All cases are different of course, but here are some general guidelines. As a rule, you should start looking for your qualified role during the last seat of your training contract — so March for September qualifiers and September for March qualifiers.  The economic climate of the past few years has pushed internal decisions later and later as firms hedge their bets in a changing market. But as the economy and job market recovers, firms will make decisions earlier so as to get the best candidates, so we’d advise you to register with your recruiter well on time.

It’s a good idea to start thinking about the area you wish to qualify into early and draft a CV.  Your consultant at Chadwick Nott can provide tips and advice on how to go about this. In the meantime, please see ‘How to Write your CV’ and Example CV.

Your recruiter will usually want to arrange a meeting to get to know you, your professional experience to date, and the types of roles and firms that would suit. The timing of this meeting will differ from candidate to candidate, but it usually takes place at the start of the job search and before any interviews.

Registering with any more than two agencies can be self-defeating. Often candidates find it easier to work exclusively with Chadwick Nott, as it keeps things simple and we can provide a full spectrum of roles anyway. We will only send out your CV to organisations you’ve approved. Make sure other agents do the same, and keep a record of when and where it has been sent.