sporting ability over the years. The rugby union team this year went through to the International Gay Rugby (IGR) national final, and we won the northern finals. Unfortunately, we lost in the national finals. But what an incredible achievement to go from nothing six years ago to be playing at the very highest level within our leagues just a few years later. Also, our touch team, which came about a couple of years after the start of the Typhoons, placed third place in their league this year.

How has the Typhoons grown off the playing field?

Quite early on the initial individuals formed a committee and developed a plan to grow Lancashire’s first rugby club. We’d never been part of a rugby club before, so we had to learn on the spot. Also, we had to consider how does an inclusive club work in Lancashire. We’ve got to be seen and heard in the community and be recognised as a club that’s willing to put back into the community as well as take from it. 

So, we’ve got involved in some local charity events. We pulled a fire engine across the front in Blackpool, we attended local Pride events, local fairs and done talks in colleges and workplaces about inclusion. Always we continue to move forward and try to broaden what it means to be an inclusive rugby club. Month by month we get more interest and six years in we now have over 100 members of the Typhoons.

Additionally, off the pitch, we’ve been recognised on a national scale. We won an award at the National Diversity Awards and were nominated for King’s Award for voluntary Service. So, the Typhoons have grown not just in numbers, but in a really positive way, certainly to be recognised locally as a voice of inclusion. We hope to be a set of role models that people can look to; continue to challenge what it means to be LGBT, and what it means to have something different; and show that you can be proud of yourself for that difference.

What does it mean to be a Typhoon?

It is about challenging yourself. Being a Typhoon is more than just learning to play sport. There is a social element too. You come along and you’re instantly surrounded by the support of friends. People have gone through some incredibly challenging life experiences, things that ordinarily might not have been able to overcome, but now they have the support network of 100 individuals at their disposal. 

The people in our club are very generous with their time and their energy. For example, because of being part of the club, people have found work and support where they might have struggled. They’ve avoided homelessness, where again they might not have previously been able to and they’ve thrived as a result of it. So, it’s hard to say why the club was set up, but I’d like to imagine this was all very much part of the reason of setting something up here in Lancashire that we can be proud of and can continue to make that difference.

What did winning the IGR Northern League mean to you?

To me personally, I cried, and I don’t know if I’m turning into a soft sort in my later years because I’ve not historically been known to cry a lot. But the funny thing was we’ve worked hard year on year to improve. The dedication and the hard work of the players has been absolutely incredible. What was nice about this year is that we didn’t go out to win, that wasn’t the aim of our season. We were conscious that we’d grown a lot last summer with a lot of new players. So, our aspiration was just to play some competitive rugby and bring these newer players up to a point where they’ll feel confident to play competitively next season. 

The coaching team have been brilliant at putting in a really good structure and support. But what happened as a result is we kept winning the matches. And, so, the side effect of winning a lot of matches is that you win a lot, score a lot of points and you end up at the top of the league. Then, we found ourselves at the end of the season neck and neck with another local team, the Manchester Spartans. A very good team and who’ve been around for 20 years, and they’ve got hundreds of members, not just 100.

The cherry on the cake

There was never a point when we thought we must win. The team had already patted themselves on the back and said we didn’t think we’d get this far. We were just proud to have got so far. So, when we came out with the points and we won, it was just the cherry on the cake of the year that nobody expected at our club. And what a win. I don’t think there’s a better way to get to the top of the league. If you push and push and push at all costs, you can upset people, and some people get lost along the way because we’re not all here for competitiveness. Some people are here for the social side or to get fit. 

So, it was a lovely celebration of how far we’ve come as a team and what exciting position to be in, as 10 out of the 20 people that we took to the national finals hadn’t picked up a rugby ball until September last year. Ultimately, it’s an incredible credit to them how they’ve integrated into the team and picked up the sport quickly. It feels like they’ve been part of the team for the whole six years. I just hope that can be everybody’s experience when they come to the club, that they can surprise themselves and all of us in the process.

What’s next and your hopes for the Typhoons?

