Recruitment Consultant Matt Parsons is celebrating his first year being part of the Ardent team. He shared some of his thoughts on starting a new job, and how he is settling into the role.
What have been the biggest challenges of starting a new job in 2020?
Having had just over 9 months out of work, through a combination of gardening leave and Covid, getting back into a regular working pattern was a challenge. I’d compare it to going back to school after the summer holidays – I was exhausted in those first couple of weeks!
I eventually learnt to structure my day around a walk in the morning to the local coffee shop and some time out on my bike at lunchtime, weather permitting.
I was very fortunate to be starting my new role with people I’d known for a number of years; integrating as a new team member ‘online’ would have been so much harder.
And of course the biggest challenge of starting a new job in 2020 was getting back into my suit in the autumn of 2021.
What have you liked about working at Ardent in your first 12 months?
We all have young children and having maximum flexibility to balance a busy work and home life has benefited me so much. My son turned two in September and our daughter arrived in May of this year. As you can imagine; it’s been a whirlwind 6 months or so! Knowing I have the full support to work alternative hours to get the best out of me at work, and at home, is something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Working in such a close-knit team has been great. We share information, ideas and collaborate on a daily basis to offer our clients the very best service. I know that sounds clichéd, but it’s true.
What have you most enjoyed about the last 12 months?
Pretty much everything! If pushed, I’d say being in a supportive team, re-engaging with my favourite clients and the satisfaction in helping a number of associates join their dream firms would be the highlights. Catching the train into London for the first time in a very long time was also pretty special!
What’s your view on the current market for clients and candidates?
I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say that this is the best I’ve known the market in over seven years I’ve been in legal recruitment. For candidates, there has never been a better time to consider their respective options, given the demand for their services across the board.
For law firms, it’s been a challenging 12 months recruiting the talent they want. Relying on an established brand to appeal to new associates can only get you so far in a candidate-driven market. I’ve found that firms who have embraced genuine flexibility and prioritised employee well-being have performed better than most.
I have conducted several successful exclusive searches in the last year too. In a market where there are multiple firms trying to recruit from a relatively small talent pool, having someone who knows the specific brief, team and culture ‘inside-out’ ensured that this client didn’t just blend into the noise of every other firm recruiting, from multiple headhunters. It has delivered results and really underlines the importance of a partnership between a law firm and trusted agent.
To talk to Matt about your next opportunity get in touch with him.
