A strong brand isn’t just something a growing company needs to build.

In today’s constantly connected world, personal branding is growing increasingly important, as the recruitment process evolves. Around 70% of employers screen candidates by checking their social media presence. What’s more, countless hiring managers and recruitment agencies will assess your online presence before providing a job offer.

Cultivating a successful personal brand is how you ensure you’re sending the right impression to future employers and recruitment agencies.

Used correctly, your brand will augment your CV, cover letter, and job applications, to demonstrate why you’re the perfect legal professional for your ideal role.

The question is, how do you build a great personal brand?

Step 1: Identify your Branding Goals

First, it’s important to determine what you want to achieve with your personal brand. A good personal brand should define who you are to the world, highlighting your unique combination of values, skills, and experiences. How you present and edit your personal brand will determine how potential employers perceive you.

With this in mind, ask yourself what kind of image you want to create. Think about:

• Values: What kind of unique values, strengths and perspectives can you bring to the legal industry? How would an employer identify you as a perfect fit for their company culture?
• Skills: What are your technical skills and what kind of experience do you have putting them to the test? Do you have any certifications or accreditation?
• Personality: What kind of person do you want people to see you as? Are you detail-oriented, creative, passionate, or supportive?

A good way to define the kind of brand you’ll need to build is to look at the kind of personality traits, skills, and values mentioned in job descriptions for the kind of role you want to earn.

Step 2: Audit your Existing Narrative

Once you know what you want your personal brand to look like, it’s worth looking at the impression you’re already giving in the legal space. In today’s digitally-connected world, virtually every employee will already have a personal brand.

You can get a good idea of the perception you’re building by examining your social media pages, and asking yourself what kind of impression you give when sharing content online. It’s also worth looking at the connections you have to other people in your industry, and how your associations might help people to understand who you are.

Check everything from your LinkedIn page to your online portfolio to make sure you’re making the right impression. If you’re not, work on removing anything which goes against the personal brand you’re trying to build, even if this means making some social channels “private”.

Step 3: Create Your Personal Pitch

A good view of your existing reputation, and the personal brand you want to create should help you to make a start on your personal pitch. This is essentially the “elevator pitch” you give to sell yourself to colleagues, employers, and hiring professionals.

Your personal pitch should outline your specific value in the legal space, and what you have to offer in a quick and concise way. It should consider both your past experiences, and the future you’re aiming for.

For instance, if you’ve spent years as a Legal Cashier, but you want to become a Paralegal, you can show people how your experience in the cashier sector helped you to develop the people skills you need to connect with prospects and supporting solicitors.

Once you have your personal pitch, you can also use it to guide the content you share online, and the way you present yourself to others. For instance, every time you’re going to post something on LinkedIn, ask yourself, “Would the person I’m pitching to others also share this?”.

Step 4: Develop Your Presence and Network

Your personal pitch, and the view of the kind of impression you want to send in the legal space will help you to think about where you can develop your existing online presence and identity. Ask yourself whether you’re already active on all the forums and platforms where an employer might look for you, including on industry forums and social media sites.

Look at how active you are on these platforms too. Sharing content regularly will help you to strengthen your position as a thought leader and demonstrate your unique personality.

While you’re working on your digital presence, think about how you can also expand your network. Sharing content should help you to attract the attention of some other leaders in your space, but don’t be afraid to reach out over social media and connect with people too.

A strong network helps to give credibility to the brand you’re building, and it could open the door to new opportunities.

Step 5: Work on Increasing your Value

A personal brand isn’t something you should create once and then never look at again. Like you, your personal brand is a dynamic, evolving thing. You’ll need to make sure you’re constantly working on ways to demonstrate your value through the image you create.

To strengthen the impact of your personal brand:

• Commit to constant learning: Work on regularly developing your knowledge in the legal space and expanding your skills to make yourself more appealing to employers.
• Share content regularly: Build your social presence by regularly sharing content, connecting with others, and expanding your network.
• Work with the professionals: Speak to a specialist legal recruitment agency, like Clayton Legal about the kind of things the employers in your space are looking for, and build your brand based on the information you get.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

Whether you are looking for your next career move, or your next hire as a business owner of HR professional – we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

Starting any new job and settling in can often be somewhat of a rollercoaster. On the one hand, you will no doubt be delighted that you have landed an exciting new role that is a great fit for you, and are looking forward to your future and career progression. However, on the other hand it is often a period in which you may feel a little out of place – at least initially.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to ensure you settle in quickly to both your new surroundings and team as well as tackle any potential stresses or concerns head on, and really start to establish yourself as a trusted colleague among your peers.

Utilise Tools To Help Keep You Organised

Getting and staying organised is not only essential for keeping on top of your general workload; it’s also a key to your career success and longevity, especially if you are aspiring to carve out an exceptional career for yourself as a high-performing member of the team.

Set up a system for categorising your emails as well as scheduling any ongoing tasks and projects. Most companies nowadays use a form of task-management software such as Monday, ClickUp or their own in-house platform. Ensure that you get adequate training on how to use this as it will undoubtedly enhance your productivity and help to keep on top of the many spinning plates.

If your employer doesn’t use a dedicated task-management software, or doesn’t invest in any 3rd party software, you can always implement your own system. This might mean using your own planner app, or if you’re not the most tech-savvy, you could always do things the traditional way with a daily planner. Regardless of which system you choose, get yourself in the habit of coming up with a rough schedule for how you will go about tackling your tasks.

