Recruitment: report finds lack of training and flexible working to be common areas of employee dissatisfaction

Almost two-thirds of candidates who have gone through the recruitment agency process feel let down by their new firms, research has revealed.


A survey by Solihull-based agency Shaw Chapman found that 65% of candidates felt their new employers had failed to fulfil the promises made when they were hired. However, their disillusionment was shared by a significant number of firms, with 22% of practices feeling disappointed with new recruits.


The areas where candidates’ expectations most commonly failed to meet reality concerned office space, the provision of secretaries and training. Agreements for flexible working and time to do pro bono work were also frequently forgotten.


Ken Shaw, managing director of Shaw Chapman, said: ‘We found that promises which had not been written down were often unmet. While initial training and induction was good, after a while work took over and further training got lost in the hard grind of fee earning.’


He added: ‘This situation of undelivered promises is not good for either party and is particularly frustrating for those seeking to move from associate level to partner. Candidates and employers tend to fall in love with each other out of sheer relief when they feel they’ve found the right fit, rather than wait to batten down each others expectations.’


Mr Shaw advised lawyers to consider carefully factors that were important to them. ‘Be thorough, talk to someone who’s gone through the process, and don’t rush in to the first firm that takes an interest.’


Candidates should also be aware that their current firm is likely to make a counter offer, although he warned that 98% of people who accept that offer and stay put become dissatisfied or leave within a year.


Mr Shaw said: ‘While lawyers are highly trained and excellent technicians, they are generally not good at marketing themselves. They are afraid to put themselves above the parapet because the legal world is small. We talk to firms on a no-names basis and our research found 93% would create an opening for someone with the right skills.’


Firms want eager-to-learn, hard-working team players who have their own client following and good management skills, he said. ‘They want to see evidence of entrepreneurial skills and a track record in marketing your niche and expertise, as well as in winning new business. My advice to any prospective candidate is to build their technical, marketing and management skills – in that order.’


Shaw Chapman’s research also showed the lure of the capital was not as strong as it once was, with lawyers increasingly seeking to work outside London in a bid to improve their overall quality of life – even if this meant they had to take a pay cut.