Market Update – November 2021

What a year 2021 has been so far. Recruitment has been booming despite the pandemic still being very much around and over 250 days of lockdown for us here in Melbourne. The working world has changed forever, including in the legal industry which has proven itself to be very resilient and has made it so exciting for us here at Amicus.

It is definitely a candidate market with demand for Professional and Support staff increasing exponentially compared to what we saw in 2020 and even pre-pandemic levels. Job ads are up by over 50% however we are seeing less applications compared to that of the pre-pandemic levels. The industry has certainly bounced back from the recruitment freezes we saw in 2020 and the benefits that candidates are seeing are immeasurable. Experts are predicting ‘The Great Resignation’ to hit in the coming months whereby there is a pent-up demand for candidates who are in search of employers who can enrich their lives beyond salaries and benefits, and who add more value to their lives.

The focus on work life balance, health and well being and flexible working has been a huge factor for candidates as we are seeing businesses pushing and improving these benefits to appeal to prospective employees. It is very rare to see a firm that doesn’t have a hybrid working model in place for all their staff. We are also seeing significant increases in salaries of up to 20% with the average in Victoria being around 10%. This is due to candidates fielding multiple offers and firms wanting to beat the competition, as well as lavish bonuses and retention strategies.

Legal Support

If you are a career secretary, this is your time to shine as demand for pure secretaries/assistants has been insane! Firms are wanting to invest in assistants that they can rely on to be in it for the long haul and trust to get the job done. For those assistants wanting that flexibility and work-life balance, we are seeing the majority of firms offering generous hybrid working arrangements. Now that lockdowns are hopefully a thing of the past, we will start to see an increase in the need for on-site business admin staff including receptionists and office administrators.

Lawyers

Due to the lack of movement in 2020 we are seeing more confidence in lawyers and they are becoming more mobile and searching for that next opportunity. Construction and Personal Injuries lawyers are in hot demand and we just can’t keep up! There is also a high demand for experienced Mergers and Acquisitions lawyers, and general corporate lawyers with PAE.

So, if you are wanting to make a move and set yourself up in a great new role for the beginning of 2022, NOW is the now time to reach out to us and one of our experienced Consultants will guide you through the process.