Set Goals That Push You – But Are Also Realistic

It’s natural to want to impress when you’re starting a new role, and many feel it is par-for-the-course to go over and above in those reputation-building first few months. Yet, whilst it can be tempting to take on more than you can handle, there is a fine line to tread between throwing everything (and more) at the role, and also being realistic with yourself about your own limitations.

If the goals you’ve set for yourself are beyond your current capabilities, you’ll start to get frustrated and discouraged when you keep failing to get things done – this is a sure recipe for a career burnout. Even the most experienced employee is bound to fall short of a goal now and then; as a new hire, it’s going to take you time to learn the ropes of your new employer. So, allow yourself the chance to learn during this transitional period and try to view your setbacks as a way to become a more efficient and knowledgeable employee.

Rather than cluttering your to-do-list with an excessive number of tasks every day, try to take things slow and celebrate every accomplishment. If you take on too much too soon, you’re likely to get buried and behind on the tasks that really matter. By focusing on your top few priorities each day, you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you’re able to clear your to-do list on a daily basis.

Find The Right Balance

When starting a new job that you really like, it can be tempting to throw yourself in headfirst. However, as with setting realistic professional goals, it’s just as important to establish realistic life goals. Don’t lose sight of your work/life balance. In other words, if you don’t make time for the things and people you love outside of work, you won’t be loving your new role for very long.

Finding the right balance between work and family is one of the most important ways to reduce job-related anxiety and completely getting off on the wrong foot. Making time for yourself and your loved ones, as well as disconnecting mentally from your job, will allow you to return to work refreshed. Try to schedule out your week in advance to ensure that you have time blocked out to unwind with family and friends. Setting this time aside will help ensure that you don’t get overly stressed or exhausted in your new role.

Make Time To Look After Yourself

Just as crucial as finding the right balance between work and play is maintaining your physical, mental and emotional health. You should never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep and a healthy diet. Eating poorly and not getting enough sleep will only cause you to be tired and less productive, which may lead to stress in the workplace.

In addition to maintaining a proper diet and sleeping routine, one of the best ways to impact your physical and mental health is by staying active. This doesn’t mean that you have to join an expensive gym or punish yourself with an extreme workout. A simple routine of either a short yoga session or a quick run before you go to the office in the morning can simultaneously boost your confidence and improve your performance at work.

Many businesses in the UK offer specific elements relating to health and wellbeing as part of their benefits packages including gym memberships and cycle-to-work schemes. Even if neither of these are available to you with your new employer, it is likely there are various initiatives and services available to support you – make sure you take any logins, information, and the opportunity to engage where you can.

Invest In Relationship-Building From The Get-Go

While most firms have some sort of formal induction programme, you should never be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand how to do something – even after this initial period. For new starters, particularly those in larger businesses, it’s possible that you will be placed with a mentor or someone you can go to with questions – don’t hesitate to seek out their help when you need it. While asking your co-workers or boss questions may feel like it shows weakness, actually lets your colleagues know you’re serious about understanding how things work, rather than trying to do something you aren’t sure of on your own.

Relationship-building is crucial in your first few months at a new place of work, and should be across the whole business if possible – with peers, managers, direct reports and any clients or service providers that you communicate with directly. By investing time in this, you will quickly build up trust and ‘social capital professionally’ that according to Danielle Allen from Building Impact, ‘will allow you to advance and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s growth’.

And Finally,

Your first couple of months in a new role are likely to be a whirlwind of learning new processes, building relationships with colleagues, getting used to a new working environment, as well as getting on with the tasks at hand. No easy task – but hopefully with the support of your new employer, you’ll soon become a (valued and respected) part of the furniture.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci, in 1482, wrote the first ‘official’ CV? It was addressed to the Duke of Milan in the hope of gaining a specific painting ‘gig’. 

Da Vinci was well known for his intelligence and consequently focused the content of his CV on the project in question. He highlighted his prowess and results in using certain painting techniques he knew the Duke required for the painting in his ‘CV’. 

Fact: Tailoring your CV to the role in question has always been critical. 

I am sure Leonardo would have been astounded to discover that this humble communication piece would continue to be the start of the recruitment process over five hundred and forty years later. 

Though candidates are taking to TikTok and other social channels to promote their personal brand, a CV continues to be the first communication piece your legal hiring manager requests from the team here at Clayton Recruitment. 

So, what are the key elements you need to consider as you craft your CV to stand out to the business you want to work for? 

After over twenty years of reading good, average, and downright diabolical CVs, we have a few suggestions to create a CV that profiles you as the perfect candidate to take to interview. 

Let’s start with the basics hiring managers look for on the first skim through. 

CV Basics 

Before diving into specific content and structure, let’s confirm some CV basics. This is the initial document your new employer will see alongside a cover letter should you choose to use one; more about that in another post. 

It does not need to be more than a couple of pages long; brevity and getting to the point are key. Your hiring manager will explore more about you and your experience related to your CV in the interview. Remember to ask your recruitment consultant for help on this. 

Ensure your full current contact details are visible and correct; name in bold at the top of your CV, followed by your full address, email and mobile phone number. 

It is common for candidates to find their old CV on a hard drive and use this without checking that the details and phone numbers are still accurate. There isn’t a requirement for a photograph in the UK, nor should you add your date of birth or marital status. When it comes to pronouns, she/her, he/him, the decision is yours.  

If you have a disability, it is not necessary to add this though it can be helpful for both your recruitment consultant and hiring manager to know when they are setting up an interview. 