I have some really high hopes for this team, I have since the very beginning. This team with the coaches behind it, with the captains and the players that we have are absolutely going to do well on the pitch. I have absolutely no doubt about that and they’re going to continue to be recognised for their sporting ability. Also, I hope it continues to be more than just a rugby club. 

The thing that I go to bed at night proud of is the impact that they have off the pitch. You see individuals join and they grow as a result. Either directly of what the club’s doing or because of the people around them. People often come to the club with some form of baggage, and we support each other. At the Typhoons people often talk about their mental health, it’s a safe space and everyone is careful about others’ mental health.

Impact outside of the club

Always, I’m proud of the impact we have outside of the club. A few years back some of the players did an interview on BBC Radio Lancashire during Mental Health Awareness Week. Admirably, some of our players opened up on the radio about their own personal struggles and we had the presenter in tears and some of the listeners too, according to the tweets. It was refreshing to hear people talk so publicly about their struggles, as often people just show their best self. That was such a proud moment thinking someone has heard that it’s made a difference to them.

In addition, something I’ve been really surprised at this year is the number of invites we’ve had. Particularly during Pride month, to go to local schools, to workplaces in the community to talk about inclusion and some difficult topics as well. And so, hopefully there’s people out there that are looking at our club, maybe not interested in picking up a rugby ball, but are proud of the difference that we’re making to people’s perceptions and their relationship with our community as well. Hopefully that’s an impact that will last, and something that Lancashire can be proud of and can own.

How can people get involved with the Typhoons and do they have to want to play rugby?

To get involved with the Typhoons, simply get in touch. Usually, people will send us a DM on one of our social channels saying that they’re interested in taking part. Alternatively, you can go to our website where there’s a contact us form or just come and approach us at one of the many events that we attend. At Pride events we will be in our kits and our flags are super visible. Everyone’s super friendly.

You absolutely don’t have to want to play any form of rugby. Although don’t be surprised if we try to encourage you to because we’ve all had a go and really enjoyed it. But we’ve actually got what we call a social membership, which is growing. These are people who have said, I really want to be part of the club, its atmosphere and its community, but don’t want to play. They come to all of our social events and take part in volunteering opportunities and they’re very much as part of the club as anybody else.

How can businesses like Eventus get involved with the Typhoons?

So, this is one of the topics that I’m really passionate about because for the first five years of the Typhoons, I was the sponsorship officer. It meant so much that businesses took an interest in our little rugby club and bought into the values of our club and what we were trying to achieve. And in return for that, we would try and give some sort of benefit back. Honestly, in those first few months I sent out hundreds of emails to local businesses and at times I wasn’t sure whether we’d be able to sort or get an income to support our club.

However, one by one we met some wonderfully generous, philanthropic individuals who absolutely bought into what we were trying to do, who have seen first-hand the importance of inclusion and have started to sponsor our team. A lot of our sponsors have been with us now for a number of years. We’re very lucky that we don’t have a high turnover and pretty much all of our sponsors don’t come to us with a commercial outcome in mind. They come to us because they believe in what we’re doing and out of gratitude, the club tries to do everything it can for those businesses to redress that generosity. 

I think our sponsorship model works very well. We have 100 members who understand the value of what those sponsors bring to our community. It costs a lot of money to hire pitches and to train coaches, have first aiders and to deliver the sort of things that we do. Without the generosity of local businesses, it simply wouldn’t happen.

How to get involved

So, for any businesses out there that are interested in supporting the Typhoons, the ways to get involved are not prohibitively expensive. However, the impact of that money has, and is, changing directly the lives of at least 100 individuals and others who come into contact with the Typhoons through the various events and activities that we do too. So, it’s money, I think well spent in the community and often those businesses are seeing the benefit of being associated with the club as well. If you would like to sponsor the Typhoons send us a message on social media or contact us through our website.

How can being involved in the Typhoons or a similar LGBTQ club support or enhance a person's career?

