NQ Outlook™ Process and Timeline

Securing your first post-qualification position can be a daunting prospect, and sometimes the most confusing part of the process is not knowing what to do, but when to do it.

Our NQ Outlook™ Process and Timeline provide a simple guide to get you started. For more detailed information and advice, order a free copy of our NQ Outlook™ CareerPack by clicking here.

Start speaking to FWA. We will take the time to: - explain our services - advise you on your CV - arrange to meet you - discuss your options, and - advise you on your options

If you are interested in any of the opportunities we are handling, we will discuss these at length with you. If you are happy to progress with an application, we will present your CV to the relevant recruiting firms / organisations. If you are invited for an interview, we will assist you to prepare fully by providing you with our support tools and information, and answering any questions you may have.

When to begin the process
Every firm sets its own recruitment plan each year and will take into consideration the vagaries of the market before beginning its NQ recruitment drive. In our experience, there is no right or wrong time to start looking, however, as a general precept our recommendation is that if you are qualifying in September, you begin the process in January / February of the same year. If you are qualifying in March, then begin the process in October / November of the preceding year.

2008 NQ’s Frasia Wright Associates has been retained to recruit 2008 qualifiers for a selection of firms, including: For further information on any of the vacancies being offered by these firms, or for an initial confidential discussion, please contact one of our NQ Outlook™ Specialist Consultants

Should you use a recruitment consultancy?
At this stage of your career, the likelihood is that you have never used a recruitment consultancy before. It’s important that the consultancy you choose understands your market, has the experience and expertise to provide you with relevant and appropriate advice, and will do so with professional integrity and confidentiality. At Frasia Wright Associates our reputation precedes us, and we will afford you a service in which each of these qualities is consistently evident.

The initial contact
So, if Frasia Wright Associates is the right recruitment consultancy for you, the earlier in the process you contact us, the better. One of our NQ Outlook™ Consultants will meet with you in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen – a vital part of the process in order for us to establish exactly what your aspirations are, whether or not you have any specialisation preferences or training, and the type of firm or organisation would be most suitable for you. In short, we will assist you in determining your individual recruitment strategy.

CV preparation
Our NQ Outlook™ Consultants will work with you to develop the content of your CV and ensure that it clearly communicates your experience, strengths and, as far as possible, some clues as to your personality. Any CV sent by FWA to a prospective employer will be professionally prepared by one of our in-house CV specialists, and will only contain information which has been approved by you.

In addition to our CV preparation service, our complimentary CV Handbook has been designed to assist candidates at all levels with CV preparation. In order to obtain your free copy, please click here.

Assessing the opportunities
Once you have met with one of our NQ Outlook™ Consultants and are finalising your CV, we will start to review and discuss with you all suitable relevant opportunities for which you might wish to be considered. Your CV will never be sent to nor will you be presented as a candidate to any firm or organisation without your prior approval. It is important for you as a candidate to ensure that you participate in the management of this process if you are registered with more than one recruitment consultancy – failure to do so could result in confusion and embarrassment for all concerned.

You may, of course, be offered a position at your traineeship firm and we would certainly encourage you to accept that if it feels right for you and will allow you to achieve your career goals and aspirations.

The interview – before and after
While it is a clear indication that a firm or other organisation is interested in a candidate, being granted an interview on the back of a strong CV is not enough to secure any candidate a firm offer of employment. What a candidate does before, during and after the interview is equally crucial. Before any of our NQ candidates attend an interview, we ensure that they are intensively prepared and briefed prior to the interview in order to enable them to maximise the opportunities the interview affords them. All our NQ candidates receive a tailor-made pre-interview pack containing valuable relevant market information retrieved from a variety of sources.

Your NQ Outlook™ Consultant will also conduct detailed feedback and debriefing sessions post-interview.

Accepting or declining an offer of employment
Once you have received an offer, or offers, of employment, your NQ Outlook™ Consultant will review the offer with you and liaise with the firm or organisation making the offer on your behalf. At Frasia Wright Associates, we will never pressurise any candidate into accepting an offer which he or she is not comfortable with – we are there to provide advice, and ultimately the decision is yours. Whatever you decide, we will assist you to couch your response appropriately – even if you are declining an offer, it is important to do it professionally and courteously.