Create a new email address purely for job hunting. There is nothing worse than an overflowing personal inbox where email communication gets lost, and you end up missing vital emails from your recruitment consultant.  

Though your name may be taken on Gmail or Outlook.com, adding private or personal or a number to your name should work.  

For example, Angelasmithprivate@gmail.com looks professional and is easy for a recruitment consultant to remember. Avoid adding your birth year, for instance, AngelaSmith1977, as this could set up age bias. If you were born on the 27th of the month, AngelaSmith27 would be fine. 

This leads to formatting, fonts, and grammar. The more challenging something is to read, the less people concentrate, and key convincers about you and your ability to excel in the role you add to your CV can get missed. 

Use a professional font, nothing less than 10 point and avoid any non-professional style; you are applying to a buiness. It is easy to think that standing out in this way is a good idea. It isn’t -leave that to the answers you give in the interview. 

Have clear headings for sections, use spacing and bullet points and keep a consistent formatting theme in the body of your CV. 

Read through your CV to check for context and content and that it reads well. Typos, spelling, and grammar can trip up the best of us, so treble check everything and get a friend or significant other to read over what you have written. 

CV Content 

As Da Vinci worked out, tailoring your CV to the job you are applying for is critical, which you can do throughout each section I have highlighted below. 

As a start, add a personal statement. This is a concise summary of four or five lines that summarises you, your work history, and your main achievements. 

Your Personal Statement  

Be specific in your work title; for example and avoid jargon. In many professions, years of experience post qualification are critical to add here. Refer to any main achievements, and where possible, make these relevant to the job description as you now start to tailor the CV for the role in question.  

Finally, give a couple of examples of what you can bring to the role. 

Work Experience 

When it comes to work experience, list your current position first and then work backwards. Add the title of the role, the business in question, how long you were there and your main responsibilities. Then list the key results you delivered and align these to the job description. Talk to your recruitment consultant, who will be able to help you pull out what the firm in question is looking for. 

Highlight Work Gaps 

As you add the list of roles and businesses where you have worked, highlight any gaps you have had and why.  

Be transparent; the world is a very different place to what it was, and taking time off to look after our own mental health or family members, new and old, happens. Hiring managers in the working world, as you might expect, are naturally predisposed to look for detail, and if they can’t identify what you were doing between 2011 and 2012, they will be left wondering what other details are missing.  

I am sure you can answer the question well in an interview, but remember this is a screening stage where the hiring manager will likely read your CV in isolation. 

Education and Qualifications 

When it comes to education and qualifications, use a similar format with the most recent qualification first. State the type, result, the dates and the university or college. A brief summary of the areas or specialisms you studied will be relevant here, as would any memberships you are a part of. 

Relevant Skills 

When it comes to skills, list anything relevant to the role here. This might be your new business development skills, a specific software package you can use or languages if they are relevant to the role, geography and the population the business serves. 

Interests and Activities 

If you are involved in activities that relate to your role and profile you as a team player or potential leader, then, of course, add that here. 

Summary 

When it comes to writing a CV, the devil is in the detail, and this is where the help of your recruitment consultant is vital. 

We have shared a basic flow here, and it is up to you to fill in the gaps relevant to the specific role in question. 

If you are ready for your next legal move, check out a selection of our current vacancies here and then upload your current CV here. Our team are based across the UK, and you can find all the relevant phone numbers here.  

Irrespective of whether you are moving into a new private client solicitor role or you are a superb legal secretary looking for their next opportunity, this is still a key career move; at least for now.

You actively applied for this role because you believe it will deliver you closer to your career and broader life goals.

By giving the interview process the respect it deserves, you will increase your chances of being successful and securing the role.

To truly succeed at a legal interview and confirm to your hiring manager you have the appropriate skills, traits and you are a good culture fit, you will need to be ready.

Poor planning delivers poor results.

Therefore, we aren’t talking about a quick look through their website the night before. Instead, we are referring to being fully prepared and ready by making the most of the 72-hour preparation window you need before your interview begins.

Three days is the perfect length of time to deliver you to the interview primed and ready in a calm and confident fashion.

Here is where we suggest starting.

1. Research and a Conversation With Your Legal Recruitment Consultant

In the current legal recruitment market, it’s likely that you will have found your role through a specialist legal recruitment company like Clayton Legal.

That being the case we, your recruiting partner, should be your first port of call when it comes to knowing as much as possible about the specific legal role in question and the company you could potentially join.

It is imperative to do this sooner rather than later, as this will enable you to carry out additional research as necessary, to stand out. Alternatively, this will let you know about gaps you might have that must be addressed in how you communicate your value to your future employer.

Google is naturally your friend here.

Look at any news about the sector of law you will be involved with. For instance, earlier this month I was looking at information about collaborative law and came across a post from a press release by a Bath law firm who were offering free mediation information sessions to people considering divorce, as part of Family Mediation Week.

A talking point maybe? Though your skills and experience are critical, your wider knowledge of the law is important too.

Research the company online. Learn as much as you can from the website, including all their specialisms and any bigger cases they are working on and what their plans might be.

Review all their social media profiles and anything they have published on LinkedIn’s article platform.

If the website has staff profiles and an ‘Our Story’ page, so much the better. If you can, find out how many employees they have and who is part of the leadership team.

During this research stage, you will be able to prepare good questions to ask that will demonstrate you are a serious candidate who’s done their homework. You would be surprised how many candidates don’t make an effort in this regard, and you’re likely to stand out by doing this.

