Career Advice

In a world full of greater competition, highly qualified candidates and fewer opportunities, job rejections are inevitable. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting the global economy, many people are finding it harder than ever to look for jobs. However, job rejection is not always the biggest ordeal; it is the aftermath of job rejections, which begins with doubting yourself and your abilities, suffering from imposter syndrome, and feeling demotivated in pursuing a career in your chosen field. Candidates often find job rejections extremely disheartening, and it takes a toll on their mental health and their perspectives.

COVID-19 is having all kinds of far-reaching effects on everyone’s lives. And in recruitment, one of the biggest impacts is an inevitable switch to video interviewing.

But video interviewing has become far more common over recent years anyway. So, sharpening your video interview skills now won’t just be useful during this extraordinary period, but for your future career too.

Here are a selection of insider tips on video interviewing like a pro from everyone at Ambition.

Plan in advance

A video interview is no different from any other interview in terms of content. Don’t expect the questions to be any easier or the interviewer to be any more lenient.

With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, it can be easy to believe that job hunting at the moment is an exercise in futility. In reality, however, many employers continued to hire throughout lockdown, and as businesses around the country reopen, the organisations that had put their recruitment drives on hold have resumed efforts to source new talent.

That being said, job hunting now looks very different than it did back in March, and competition for roles in the legal profession is fierce. With the number of vacancies on-site growing and confidence in the job market improving, we decided to put together this list of advice and tips for how to get hired during COVID-19.

Be patient

With the Paralegal profession being acknowledged as the fastest growing within the legal services sector, it’s important to dispel some of the myths and incorrect assumptions that surround the profession.

All Paralegals are law graduates who wish to become Solicitors or Barristers

This premise is just wrong: many graduates still aspire to enter these conventional professions. However, not all graduates wish to become Solicitors or Barristers. Some may want to become career Paralegals or Paralegal practitioners. The cost of qualifying for the conventional professions is so prohibitive that many graduates see the Paralegal pathway as a viable career alternative.

Paralegals are just glorified Legal Secretaries

Legal Secretaries and Paralegals are essential additions to any law firm. Both roles provide support for lawyers with preparing cases and general administrative work. But what’s the difference between a Paralegal and a Legal Secretary? This article will tackle that question and also provide you with insight into the similarities between a Legal Secretary and a Paralegal.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Secretary

Legal Secretaries work in law firms to provide administrative support to lawyers. Daily tasks include producing legal documents, performing research, transcribing interviews, preparing legal forms, organising diaries and generally keeping the office running smoothly. Sometimes they also attend court, which can be interesting.

With businesses reopening and an end date fixed for the furlough scheme, some employers are starting a phased return of their staff. Here’s TotallyLegal’s advice for returning to work after furlough.

According to the results of Business Live’s recent Great Big Business Survey, over half of the businesses polled had taken advantage of the government’s furlough scheme since it came into effect in March, with 28.5% reporting that they had furloughed more than 75% of their workforce.

Telephone interviews continue to grow in popularity within the recruitment process, particularly for urgent roles that need filling fast or first-stage interviews. However, these can be daunting for candidates who may not have experienced one before.

During a telephone interview an employer can efficiently gain a technical understanding of your experience without having to set up a lot of time-consuming formal interviews. Thus, the employer can shorten the hiring cycle. It is therefore crucial that you make a strong first impression to ensure you are shortlisted for a formal interview and make it through to the next stage of the hiring process.

A Legal Secretary needs to be dedicated, efficient and highly organised in order for a law firm or business to run effectively.

Therefore, when interviewing for a Legal Secretary position, employers are looking for much more than good administration skills. Legal Secretaries need to demonstrate a genuine interest in the law, as well as excellent customer service skills and adaptability.

You might be interviewing for your first Legal Secretary job, or you could be an experienced candidate looking to make the move to a major law firm. Whatever your experience, we have put together some helpful tips on how to answer common Legal Secretary interview questions to reflect the best of your abilities.  

The last couple of months spent in lockdown have affected many lives in the legal industry, with staff now working from home, working reduced hours or being furloughed.

Jobs have been more scarce because many employers can’t justify bringing on new staff in these times of uncertainty, so for those who want to remain working in the legal industry, it’s been more challenging to find a new job.

The emergence of remote working has grown from a novel thought to an increasingly sought-after business perk within the legal profession. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic mandating that all types of lawyers at all types of seniority level work from home, is remote working here to stay for the considerable future?