I’ve worked in the legal sector now for seven or eight years and before that within professional services. Generally, I’d like to think I’ve been relatively successful during that time. Over my life I’ve heard about people talking about the benefit of team sports, of working as part of a team. I never really understood it until I became part of a rugby club. Also, I’ve often reflected on where I’m at now in my career and wondered whether I would have got here had I not been involved with the Typhoons. And the easy answer is no, I wouldn’t. I’ve built networks, I’ve built connections, I’ve learned different ways to deal with people that I have brought into my professional life. And, the two often lean into each other and it’s beneficial in both directions.

Why Prides and clubs like Typhoons matter

From an LGBTQ perspective, I gave a speech recently about the importance of pride and what that means. In the speech I said, people often approach us and say, “is there any need for pride in this day and age? You know, isn’t the world inclusive enough?” I answered with, “the world has changed a lot since I was quite little and people are generally more, and I hate the word accepting, that they’re more accepting of and inclusive in general. People’s understanding of the LGBT community has come a long way, but you can’t open the papers in a given week at the moment without people’s gender identity or sexuality being politicised even right now. Their very liberties and freedoms challenged.” As a result, clubs like ours matter.

It’s a symbol for people to understand that we’re here regardless of whether people like it or not. That it isn’t about acceptance, it’s about saying we’re here. For some people in our club and for people that look at our club, it matters that there’s an organisation there, that’s challenging the stereotypes and the norms. Consequently, it gives them the confidence to go out into the world and to be themselves. There’s nothing worse than living a life where you’re having to wear a mask or hide a part of you. So, being part of something like the Typhoons makes an incredible difference. Whether that’s in terms of the professional skills that you gain as being part of a sporting organisation or any sort of voluntary organisation. But it also gives you the pride to be yourself in your day-to-day life too.

With the Typhoons growing rapidly, how do you juggle being the Chairperson alongside managing work and personal commitments?

That is a challenge, which I’m sure every volunteer in the land has experienced at some point. This year I became the Chair of the Typhoons. I didn’t know what to expect even though I’ve been on the committee now for half a decade and it has been one of the proudest things I’ve done.

Understanding all the different cogs and levers that make this club work has been incredible and working alongside our volunteers has been a very humbling experience. But alongside that, I work in a very busy industry with some of the world’s and the country’s biggest law firms. That comes with a lot of expectations. And I’m also a Dad and a husband. So balancing those, I’ll be lying if I say I got it down to a fine art. Usually I am trading on the goodwill of one of those to allow me to do the other. But I think what’s most important in anything you do in life is to do the things that matter to you and to make time for those things that are important and not to get bogged down by anything that isn’t delivering value.

Also, I’m very lucky that my little boy Jacob, who is about to turn 4, has a real passion for rugby. So, he’s quite often my little cheerleader. All of the events that I go to, he joins me on stage with the microphone. He’s there at the side of the pitch cheering me on. So, it gives me a lot of pride that he sees his Dad doing these things. Hopefully he gets a better relationship with sport and things at an earlier age than I did. He’s brilliant, he’s my world.

What policies or practises do you think are the most effective in promoting LGBTQ and inclusivity in the workplace?

I think it’s got to start with your external appearance as an organisation. In our community it’s very hard to speak on behalf of other people. However, I know for myself when I don’t see organisations engaging with diversity externally, I’m not necessarily inclined to believe that it’s a particularly inclusive organisation. If you want to attract and retain inclusive talent, you’ve got to live by your values. It’s not just good enough to have them written down on a piece of paper and then to have senior individuals in those organisations be seen to not live by those values. 

We all like seeing ourselves reflected in the places that we work, so that we can see a part of us reflected in that workplace. And that isn’t to say that people at senior levels must be LGBT, but they have to be engaging with it. For example, I look at the organisation I work for and we regularly participate and attend Nottingham Pride. That’s an organisational activity and there’s some really enthusiastic individuals internally that go and champion that. We participate in a cross organisational LGBT network, even though we are a small organisation in terms of headcount.