If you are working with a professional legal recruitment consultant, they will be able to help you with most of this too. So, it’s critical to discuss the job description in detail and how you can demonstrate your value, which leads me onto the next point.

2. Know And Demonstrate Your Value

In today’s legal field hiring managers are looking for skills and abilities, yes; though they are also looking for the value you can add.

Imagine some of the questions you might be asked and prepare your answers that communicate how you have added value in the past. For instance, it might be a new system you initiated on creating court documents that improved the process, or the updated advice process you developed that has generated positive testimonials and referrals.

Ask your recruitment consultant to tell you what is behind the job specification and what are the crucial skills to demonstrate and communicate.

Finally, if you have a ‘brag’ file or letters of commendation or an end of year review that is positive and recent, take them with you and USE them.

It has been known for hiring managers to comment that James or Tania brought in a briefcase and never opened it!

Which left them wondering if they had missed something? No, but James and Tania missed the opportunity to demonstrate yet another validation of why they should get the role.

Remember to use everything at your disposal to position yourself as the logical choice.

3. Practical Logistics

With the best will in the world, we can all misjudge time. Double check the time and location of the interview, as well as the name of the hiring manager.

If you haven’t already been to check out the venue, prepare your route by car or train leaving plenty of time to get there in case you end up experiencing one of those annoying traffic jams that come from nowhere.

Let’s be frank, interviews are stressful enough, so there is no point adding to that unnecessarily by getting lost and certainly not by turning up late. Hint: hiring managers dislike latecomers.

Most people reading this post understand dress code and how what you are wearing does have an impact; you do, don’t you?

I will explore this briefly in a minute.

Firstly let’s talk about confidence and what you wear. I am not suggesting you head out and buy a new outfit or shoes. Instead, think about the outfit that always makes you feel good.

I have a few outfits I love, and I always wear them if I want a boost of confidence. Perhaps you have had this experience too?

No matter how many presentations you have given, or appearances in court; never underestimate interview nerves and their unexpected impact.

Finally, remember the goal of the interview is to leave the interviewers talking about your skills, attitude, and law experience and potentially how well you would fit into the team.

A fascinating fact I discovered last year is that over half of the population has a visual preference and a keen sense of smell and though we all like to think we don’t judge, we sometimes do.

The last thing you want to have your interviewers chatting about at lunch is how strong your perfume was or questioning if you smoked, or crikey how did you manage to walk in those heels?!

If you follow the steps in this post you have a template to impress the hiring manager with the depth of your knowledge in the company, and how confidently prepared you are.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with business’ across the country since 1989 and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

If you would more help on preparing for your interview download our interview checklist here.

As I sit down to write this post, my phone has pinged to let me know that the UK economy has rebounded with the fastest growth since World War Two. A 7.5% increase despite falling back in December due to Omicron is a positive situation for business in the UK.

In contrast, our cost-of-living worsened in December after inflation jumped to 5.4% – its highest level in almost 30 years – driven by the higher cost of clothes, food, and footwear; this is likely to get worse as the cost of fuel doubles for many.

Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, says to ask for a pay rise now is to cause further economic decline.

In fact, according to a recent analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility shared in the Newstatesman, the UK is on course to endure two more decades of stagnant wages, revealing the negative news that we should expect to earn less in 2026 than 2008.

Confusing when we consider certain sectors.

The last two years have seen many businesses report their best year ever, which we can confirm with the number of recruitment instructions we are receiving from our clients.

As a hardworking and productive professional, what are your options? Let’s share a few suggestions in this post.

Know Your Facts

The candidates we work with here at Clayton Recruitment are switched on. They know how their business is faring in the market and what growth is anticipated in future years.

When businesses plan growth, they also understand that they will need to plan financially to increase headcount and ensure their current team is engaged and recompensed appropriately.

Well, hopefully, that is the case.

Though not in every company.

Taking your time to research salary packages puts you a step ahead because it demonstrates that you have evidence to back up your pay raise request. This data is vital because it will give you leverage when starting the negotiation.

The question then is where your current firm sits on the spectrum, and are you being paid the going rate?

This brings me to the next point.

Know Your Value

Pay and remuneration is a prickly subject, and we aren’t guaranteed a pay rise every year for simply turning up and delivering on our objectives.

Remember, no manager likes being held to ransom and at the same time, they appreciate honesty. If you aren’t happy with your remuneration package, you have to tell them; as uncomfortable as that conversation feels.

At Clayton, whenever a candidate comes to us where pay is a problem, we always ask if they have had a discussion with their manager first.

It’s surprising how many people haven’t.
Sometimes a straightforward conversation like this works.

Sometimes it doesn’t, and this is where honesty with yourself is important. Here are a few questions to consider.

• What value are you delivering to the company?
• What results did you achieve last year that were above what was expected?
• Is your manager or HR fully aware of your contribution to the business?
• Considering this, how will you demonstrate how valuable you are?

As a first start, use your performance objectives showing all your achievements. This way, you will let your company appreciate your worth and what it might cost to replace you.

You could take your manager through the goals that were agreed upon together and what actions you have taken to achieve the results you have.

You will be surprised how well this works. Your manager could be responsible for a lot of people. They are human too, and might not have all your performance wins etched in their memory.

Know What You Want

This final point is key; know what you want, and here are a few things to consider.

• Do you have a figure in mind?
• Is this based on your personal need?
• Your analysis of the current market?
• How much you think you are worth?

It is important to know what you want and why and have justification for the figure you are asking.

Here is something else.

