Posted August 27 2019
By hradm
In the Edinburgh market, there is a real candidate shortage within the legal secretary profession. This is particularly noticeable within the disciplines of property and private client. So, this is my call to arms for all of those candidates working within these areas: Clients are calling out for your experience so it may be time to consider a career move.
I think the previous recession caused many legal secretaries to take their career in a different direction, which has led to the current skills gap. This proves problematic for property and private client firms who need candidates with up-to-date, industry-relevant experience. This is because the market and the processes involve change and evolve at a quick pace.
Recruiting a legal secretary is so different to any other administrative roles, owing to the knowledge and precision required to undertake certain tasks. A good legal secretary can ‘make or break’ a firm. A lot of my clients are looking for candidates who are precise, organised and personable.
So, as a legal secretary with this type of experience under your belt, there has never been a better time to consider your options as clients are truly keen to make the most of your skills.
I understand that changing jobs can be daunting, so I make sure that my legal secretary candidates know that I am not putting them forward for just any old job. In getting to know my candidates, I learn what kind of workload would help them to thrive; what kind of working environment would suit their personality; and what size of team would encourage them to develop.
When I am working with my candidates, I like to have a chat over the phone and meet in person so that I can really get to grips with what it is you are looking for from a role. Perhaps it’s flexibility or part-time work; perhaps it’s more challenging work and the opportunity to progress. Talking with you makes it easier to place you with a firm that matches your aspirations.
You may also be uncertain about making a move to a firm that you don’t know enough about. As a recruiter, it’s my job to do the groundwork and let you know about all of the elements of that firm which may impact your job. I want it to feel like you already know the role inside out before you’re put forward for interview.
The key thing to consider, however, with this specific type of legal experience, is that the market is very much open to you. Whilst that doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily be able to secure a massive salary increase or a contract full of snazzy perks, it does mean that clients are genuinely interested in what you can bring to their firm.
If you are a legal secretary who specialises in property or private client work, I’d love for you to get in touch so that we can discuss your options in the east coast market. Get in touch with me on 0131 357 5333 or email
nmccarron@hrcrecruitment.co.uk