Until very recently it has been a rare occurrence to get a conveyancing candidate any posts in the north east of England. When we do get them, we usually get lots of requests from firms and register a whole raft of new vacancies.
In the last week, I estimate that we have had over six good quality conveyancing and commercial property candidates register in the north east as well as wills and probates and other fields on top of this.
It appears that the wave of redundancies that have been going round the UK have finally reached the north east and some of the larger and bucket shop type organisations have started to lay off staff.
The quality of the candidates being laid off is very interesting. A couple appear to have spent a good number of years with the firms they have been laid off from. Their billing levels are quite frankly phenomenal. Salary levels on the other hand are pretty appalling bearing in mind the billing levels and what is even more surprising is that the firms are letting them go when they have their own referral systems in place. Other candidates have not been quite so good in that although they have had the threat of redundancy placed on them, they have not quite grasped the current situation in the conveyancing job market and have a string of conditions attached but very little to offer a firm.
The usual issue is the question of salary and most of this type of candidate start off with a specific salary range in mind that have not realised that this is unlikely to be more than they’re currently paid and is likely to be less than they are currently paid.
I anticipate that the north east will not struggle particularly with soaking up the redundant staff from the larger players because it has traditionally been understaffed in conveyancing in any event and there are still firms out there looking who have been looking for a very long time. I hope to be able to assist a good number of these candidates in a way that we are not able to do in London.
Jonathan Fagan is Managing Director of Ten-Percent.co.uk, legal recruitments both onshore and offshore in the UK. You can reach him for a press comment at cv@ten-percent.co.uk
In the last week, I estimate that we have had over six good quality conveyancing and commercial property candidates register in the north east as well as wills and probates and other fields on top of this.
It appears that the wave of redundancies that have been going round the UK have finally reached the north east and some of the larger and bucket shop type organisations have started to lay off staff.
The quality of the candidates being laid off is very interesting. A couple appear to have spent a good number of years with the firms they have been laid off from. Their billing levels are quite frankly phenomenal. Salary levels on the other hand are pretty appalling bearing in mind the billing levels and what is even more surprising is that the firms are letting them go when they have their own referral systems in place. Other candidates have not been quite so good in that although they have had the threat of redundancy placed on them, they have not quite grasped the current situation in the conveyancing job market and have a string of conditions attached but very little to offer a firm.
The usual issue is the question of salary and most of this type of candidate start off with a specific salary range in mind that have not realised that this is unlikely to be more than they’re currently paid and is likely to be less than they are currently paid.
I anticipate that the north east will not struggle particularly with soaking up the redundant staff from the larger players because it has traditionally been understaffed in conveyancing in any event and there are still firms out there looking who have been looking for a very long time. I hope to be able to assist a good number of these candidates in a way that we are not able to do in London.
Jonathan Fagan is Managing Director of Ten-Percent.co.uk, legal recruitments both onshore and offshore in the UK. You can reach him for a press comment at cv@ten-percent.co.uk
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