Is money your real motivator, or are there other options to consider? The world of work is changing, and many firms could consider hybrid working for day weeks and sabbatical leave. These are all options that are now on the negotiating table that wasn’t just a few short years ago.

Know Your Walk-Away Point And Your Options

You might be pleasantly surprised that your pay rise suggestion is accepted, especially in the current talent market.

However, be prepared that it might not. Therefore you need to consider your options.

The upside is that we are currently in a candidate-driven market because of the skill shortage fuelled by Covid-19.

For you, this means that your options are open, and if you are prepared to move, you can potentially join a new business and continue to develop your career while being appropriately rewarded.

And this is where we can help.

The team here at Clayton Recruitment have placed literally thousands of professionals.

Depending on your role and experience, we may be able to personally represent you to our clients too. If you would like to have a confidential conversation about you and your career then do get in touch. You will find all our contact details here.

What Next?

Though many workplace sectors experienced poor growth last year, there are certain sectors in the UK job market that aren’t. Here at Clayton Recruitment, we have multiple clients looking for skilled and ambitious candidates like you. For a confidential conversation about your career goals and your next move, please get in contact with one of our team here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.
With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

At the start of a new year, many of us review where we are in both our personal and professional lives. For those of us working in the current job market, it’s no different.

The specific details of the path you want to take might differ slightly. However, the five fundamentals we are sharing today form part of any successful career planning process, as we have observed placing more than 5000 professions over the last twenty-two years.

First, let’s put some context around the impact of the new ‘norm’ when it comes to creating your plan.

The New Norm

As we navigate our way out of the pandemic and multiple new variants, it is fair to say that the new normal hasn’t impacted some sectors as much as others, except for improved technology, communication channels and virtual recruitment.

We noticed here at Clayton Recruitment that the phone continued to ring after the initial few weeks of the first lockdown as clients asked us to help fill their roles. This continued throughout 2021, accelerating at pace as the year went on. 2022, so far, shows so sign of this appetite to hire slowing down.

Hybrid, home, and remote working are still major debates across businesses as they consider the permanency of such working arrangements.

As predicted by the Microsoft Workplace Trends report, many candidates we speak to are keen to have some flexibility around working in the office or at home. Consequently, we are seeing more businesses willing to consider hybrid working moving forward.

The critical piece of the conversation is that skilled candidates are in short supply. This results in employers counter offering employees to stay with them rather than moving to a new business. Some candidates continue to have multiple offers on the table.

In summary, if you are a skilled candidate looking to move, this is your time.

What an opportunity, though let’s have a sense check here. Jumping into a new role with an improved package and a hybrid working opportunity is OK, provided it is part of your long-term plan.

Therefore, consider this as you plan your career. Moving and building your career takes time, depending on the level you want to achieve.

So, what should you be considering in your overall plan?

Decide What You Want

Goal setting and tweaking can happen at any time of the year. As Professor Maxwell Maltz shared in his New York Times bestseller, human beings are success-seeking creatures, and therefore we want to achieve success.

Without goals to inspire and drive you, it’s impossible to know if you’re moving in the right direction. In simple terms, if you don’t know the destination, then you can’t plan the journey.

Deciding what you want allows you to take control of your professional life.
Simply saying that you want something isn’t enough. Goal setting is a strategic process that considers what you want to achieve through a series of milestones and action steps and ends with hard work and dedication.

Therefore, setting a goal and then moving towards it is a logical process we would all be advised to tap into.

Most professionals want:

• To work in an area of business that they enjoy and find interesting
• To receive sufficient income for their work to enable them to live comfortably
• To be considered as being professional and knowledgeable
• To achieve a work/life balance that allows them to enjoy a life away from their work

No matter your opinion about setting goals, you will find yourself meandering around with no real sense of purpose unless you are clear on what you want.
Choosing stretch goals means finding the right balance between targets you can realistically achieve and aims that challenge you.

However, don’t set goals that are too easy, either. It’s essential to challenge yourself, as that way, you can reap the rewards of feeling accomplished and driven. Find goals that help you raise the bar on your work and performance.
Always have both short- and long-term goals in mind.

A Goal Setting Framework

One of the most popular goal-setting strategies involves creating “SMART” goals. There are variations on what the “SMART” acronym stands for, but most experts agree that it requires your goals to be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-Bound

Your career goals must be clear and defined. A vague goal like “I want to get a promotion” doesn’t provide sufficient direction. Determine what kind of promotion you want that will fit your plan and when you want to accomplish that target.

Conduct a Skills Audit and Contact A Recruiter

To accomplish what you want in your career, you will have to up-level your skills relevant to your desired roles. Knowledge is power, and this is where talking to someone who has the ultimate position you want can be useful.

Although, remember that a lot has changed during the last few years and what was once required for a role, either skills or experience, might have changed.

This is where talking to a specialist recruiter will help. Here at Clayton, we have over twenty years’ experience recruiting professionals and can guide you on the best next steps according to the specific career path you want to take.

With the specs for your ideal job to guide you and your CV in hand, write a list of the skills you need to work on and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 4. A rating of 4 indicates that you’re an expert in the area, while a rating of 1 means that you have very little knowledge or skill in that area.

Once you know which elements need the most work, you can develop a list of activities that will help you close the gap.

Managing Your Mind

The first step in developing your career is to embrace the right mindset by managing your mind. More than ever, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of working with our mentality to handle whatever is happening globally.

It’s easy to assume that creativity, intelligence, or talent are the things that set successful people apart from the rest of the world. However, the truth is that all the most powerful people in business today reached their goals through perseverance, grit, dedication, and the right mindset.

