Resources

In recruitment, both sides can feel like they’re the one with the power, right up until they don’t. The recruiter’s value is making sure neither side overplays their hand. It sounds simple. It rarely is. I’ve been doing this long enough to watch the same dynamic play out repeatedly, across legal sector hiring, accountancy recruitment, and just about every salary...

Why Your Job Ad Isn’t Converting (and the 6 Lines to Fix First) If your job advert is getting views but not the right applications, it’s rarely because “there aren’t any candidates”. Most of the time, the advert is missing clarity in the first few lines. Good candidates skim. They decide in seconds whether a role is worth their time....

Hybrid Working:  What Candidates Mean vs What Firms Hear Hybrid working should be simple. In reality, it’s one of the biggest sources of frustration I see on both sides of the market, because “hybrid” isn’t a standard term. In this guide, I break down what candidates usually mean when they ask for hybrid working, what firms often hear, and how...

Offer drop-outs are one of the most frustrating parts of hiring. You do the hard work, you find someone good, everyone agrees they’re the right fit and then it wobbles at the last moment. The good news: most drop-outs aren’t random. They’re usually the result of avoidable gaps in process, communication, or expectations. Here’s a practical guide UK firms can...

Are These Killing Your Ability to Hire? Most hiring issues are not “a candidate problem”. They are process problems. If you are struggling to land the people you actually want, here are three common culprits I see in professional hiring markets (legal and accountancy included). Use these as credible internal conversation starters, not as hard promises externally. 1) Speed wins...

Accounts Roles Salary Bands in Accountancy Practice (London vs UK-Wide) Hiring or job-hunting in practice can feel messy because “accounts” titles aren’t always consistent between firms. Below is a clear, practical guide to typical salary bands for core accounts roles in accountancy practice, split into London and UK-wide (outside London). These figures are designed to be a helpful benchmark, not...

Why tailoring your CV matters (and why good candidates get ignored) If you’re applying for roles and not getting traction, there’s a good chance it’s not your experience. It’s how your experience is being presented. We recently advertised for a Recruitment Consultant role and received 109 applications. A few people told us in messages or cover notes that they had...

I get asked a lot by clients about their offer, how does it stand out against the market. A lot of the time people are still trying to pitch a standard benefit such as Pension (and I mean standard pension not enhanced pension) as a lucrative benefit. Thankfully we have seen less fruit baskets and team pizza days in the...

It was Dec 2023 that I decided to make a career move and sat down to think what that would look like. That decision launched my career forward and now I have a business I am excited to work at every day (mainly thanks to my team, clients and candidates). The festive season is upon us, and while most people...

Why December is the Best Month for a Career Move (and Why Waiting for January Could Hold You Back) December. For most, it’s a time of mince pies, Christmas jumpers, and winding down. But if you’re thinking about a career move, especially in the legal or accountancy sectors, this is the golden window you shouldn’t ignore. If you want to...

In the fast-paced world of legal and accountancy recruitment, timing isn’t just important—it’s everything. At Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions, we’ve identified a critical gap in the market that’s costing our clients the very best candidates. Today, we’re proud to announce our industry-first 48-Hour Feedback Guarantee, a game-changing commitment that puts our clients ahead of the competition. The Problem That’s Costing You...

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...