Also, perhaps I’m slightly biased here, when I see organisations that sponsor LGBT or inclusive organisations, again, it reflects the values of the organisation and the difference that they want to make as a business in the local communities too.

So, those things work very well and to give a voice to inclusion in an organisation that matters. As diversity impacts all of us, because it’s not just diversity of gender, sexuality or identity. It’s diversity of thought, and diversity of experience that can really enrich our workplace. Together they bring different and innovative ways of working that often benefits everybody.

How can organisations address any issues related to inclusivity?

In terms of dealing with issues, people are often terrified of saying the wrong things. Henceforth, they often say nothing, and I think that’s a very dangerous place to be in. I understand the desire of HR individuals for their reaction to be risk averse, but I think openness and empathy to the challenges specific to the different strands of diversity is often the right place to start a conversation around issues. Sometimes issues are directly related to one’s diversity, but sometimes it’s secondary and not directly related. However, I think being able to talk openly with empathy is always the best starting point.

Do you feel that being part of the LGBTQ community has impacted your career progression anyway?

I was very shy about coming out professionally for a large portion of my career. That wasn’t necessarily because of the organisations or other people that I worked with. It was that fear of being treated differently in my career. However, the more and more I’ve done it, it’s become less and less of an issue for me. Initially, I think that reluctance to be open with people I worked with probably impacted my early career. At some points I probably came across as a bit cagey and not open to my colleagues for a little while due to the anxiety of coming out.

However, my actual experience in the workplace has been incredibly positive. I worked for a local law firm up until a couple of years ago that was very supportive and encouraging. They all came to my wedding. It was a wonderful place to work and helped me with some of those anxieties, by facilitating an incredibly professional environment where diversity was welcomed and accepted. I’ve seen that that’s also reflected in my current workplace. However, I have no doubt that there are people out there that either through discrimination, but just as likely through the fear of discrimination, have had their careers impacted.

Do you have any LGBTQ role models or mentors who have influenced your career?

I’m rubbish with pop culture and celebrities, and probably a lot of the role models I had when I was younger, I wasn’t particularly tuned into to their sort of their own diversity. In recent years, I look at individuals like local legend Serene McKellen, who has just been unapologetically himself and actually thrived on who he is.

The importance of role models

There are so many individuals out there that make a difference and whether these are people we see on TV, on the radio or perhaps people in our own lives, for example our manager. But I think role models are very important and they often set the tone on how people feel about themselves and the direction they choose to go in.

Most recently, the person that stands out to me as a role model was my Dad, who passed away just before Christmas. Through his entire life, he was a firefighter and he was someone who went out and saved lives. So, that is someone that makes a difference in the world in a very real sense. He was in a very senior position in the fire service, he was involved in training and setting the standard for others. I can’t really compare me being the chair of a community rugby club to him being in a senior position in the fire service. But I always looked at his leadership style as one that has been very empathetic and very person centric. 

Also, I often reflect on what he would have done or how he would have dealt with people. When it came to people’s diversity, he was always someone that I think in his own way, he said, “I just don’t care. They are who they are, it’s what they choose to bring to the world that matters to me. I don’t care how somebody identifies, they are who they are. And that’s all that matters.” And so for me, my role model is him because I quite often look at the people in our club and say “how can we get the best out of these people? How can we deliver the best? How can we make the biggest difference? How can we make sure they enjoy their experience?” And that’s very much my Dad in me.

What resources or support networks other than the Typhoons do you rely on as an LGBTQ professional?

There’s some really good resources. So, we have a wonderful organisation called Lancashire LGBT who provide a whole range of signposting and services to the local community to try and help build that idea of connectivity. Also, they help professional organisations in putting strategies in place to be more inclusive.

In addition, there’s some wonderful resources now online and any professional that are on LinkedIn can find community groups of like-minded individuals. I’m part of a number of inclusive professional networks. So, you can network with individuals across the country and across the world, which is very beneficial.