Your ultimate goal may take a few years, and the more you can manage your mind through the process, the better.

Good Luck!

What Next?

Though many workplace sectors experienced poor growth in 2020 and into last year, the sector wasn’t one of them. Here at Clayton Recruitment, we have multiple clients looking for skilled and ambitious candidates like you. For a confidential conversation about your career goals and your next move, please get in contact with one of our team here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.
With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis.

If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121.

If you would like to access our free guides, view them all here.

Despite most of 2020 being taken up in the crisis and recovery stages of the pandemic, the start of 2021 really is the time for us to celebrate and look forward to life after Covid.

With the vaccine promising a return to a new kind of normal, it is finally time to start planning with confidence for your next move in your finance career.

Finance professionals have been the saviour of many organisations this year, providing essential services and protecting businesses in what has been an incredibly challenging environment.

As a finance professional, you will probably have acquired some new skills, and certainly lots of new experience this year.

This means that it is the perfect time to think about what you want from your finance career, and how to find it.

Today we look at current opportunities for you as a finance candidate and why now is the ideal time to look for a new role.

Covid Recovery

We are finally approaching the end of the Covid period now, with the vaccination programme in full force in the UK.

That means that the time businesses have spent waiting and being tentative in their hiring decisions are over – the accounting opportunities that are going to be created over the next few months will be plentiful as businesses focus on growth once again.

Businesses are now looking to take advantage of market conditions and grow, rather than be stifled like they were for the most part of 2020.

Where Are the Opportunities?

As well as Covid, there has been increasing concern about UK finance sector jobs due to Brexit. Still, recent reports show that employment in the finance sector is defying the warnings that were originally predicted.

Finance roles have been retained for the most part since the 2016 referendum, and hiring sprees in some parts of the country have seen opportunities increase substantially.

The areas we see the need for accounting roles increase are in public practice, commerce and industry, and the public sector.

Despite the upheaval caused by Covid, opportunities in industries such as eCommerce and virtual communications have skyrocketed.

However, despite finance and accounting opportunities rising, there has also been an increase in the number and variety of candidates applying for each vacancy. This means that the need to stand out in your job search is greater than ever.

Let’s look at what you can do as a finance and accounting candidate to prepare for your 2021 job search.

Industry Versus Practice

Many accounting professionals will stay within their remit, either industry or practice for the majority of their career.

But to find a new role in 2021, it might be time to think outside the box.

Finance roles within a practice are in high demand right now, as SMEs get to grips with accounting, audits, tax, and assurance issues that have been caused by the pandemic. In contrast, finance departments in larger SMEs, particularly in certain commercial and retail sectors have struggled.

If you have always worked in an industry position, is it time to consider a practice role?

Whatever your thoughts might be on where to take your finance career, right now, enlisting the help of a financial careers expert will be invaluable.

Formulating Your Plan

Any career move you make in 2021 should always be considered with your ultimate career goal in mind. Deciding on where to make your next move will depend on several factors such as your location and family responsibilities; sometimes, you need an independent expert to help you see the clearer picture.

Depending on whether you plan to cultivate a career working in financial practice or in industry, we can help you figure out your next strategic move. Get in touch with us here if you are considering a career move this year, but you need help on where to focus your job search.

Finally, let’s look at my top tips to help you right now as you embark upon your new job search.

Standing Out in Your Job Search

Finance professionals embarking on a job hunt in 2021 will have to work harder than ever to get noticed, so here are my expert recruiting tips to improve your new job prospects.

Refresh Your LinkedIn – your professional online persona might have been the last thing on your mind this year but before you start applying for new roles, make sure that your profile is not just correct but also up to date. Enhance your profile with new post-Covid skills, get liking and sharing industry news and start making new connections. Most hiring managers will check you out online – you want them to see your active interest in your career and your network.

Tailor Each Application with Your USP – let each hiring manager know in your cover letter and throughout your CV why you are the ideal candidate for this role. What unique skills do you have that make you a candidate that deserves an interview over your competitors?

Get in Touch With a Finance Recruiter – this is by far the best thing that you can do as a finance candidate. At Clayton Recruitment, we specialise in finance and accountancy recruitment. We can advise you on your current job search, help update and tailor your CV for your post-Covid job search, as well as finding and arranging your next interviews.

Next Steps?

If you are looking for a new finance and accounting role for 2021 – get in touch with our team of career experts today, click here or call us on 01772 259 121.

Let 2021 be the year you make your most valuable financial career move.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

At Clayton Recruitment, we have been providing expert recruitment and career planning services to candidates like you for over 30 years.

This year, due to the widespread upheaval of coronavirus, we have changed the way we are now helping candidates.

We talk to candidates daily about the challenges they are currently faced with as they look for new opportunities and new niches to work in after the pandemic.

Job seekers who have been looking for a new role this year will have had to face the issue of looking for a new position during a pandemic, and for many people, this hasn’t been easy.

But we are now seeing positive changes in the job market. Data from the Staffing Industry Analysts show that job vacancies each week are increasing, with hiring in some areas back to pre-Covid levels.

The good news is we have identified two areas where we are focusing our efforts which are demonstrating the most significant growth and the best opportunities.

If you are looking for a new role, and you have sales and marketing knowledge or finance and accounting experience – or other excellent transferrable skills – today, we explain how we can help you.

So, where are the biggest opportunities? Sales, marketing and accounting and utilising the many transferable skills you have.

