Newly Qualified Solicitors – NQ’s or OQ’s
I have been registering a number of Newly Qualified Solicitors recently whereby I am witnessing a trend in their level of concern in making their applications owing to perhaps a lack of career guidance.
So they have managed to secure the ever elusive training contract and have completed their 2 years commitment to their employer of chance. The general guess may be that it is all fun from here and they can start applying to the firms they wish to work for. However there are those concerns i.e. area of specialisation, what kind of law firm should I work for and how do I now negotiate my new salary?
It can be difficult to be specific about the area of law you really want to progress with. Upon qualification it is the general thought that the first 2 years or so are really the ones that will stand to you going forward.
One piece of consultation I tend to offer is to perhaps keep your options open and avoid narrowing your focus too early – A career in law is long and being able to display various tools and skills will assist your growth and options later.
A law firm must suit you as a person and not just your CV or academics. It is really important to get the right fit and a suitable firm for your personality. Your career will benefit from this so much more if the firm is one you enjoy, one that feels right for you.
After years of study, trainee salaries and often a caseload of someone with 3 or 4 years PQE depending on the firm, you now feel ready to ask for more, you deserve it after all. As a consultant doing this job a very long time, one element of my consultation service that I feel very confident in is salary negotiation especially for my NQ’s.
Salaries vary across the market and there is a balance of how far we go. As an NQ you should be at that level of confidence whereby you are experienced now and have that practical backing to put you in a good position to achieve the salary you now deserve.
I am not a fan of the term “Newly Qualified” as I do not think it is fair to call someone “new”. I will compare this to “Newly Wed’s” even though you have 7 years experience of living with your partner, a marriage certificate does not bring a newness to the relationship.
Being a newly qualified just officiates your status rather than you actually being new to anything.
Your future career does not start here it continues here.
Perhaps the industry should call Newly Qualified’s – Officially qualifieds.