In each local area there’s support groups too. So, speaking specifically about Lancaster, there’s an organisation called Out in the Bay that offers a range of support from connecting individuals and businesses with other local services, to mental health and crisis support. So, there are support networks out there either for individuals or for businesses. Consequently, I encourage people to reach out and take that support because regardless of whether you are an LGBT person or not, we all get points in our life where support makes a big difference. Usually, we find ourselves in trouble when we think we can do it alone or we should do it alone. Quite often you hear people say, “I’m not the sort of person that needs that help”. And usually those are the people that probably do. So, by making yourself familiar with what’s available and then when life throws you a curveball, you’ll have those resources available to you.

What advice would you give to LGBTQ individuals who are just starting their careers?

To always be yourself and I know to some people that means be confident in coming out. Our sexualities, our identities, are only a part of us. Be yourself in every respect and if you find yourself in a situation where you feel that you won’t be accepted or you won’t be tolerated, don’t feel stuck.

Our generation, and younger generations, are switching on to the idea that careers don’t have to be permanent. It can be stepping stones and you might be somewhere that is not ideal right now. Don’t feel stuck there, move on and keep being true to yourself. Keep moving until you find somewhere that you feel that your whole self can be appreciated.

It sounds corny, but your difference is your superpower. As I worked for a long time in marketing in professional services, I always say marketing isn’t blending in with the crowd, it’s standing out. When you’re talking about your own identity and your own personal branding and organisation, you can make a career of blending in. However, the way to really make a difference in your career is to stand out. There are lots of ways that you can do that. Find the things that make you different, find the ways that enable you to do your job better and go and do that. And if you’re in the wrong workplace or if you’ve got a manager that can’t utilise that version of you, then it’s time to look to go elsewhere. So, that’s my advice, never feel trapped in a place where you don’t feel like you can be yourself. There is always a place that can make better use of your whole self than places like that.

Thank you for reading

We hope you have enjoyed this interview. To find out more about joining or supporting Typhoons RUFC, please click here.

Passionate about people, the Eventus Recruitment Group specialises in matched talented professionals with like-minded companies in the legal and financial services sectors. For a confidential discussion call 01524 34400 or click here to contact us.

30May

How to recruit in summer months when there’s a decline in candidates actively job searching

Over the summer period businesses often see a decline in applications to their job vacancies with fewer candidates actively job searching. There are many reasons for this, including:

  • People enjoying the better weather
  • People taking their summer holiday
  • Childcare responsibilities with children being off school for an extended period

Recruiting during a candidate shortage can be a daunting task for any business. With fewer job seekers and increased competition, companies need to adopt innovative strategies to attract and retain talent. As a result, it’s vital that hiring businesses step up their game to attract and recruit the talented professionals during the summer months. Here’s some effective approaches to consider:

Be Proactive

Provide times for every stage of the recruitment process. For example, your availability for interviews. So, candidates know what to expect and whether they can commit to your recruitment process. Professionals don’t like wasting their time, especially in the summer months.

Market your vacancies effectively and utilise job boards

Ensure your vacancies are visible. It’s likely that professionals will spend less time on job boards. So, it’s vital that your job adverts reach them instead of them finding you. List them on as many job boards as possible, as well as social media platforms. Also, do a search on LinkedIn and Facebook for relevant groups where you can share your job vacancies. For example, sector specific job social media groups or job groups within your location.

Write job adverts that stand out to candidates

It’s not just where you post and advertise job vacancies that’s important, the content and the detail in them is crucial also. A poorly written job advert with typos and a lack of information will put people off applying. Make sure your adverts contain the location, salary, job details, personal specification, employee benefits and why they should want to work for your company.

Be clear and emphasise growth options

Make sure your job descriptions are clear, concise, and free of jargon. Be honest about what the job entails and highlight the essential skills and experience required. Also, most candidates have a desire to progress within their careers. So, outline any training, development and progression opportunities that your company can provide in your job adverts and descriptions.

To view our tips and advice on writing effective job adverts and descriptions, please click here.

