Job Hunting? Don't Make These 4 Common Mistakes
As specialist recruiters in the Legal Industry here at Legal People, we see a lot of resumes. We see a lot of cover letters. We see a lot of candidates.
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So today we are sharing with you the most common mistakes we see from job hunters in the legal industry. We will explain how to easily avoid them. This will help you get your CV to the yes or maybe pile. It may even help get you through the first interview to the next round. We want to help you maximise your chance of landing your dream job!
So here are our tips to avoid these common mistakes.
1. The Cover Letter
We have seen cover letters with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. We have seen them addressed to incorrect people and incorrect companies. We have seen them be so generic that it can be difficult to tell exactly which role they are applying for.
Our advice is to always tailor your cover letter for each role. You should address it to the hiring manager and mention the company. You should also briefly respond to the key selection criteria.
2. The Poor Quality CV
The CV can be a minefield of possible errors. We have seen typos, unfinished sentences and poor formatting making them difficult to read. We have seen CVs that are 10 pages long and read like war and peace. We have seen fancy fonts, colour and pictures. Remember that your CV is one of the first impressions we will have about you. From it we make conclusions about your attention to detail and your professionalism.
The Legal Industry tends to be conservative, so we suggest you
- Always tailor your CV specifically to the role you are applying for
Particularly consider any achievements that clearly tie into the key selection criteria.
- Format it clearly
Make use of clear headings and sub headings. Use dot points. Use a simple, easily read font. Keep your sentences relatively short. It needs to be easily readable and easily scanned. It needs to include your name and contact details. Try and keep it to 3-5 pages.
- Check it carefully
If you are not confident with spelling or grammar have a trusted friend check it for you.
Read it aloud to yourself to confirm readability and punctuation.
For a sample legal resume template please visit our website.
3. The Not-So-Great Job Interview
Ooh, we have seen some good examples of what not to do here! We have seen a candidate answer a phone call clearly relating to another job opportunity. We have seen candidates turn up late. We have even had candidates not turn up at all!
Don’t worry about feeling nervous, we make allowances for that.
Please take a moment to take these suggestions on board:
- Turn off your phone or put it on silent.
- Please be punctual. Allow extra travel time so you don’t turn up flustered and out of breath.
- Don’t complain or talk negatively about your current employer. This makes us think you will most likely also complain about your next employer, which is unprofessional.
- Do not arrive unprepared. Bring along any requested supporting documentation.
- Consider your body language. Keep it positive and engaged.
4. Don't Only Apply for Advertised Roles -Build/Use Your Networks...
Not all roles are advertised by employers & recruiters. If you are serious about job hunting, you also need to be networking & building relationships. This includes talking to former colleagues, mentors and bosses about the type of role you are looking for and what you can bring to it.
We think these common mistakes can easily be avoided. By doing so, you can get yourself out in front of the other candidates for the role of your choice. So take some extra time when you next apply for a role. Tailor your cover letter and CV. Prepare for the interview. Take a professional approach to networking and move forward to the next step in your career.
Are you looking for a new and challenging role in the legal industry in Melbourne? Legal People is your gateway to legal talent. We are specialists in the Legal Industry. We recruit Lawyers, Support staff and HR professionals in Melbourne, Australia. If you enjoyed reading this article, you can follow our Company Page on LinkedIn for regular updates. To browse our current available roles click here.
