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David Did It! – When “We’ll Let You Know” Really Means “We Won’t Let You Know”: A Recruitment Reality Check
Another tale from the UK recruitment trenches where professional courtesy in legal hiring seems to have gone on extended leave…
Well, well, well. Gather ’round for another episode of “David Did It!” – where I spill the tea on legal and accountancy recruitment realities that would make your nan clutch her pearls.
So picture this: one of our legal and accountancy recruiters (bless their cotton socks) has been working their absolute backside off for a lovely client. They’ve had proper conversations with candidates – not those 30-second “are you breathing and have a pulse?” chats that some recruitment agencies call screening. No, proper conversations about legal career goals, solicitor salary expectations, what makes them tick, the whole nine yards.
They send over a cracking CV to said UK law firm. The response? “Please do continue to send and if we are interested we will let you know.”
Now, on the surface, that sounds reasonable for legal recruitment, doesn’t it? But here’s where my recruitment spider senses start tingling like I’ve just spotted a questionable expense claim.
The Translation Game in Legal Hiring
Let me translate this recruitment feedback for you: “We might look at it, we might not. If we like it, we’ll shout. If we don’t… cricket sounds“
And that, my lovely readers, is where I draw the line faster than a drag queen draws her eyeliner in professional recruitment.
Why This Matters in Legal Recruitment (And Why I’m Getting My Knickers in a Twist)
Here’s the thing – at Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions, we don’t just chuck CVs over the fence like we’re feeding the neighbour’s cat. Our legal and accountancy recruitment consultants invest time, energy, and genuine care into understanding both our law firm and accountancy practice clients’ needs and our candidates’ aspirations.
When our recruitment team speaks to a legal professional, they are not just ticking boxes. They’re:
• Understanding their legal career journey
• Discussing their career motivations and professional goals
• Explaining the legal opportunity properly
• Setting realistic salary expectations for solicitor jobs
• Providing interview preparation if needed
• Offering ongoing recruitment support throughout the process
That legal candidate has taken time out of their day, shared their hopes and dreams, and trusted us with their legal career. They deserve better than radio silence from UK law firms.
The Respect Goes Both Ways in Professional Recruitment, Darling
Now don’t get me wrong – I absolutely understand that law firms are busier than a one-legged cat in a sandbox. Legal partners are juggling cases, deadlines, and probably wondering where they left their sanity. I get it, I really do.
But here’s my question: If this is how you treat your recruitment partners – people who are actively trying to help solve your legal staffing challenges – how exactly are you treating your legal team?
Because let me tell you something: legal candidates talk. The legal community in the UK isn’t exactly massive, and word travels faster than gossip at a village fête. That brilliant solicitor you ghosted today? They might be the perfect fit for your competitor tomorrow. And guess what story they’ll be telling about their experience with your law firm?
The Hawthorne-Finch Recruitment Standard
At H-FTS, we have a simple recruitment philosophy: everyone deserves basic human decency. Revolutionary for UK Legal and Accountancy recruitment, I know.
When we work with legal clients, we expect:
• Acknowledgment of CVs sent (even a quick “not suitable” works wonders for recruitment feedback)
• Timely feedback on legal candidates
• Respect for the effort that goes into finding the right legal professionals
• Professional communication throughout the recruitment process
In return, we provide:
• Thoroughly screened legal and accountancy candidates who actually fit your brief
• Proper candidate care that reflects well on your law firm
• Honest recruitment feedback and legal and accountancy market insights
• A partnership approach to solving your legal recruitment challenges
The Bottom Line for Legal Recruitment
I’m not asking for a dissertation on why each legal candidate isn’t suitable. A simple “thanks, but not quite right” takes all of 10 seconds to type. But that 10 seconds means:
• The legal candidate gets closure and can move forward positively
• We can provide proper recruitment feedback and maintain our relationship
• Your law firm / accountancy practice maintains its reputation as an employer that values people
• Everyone wins in legal recruitment
Because here’s the kicker – that solicitor you’re ignoring today might be your dream hire in six months’ or three years time. But if you’ve left them with a bitter taste from this recruitment experience, good luck convincing them to give your law firm / accountancy practice another chance.
The Tea, Served Piping Hot: Legal and Accountancy Recruitment Reality
So to all the law firms and accountancy practices (you’re guilty too) out there: we’re not asking for the moon on a stick. We’re asking for basic professional courtesy in recruitment. Treat your recruitment partners (and by extension, the legal candidates we represent) with the same respect you’d want for yourself.
And if you can’t manage that? Well, there are plenty of UK law firms out there who understand that good legal recruitment is a partnership, not a one-way street.
Mic drop 🎤
About the Author: David Hawthorne-Finch is the Managing Director of Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions Ltd, a leading UK legal recruitment agency where common sense and candidate care aren’t just buzzwords – they’re the foundation of everything we do. Specialising in legal and accountancy recruitment nationwide across the UK, our ethical recruitment approach has helped countless legal professionals find their perfect career move.
When he’s not fighting the good fight for recruitment standards, you can find him on a cruise or explaining to his cat Boo why he can’t be the office manager.
Ready to work with a recruitment partner who actually gives a damn?
📞 Contact our legal recruitment team: 0333 996 2882
📧 Email: info@h-fts.com
🌐 Visit: h-fts.com