Resources

Recruitment has a reputation problem. Most people have a story where they felt like a number, a CV was sent without permission, or a conversation suddenly turned pushy the moment money was involved. If that’s been your experience, you’re right to be cautious. But here’s the honest truth about how we’ve built Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions: I’d rather lose a fee...

Counteroffers are one of those moments where leadership gets tested. Handled well, they can save a key person and reset trust. Handled badly, they can create a bigger problem than the resignation itself: pay resentment, a wobble in team confidence, and a culture where people learn they only get valued when they threaten to leave. This guide is a practical,...

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...

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...

If you’re in recruitment and have faced job rejection, or you’re considering internal recruitment vs agency partnerships, this story reveals why rejection often redirects us toward better opportunities. Sometimes the door that closes leads you to a better window – and occasionally, you get to prove exactly what they missed out on. The “Perfect” Internal Recruitment Opportunity That Wasn’t A...

A comprehensive guide for legal professionals navigating the partnership track in UK law firms Starting your legal career can feel like being handed a map with half the roads missing. Law school teaches you the technical skills – contract law, litigation procedures, legal research – but it doesn’t prepare you for the office politics, client relationship management, and strategic career...

By David Hawthorne-Finch, Managing Director After over a decade in recruitment and building Hawthorne-Finch Talent Solutions from the ground up, I’ve witnessed countless market shifts. But 2025 has brought some of the most significant changes I’ve ever seen in legal and accountancy recruitment. Let me share what I’m observing from the frontlines. The Great Salary Surge: What’s Really Happening David...