Build a brand for hiring

It’s important that your brand is not only relatable to your customers, but also to your employees and potential employees. It’s important to showcase your company culture and why people should work for your business. By building a brand that represents and shows your company culture will work in your favour when hiring. As doing so will enhance your recruitment campaigns by increasing your company’s visibility and standing out to potential employees. Here’s some ways to increase your brand visibility and boost your employer brand over the summer:

Increase your social media presence

An attractive employer brand can set you apart from your competitors. Invest in a strong online presence by maintaining active and engaging profiles on social media platforms, especially LinkedIn. Showcase your company culture, values, and employee success stories. On LinkedIn connect with people who look to have the skills and values that your business require.

Summer socials and company events

Do you host summer socials or company events over the summer months? If you do take photos and / or videos and post these on your social media. The photos are also useful for internal communication, your website and promotional literature to use when recruiting.

Talk about work-life balance strategies / employee benefits

Do you have strategies that enhance your employees’ work-life balance and offer rewarding employee benefits? If so, showcase these on your website and throughout your recruitment campaigns.

If you can offer unique benefits that set you apart from other employers, such as enhanced leave entitlement, wellness and mental health programmes, or financial planning services.

Here’s some ideas for demonstrating your employee benefits throughout your recruitment campaigns:

  • Conduct interviews with your staff about working in your company.
  • Create branded employee benefits pdfs / leaflets to send to job candidates and potential employees.
  • Display benefits in your job adverts.
  • Discuss your company culture and employee benefits in the job interview with candidates. The job interview is as much about the hiring business impressing the candidate as it is the candidate impressing you.
  • After the interview, put the candidate in touch with a current employee where they can discuss the company culture and employee benefits.
For ideas on great employee benefits you can offer, click here.

Utilising summer networking events

During the summer months there’s an increase in professional networking events. Attend these events to increase the visibility of both your business brand and employee brand in your area and sector. Networking events present an ideal opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who could potentially work for you in the future. Also, they give you access to professionals who are not actively job searching but may be tempted by your job opportunities after speaking to you during the event.

Referral Schemes

Sometimes it’s not what you know it’s who the know. Your employees, friends or even family might know the ideal person for your job vacancies. So, speak up that you are hiring or have a referral scheme which rewards them for introducing candidates to you. Offer incentives to employees who refer candidates that get hired. Rewards are usually in the form of cash or vouchers. Alternatively for employees you could reward them with an extra day’s holiday when you take on a new employee that they have recommended.

Employee Ambassadors

Empower your employees to act as ambassadors for your brand. Provide them with the tools and knowledge to talk about your company’s strengths and career opportunities. You can do this by encouraging employees to have their own professional personal brand on LinkedIn and represent your business at networking events. In addition, if you have a marketing team they can help your other employees with their LinkedIn profiles. For example, by creating banners and advising them on content.

Use a recruiter

A good specialist recruiter will have strong connections with professionals’ job searching in your sector and locality. So, they are the ideal people to help you hire and recruit talented professionals throughout the summer months.

The Eventus Recruitment Group have a large database of talented professionals in law, legal finance, and financial services. Also, we:

  • Write your job adverts for you in a way that they will rank online.
  • Get to know your company in detail so that we can produce the best job adverts and connect you with the right candidates for your firm.
  • Take time to build relationships and get to know a candidates, which means we will only send you candidates who meet your job requirements and fit in with your company culture and values.
  • Post your job adverts on job boards free of charge.
  • Offer support to you and candidates at every stage of the recruitment process.

For more information about the services we offer, click here or contact us at the button below for a confidential discussion about your recruitment strategy.

contact us

Written by Emma Guy, Marketing Manager at the Eventus Recruitment Group.

“The team at Eventus Legal always take time to fully understand the needs of the business and each role they are involved with, putting forward only those candidates who closely match our requirements. Feedback from successful candidates sourced by Eventus Legal has been excellent and they offer full support throughout the whole process from initial stages to job offer.”
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Marsden Rawsthorn Solicitors
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