COVID-19 hit us all like a brick and understandably, some candidates are anxious about their jobs and have reached out to find out more about the hiring scene. In this post, we give our take on some of the common questions we have been asked…

How’s the market?

Hiring was brisk in 1Q and early 2Q when COVID-19 first hit our shores.

However, with no abatement in sight, coupled with disruptions to global travel and supply chains as well as US-China tensions, companies seem to be taking a more cautious, “wait-and-see” approach.

Some segments have been more active than others. But as companies tighten their belts and become (even more) budget conscious, they have been increasingly selective with their hiring requirements, and demand more value for their hires.

We also see increased requests for short term contract lawyers as companies shy away from long term financial commitment at this point. To this end, we have launched LegalFlex as an additional resource for our clients and candidates.

International moves have also become challenging due to border closures and restrictions on work visas.

Which segments are still actively hiring?

The two obvious sectors would be ICT/technology/e-commerce and biomedical/pharmaceutical, with the pandemic driving a surge in demand for products and services in these areas.

We have seen an increased demand especially for IT/IP lawyers familiar with data analytics and storage, cloud infrastructure, cyber-security and e-payments.

The disputes, insolvency and restructuring practice areas of law firms have also been active.

What do hiring managers look out for in particular given the current situation?

Immunity to COVID-19… just kidding, or maybe not! Jokes aside, the fundamentals have not changed as hiring managers’ focus remain on relevant skillset and cultural fit.

What we think would make a candidate stand out this season though is adaptability. Job scopes may change as companies venture into new projects, or launch novel products and services to adapt to “new norms”, and the willingness to be flexible, with some optimism and a sense of adventure tossed in would certainly come in useful!

When would the market pick up?

Your guess is as good as ours! We are constantly in touch with our market contacts and have fumbled our way through online financial reports but our honest answer is that we do not know enough to hazard a guess.

We too hope it will be real soon and we will keep everyone posted of new opportunities as the market picks up.

In the meantime, we would like very much to remain connected and if you have any other questions or would like to catch up for a chat, do feel free to reach out!