Let me start to explain more here.

Sales and Marketing

Suppose you are a candidate with sales and marketing experience, despite cuts to these departments in some sectors. In that case, there are plenty of opportunities in the industries which have been successful this year.

Sales roles are essential in all industries, including retail, finance, and manufacturing – companies cannot grow next year without talented sales and marketing employees.

In 2021 and beyond, sales and marketing, like many other areas of our lives, is going digital. Successful sales and marketing candidates will have a growth mindset and be continually looking to adopt new technologies to drive sales forwards, including CRM systems, data technology and A.I.

Have you been working on building your digital skill for the ‘new normal’ since lockdown started? If you’ve got a growth mindset and are looking to build on your digital sales and marketing skills in a new role – we want to hear from you.

If you are considering a new sales and marketing role, we can help you find a unique opportunity in the sectors which are booming, such as technology, retail and eCommerce, legal plus many more.

Contact our team today to find out more about the current opportunities we have.

Accounting and Finance

Many candidates have put promotion or new job plans on hold this year, for understandable reasons.

But what accounting and finance candidates should know is that looking for a new role right now is not risky; it is a smart strategy to work with a recruiter to take advantage of the current opportunities in the market.

In early November 2020, the Chancellor set out the ambitious plan for the future of the U.K. financial service sector, with goals to extend its global leadership in green finance and financial technology.

Even despite the pandemic and Brexit on the horizon, banking and financial service jobs remain stable.

Accountancy has also been largely unaffected by the pandemic, with opportunities in affected sectors suffering, while roles are opening up in many other growth sectors like technology, online retail and construction.

Transferrable Skills

If you haven’t got direct experience in sales and marketing, or accounting and finance, there are excellent transferrable skills which are valuable right now, which will help you stand out and secure a new role.

Employers are on the lookout for talented candidates with the following transferrable skills:

• Tech skills such as confidence using digital communications, digital project management and social media management.
• Business strategy skills – you may not have direct experience working in a finance department or a sales role. Still, if you have leadership experience where you have contributed to developing a business strategy, this is a transferrable skill which employers value highly.
• Commercial awareness – for most businesses, 2021 is going to be about recovery and building back any shortfall from 2020. This means that they need employees with astute commercial awareness to create and drive revenue.

Do you have transferrable skills that you know you could flex in a sales or marketing or an accounting and finance role?

We’ve got opportunities for talented candidates, get in touch with our team today to discuss your options.

Working with Clayton to Find a New Role

We are using our three decades of successful experience to help candidates find new roles in an increasingly challenging jobs market.

If you have struggled to find roles which excite you or that fit into your ultimate career plan, we can help.

With extensive previous experience recruiting in both Sales, Marketing, Accounting and Finance, we are committed to focusing on these sectors as this is where we know we can help candidates the most.

If you are looking for a new role in these sectors, we can help – get in touch today.

Contact us here or call our team on 01772 259 121 to discuss your career options with our career planning experts.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

The UK’s furlough scheme has been an extraordinary event on many levels.

It fulfilled its expectation in protecting many jobs, but now several months on, we see the reality of the employment situation in some sectors.

It’s time for people to start making decisions about the future of their careers.

Despite the gloomy picture the UK media like to paint in regards to jobs, for middle and senior managers, there are many opportunities; and in fact, they are growing daily.

There have indeed been redundancies in some sectors and at all levels. So to help management candidates whose furlough has now unfortunately turned into redundancy, here are the key things to consider now in your job search.

Identifying Your Skills and Abilities

You must first identify what your skills are, what you can bring to the table outside of the skills you have been utilising in your previous roles.

Some people have a regimented idea of what kind of role they can do – based on their career so far.

The truth is that when you think outside the box, a whole new world of opportunities opens up for you.

As someone who has progressed to where you are today as a middle or senior manager, you will have accumulated a lot of skills and experiences, many of which you might not use daily.

It’s now time to look at the entirety of your skillset, and you will possess soft skills which can translate to different sectors.

Soft skills include:

• Leadership
• Emotional intelligence
• A growth mindset
• Openness to feedback
• Active listening
• Adaptability

As much as you need to emphasise how your skillset can be adapted to a new role, likewise, you should leave out unnecessary information from your CV or your interviews about skills that might not be as relevant for the new position you are applying for. Remember to ask your recruitment consultant for advice on tailoring your CV.

Your Hobbies and Interests

Another direction your career search can take is in looking at your life outside of your current career path to see potential opportunities.

You might be an expert in project planning during the community support you gave during the lockdown, or computer technology from your interests outside of your career.

These skills can be essential in landing you a new job in a sector or area you hadn’t considered before.

Changing Your Mindset Ready for Your Next Move

A big part of finding a new role is mentally being ready and accepting it is time to make a significant change to your life.

It’s not a decision which many people feel comfortable with; at first.

It might even lead to some individuals taking a lesser role in an area they are familiar with rather than taking the plunge for something better in a new sector.

Some industries have not thrived, whereas others have – it’s about considering where the opportunities are and then making the decision to go for it!

Data from Fast Company, the worlds biggest media brand, revealed that 42% of applicants apply for a role without possessing all of the required skills, and 62% of these get hired without fully meeting the criteria.

Inspiring.

So when applying for a new role, remember to think outside the box, and don’t be limited by your own beliefs which could be holding you back.

Finally, if it’s been years since you last applied for a job, or have never worked with a recruiter to find a new role, let me explain the benefits of working with a professional and experienced recruitment company to find your new commercial position.

