Legal Recruitment Through the Coronavirus Outbreak

For now, we’re continuing to deliver our legal recruitment services through the Coronavirus outbreak. We’ve all been faced with challenges in business but never have we had to face such unprecedented times as these.

The Coronavirus has shaken everything we know in today’s society to the core. There’s fear, uncertainty and anxiety amongst us all but we are trying to stay focused on the positives and be able to turn this extraordinary situation we are in into one of opportunity for the future.

What We are Seeing with Legal Roles

As you can imagine, recruitment in law firms isn’t top of the priority list at present. Where we’re seeing the biggest slow down in legal hires is across business support areas. Most firms are placing back-office support roles on hold for now, with the view of filling them again once the worst of the virus has passed. Some firms have scrapped their recruitment planning and have been cutting staff hours or actual staff numbers all together, by way of managing this difficult period. Medium to larger firms with longer term strategies to grow teams and departments are still very much hiring. Their HR and recruitment teams are working (albeit remotely) and receptive to receiving CVs for the roles they have.

How are Interviews Happening?

Here at Interlink, all the tools we use to source the right candidates for client roles are online, digital tools. Ideally, we would go on to meet our candidates before putting them forward for any role. But of course, in the current environment, we are operating without any face-to-face contact.

We are making better use of applications such as Skype and WhatsApp to make video calls with candidates and some firms are willing to have an initial interview using similar technologies. Certainly, we are able to get through the first couple of stages of the recruitment process this way. Second and final interviews will likely be scheduled for when normal working life resumes.

Things to Consider when Video Conferencing

With the schools now officially closed, many will have the added pressure of caring for, and teaching, their children from home. Our best advice for any video call or interview would be to do it in a quiet room, if possible, without any distracting background noise. Make sure you are dressed in much the same way as you would if you were attending the interview in person (or at least from the waist up!). Not only will wearing business dress make sure you come across as professional but you are more likely to feel ‘in the zone’ when it comes to the discussion itself. And of course, only do the interview if you are feeling well and able! Speak with or send a message to your recruitment contact should your circumstances change prior to any arranged video call.  

Why it Pays to Stay Connected

If you’re working from home full-time or working a skeleton shift pattern within the firm, there are lots of reasons to be online and connected. You will have more time available to discuss your career circumstances with a legal recruitment expert. Make use of that time!

Perhaps a new role was something you were considering before the virus took hold or maybe events over the last couple of weeks have led you to feeling a need for a change. There are opportunities out there – don’t miss them! Our legal recruitment team are still working so they can talk you through what’s available, your circumstances and how best to take the next steps during these exceptional times.