This is a question that I’ve been thinking about a lot recently off the back of conversations with candidates – some who are feeling disillusioned with their current situation, as well as others who have a new lease for life having recently moved and wish they had done it sooner.
Particularly in these times of austerity, of course the right job first and foremost pays the bills and, if we’re lucky, allows for a well-earned break every so often. We have regular conversations with candidates about whether they are being paid enough for the work they do and that’s a very real, practical consideration that most of us can’t ignore.
But actually, the majority of the conversations we have with our candidates centre around things that are much more emotionally driven than that and go to the heart of who we are. We regularly talk about a job giving us a sense of:
- Identity
- Purpose and worth
- Social standing
- Pride in what we can offer and achieve
- Enjoyment
- Fulfilment
- Growth – that there’s always more to learn and somewhere to go
- Structure
- Balance
Looking at this list, it’s easy to see how people who have retired from the world of work can struggle with their “new” life. A job can feel like a very big part of who we are.
Does the way you need to perform your job align with your values outside of work? Are you having to be someone else at work and, if so, does it make you happy?
Haggerty Jaques was founded on the basis that a job is not just a job. It’s not about putting (for want of a better phrase) a bum on a seat. It’s not about sending as many CVs to a client as possible in the hope that someone within that pile might tick some boxes and be offered the job.
Recruiting someone into the right job is a balancing act of the practical and the emotional. It involves collaborating with our clients and candidates and offering a truly consultative service to find the best possible fit for both parties. That process can take time and there aren’t often “quick wins”. But then again, that’s not how trusted relationships are formed anyway.
If you would like to explore new opportunities within the legal sector, Katie Haggerty and I would be delighted to speak to you. You can contact us on 07740 662995 or 07974 131939