Working with a Recruitment Company to Navigate the Job Market

If it’s been a while since you last applied for a job, you might not have updated your CV for some time, you could be lacking confidence, or you just don’t know where to start.

Many candidates don’t realise the benefits of working with a recruiter to find their next management role. So if you’re unsure, here’s what you get –

• Help to update and adapt your CV for the roles you want
• Access to unlisted jobs, thanks to the recruiter’s network and knowledge of new openings.
• Career advice and insider information on what’s happening in different sectors that you would not be able to uncover yourself.
• An active search – your recruiter will approach companies they think you will be right for on your behalf, rather than just applying for roles that already exist.
• Prepare you for interviews with insider knowledge about the company.
• Negotiate your salary to get you the remuneration you deserve.

And all as a complimentary service, the client you are applying to covers the recruitment fee, not you.

We understand that right now, looking for a new role can seem daunting.

Don’t go it alone – working with a specialist recruiter will give you the expert help and advice you need to take the next step in your commercial career.

If you would like to know more about how we can help you secure your next management position if your leave has turned into redundancy – get in touch with us here, for a confidential and supportive conversation.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial, and Engineering appointments, on a permanent basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.

Are you one of the thousands of people looking for work due to a change in circumstance because of Covid-19?

If so, we can help.

The official figures show that 649,000 fewer people are employed now than were pre-Covid, with numbers set to rise over the coming months.

Many employees have been furloughed by their employers, being left in limbo until October, others are unsure if their jobs will even be there to go back to.

It has been a worrying and challenging time for everyone who has been affected by the pandemic. And yet there is help and options available for individuals looking for employment right now.

Lots of employees in the U.K. are now making use of temporary employment and contract work; in this article, we look at the benefits of taking a temp position right now, and critically how to land a role you’ll enjoy.

An Increase in Temp Roles – More Opportunities

With an increase in demand, there has been a fortuitous rise in temp jobs since the lockdown was imposed, highlighting the uncertainty in the current job market.

The number of temporary jobs rose by 148,900 from May to June, to create a total of 2.2 million temp roles in the U.K.

After large parts of the country were closed down entirely by the government-imposed restrictions, we entered the first stages of a recession as GDP fell for the first time in several years.

Now the country is opening up again, we see an increase in job opportunities. The country is bouncing back as predictions had hoped.

The pandemic has caused many people to evaluate their careers. A recent survey found in HR Director shared that 20% of people have realised that their current role isn’t for them, with half (50%) of all respondents stating that they plan to change jobs within the next two years.

So where does that leave individuals looking for temp roles right now?

Let me share some recruiting knowledge about the benefits of temp roles and how to take advantage of the job market as it currently stands.

The Benefits of Taking a Temp Role Now

Temporary employment might not be your first choice. Still, there are many benefits associated with taking a temp role, especially in the current climate; and remember that the flexibility of temporary contracts doesn’t only benefit employers.

Many organisations are currently offering temporary contracts for employees to see them through the next few months. If you are currently unemployed, this could be an excellent opportunity to explore different career options or try something you have always wanted to explore.

Temp roles tend to offer more flexibility, so you can choose one where the hours fit around your personal life. You can treat a temp role as a trial run for a new career direction; you might love it and want to continue to look for employment in this sector after your temp contract finishes, or you may realise this isn’t the right path for you.

You will gain experience fast in a new role; you will learn valuable skills to strengthen your CV and show that you are dedicated and hard-working to future prospective employers.

Contrary to popular belief, temporary workers get the same right and benefits as permanent workers; a good recruiter specialising in temp work will be able to help you to understand your temporary contract.

As I mentioned earlier, career changes are happening up and down the country – there has never been a better time to explore new career opportunities than right now.

How to Impress in Your Temp Role

Many employers will advertise temp-to-perm roles, where the position will become permanent for the right candidate. Of course, given the current situation, these roles could occur less frequently.

But the truth is that organisations always need great talented employees, pandemic or not – so bear in mind the following tips when looking for a temp or a temp-to-perm role:

• Cater your CV to the temp roles you are interested in applying for – this easy task will make employers take you far more seriously.
• Think of your temp assignment as an extended interview – if you get taken on initially for a period of a few weeks, show up every day and give your best.
• Always look the part – you will be taken more seriously by management.
• Keep your eyes open for where you can help other team members – being a team player is an essential skill and one that will get you noticed.
• Complete all of your work to a high standard – bringing the attitude of ‘its only a temp role’ into your work will not do you any favours.
• Finally – be sure to work with a reputable recruitment agency that will find you your desired position; check out their website, testimonials and get to know them before you decide to work with them.

Managers are always on the lookout for employees who will add value to their organisation, and impressing as a temp is a great way to increase your permanent job prospects.

Finding the ‘Right’ Temp Role

We understand that the job market can feel strange and competitive right now.

At Clayton Recruitment, we are helping candidates find the temp roles they need right now – and we can help you too.

We help candidates across the North West find the temp roles that can fit in with their current circumstances, and around their family lives.

We offer expert free career consultancy too, so if you want to speak to someone about a temp role or your next career move, call us on 01772 259121 or contact us here.

About Clayton Recruitment

Clayton Recruitment has been partnering with organisations across the country since 1989, and during that time has built up an excellent reputation for trust and reliability.

With specialist divisions covering Commercial, Financial, Industrial and Engineering appointments, on both a permanent and temporary basis. If you are looking for your next career move, we can help. Call us on 01772 259 121 or email us here.