Timing- All the answers when it comes to looking for a new legal role.

When is the best time to look for a job?

The simplest answer is when you feel that it is the right time to move and/or if the right/dream opportunity presents itself. There will also be different periods of the economic cycle that will produce more opportunities in certain sectors than others or government announcements like the Royal Commission into the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry that will have a direct impact on the number of opportunities available at any one time.

What time in my career is it best to move roles?

This is a hard question to answer. There is no one best time to make a move. Do know that Law firms typically only hire lawyers laterally who have at least 2 years’ experience as a graduate/lawyer, so you will most likely need at least two years experience as a minimum. Once you have at least 2 years’ experience, the best time to move will depend on your specific situation and the motivations behind you looking for a role.

What time of year are most roles advertised?

Recruitment in Australia is different to that of other countries. The busiest month of the year for any recruiter coincides with the start of the financial year – which is Australia is July 1st. Typically recruitment is very busy in July, August and September with a secondary rush occurring in mid to late October as employers begin to feel pressure to secure talent and fill their vacancies before Christmas.

In the New Year, late January/ early February are a popular month for people to commence looking for a role but it can be a competitive time as many people return from their summer holidays with the exact same idea.

May/ June typically sees a slow- down in candidate movement as many people hold out to see what their own employers will do with their salary, so this to can be a good time to look at roles (and you wont find much competition for vacancies).

How long will it take to secure a role?

The length of time it will take you to secure a role will depend on many things including- the number of vacancies in a particular area, your level of experience and suitability for a role, the number of other applications an organisation has received, the hiring manger/ Partners and your diary and availability etc. It is always best to start making enquires before you need to find something.

How long does a “normal” recruitment process take after I send my Cv?

Typically a successful recruitment process will take 3-4 weeks to complete to allow organisations a week to review your cv, and a week to coordinate each interview stage. It isn’t abnormal though for the process to take much longer due to scheduling and/or work demands. Processes have been known to take 3 or 4 months. The shortest time I have seen someone secure a role and resign is about 4 days after applying, the longest close to 13 months from initial application to offer- anything in between can be considered ‘not unusual’.

How long will a firm wait for me to start?

The time that an organisation will wait for someone is directly proportional to the uniqueness and attractiveness of a particular skill set to the organisation and the broader market. Firms have often been known to wait 6-10 months for Australian qualified and foreign qualified lawyers to relocate from foreign jurisdictions. For domestic candidates firms usually offer a role and allow candidates a short break between roles of between 1-3 weeks. If you would like a delayed start date, it is worth mentioning this in your interview and making it very clear upfront so there is no surprise at offer stage. If you are thinking of relocating from oversees we recommend making applications 4-5 months from the date you wish to be starting your new role to allow time for a recruitment process and your notice period to run.

For answers to anything else legal recruitment related, please drop me an email kparry@kensingtonparry.com or give me a call +61 413 823 687 at anytime. The market is Australia is extremely busy and we are working on multiple roles across a range of Australian jurisdictions.