If you're a lawyer with a few years of experience under your belt and starting to think about your next move, you're not alone. Across Queensland, many lawyers are exploring new opportunities, whether they're seeking better quality work, clearer progression, stronger mentoring, greater flexibility, or simply a change of environment. When that decision to move is made, it's natural to want to maximise your chances. For some lawyers, that means applying for as many roles as possible, engaging multiple recruiters, and trying to keep several opportunities moving at once, which can be a bit like spinning plates in the air! On the surface, it seems like a sensible approach. The more applications you submit, the more likely you are to secure an offer, right? However, what I’ve noticed when working with junior and early-career lawyers who want to make a move, that this is often where candidates run into trouble. Young lawyers often begin their job search with real energy, and sometimes take a scattergun approach to apply widely and move quickly. Legal recruitment does not always reward that approach, and it can be overwhelming for a candidate to navigate. Some of the strongest career outcomes come from slowing down, understanding how the market works, and approaching a job search with greater clarity and intention. The Legal Market Is Smaller Than You Think One of the first questions we ask candidates is whether they have applied for any other roles recently and whether those applications were made directly or through another recruiter. Some people are reluctant to tell us. They seem worried we're going to be upset if they've applied elsewhere. The reality is that we'd much rather know. The reason is simple. Legal recruitment can be surprisingly interconnected. Let me explain how. A candidate may have applied directly to a firm through SEEK, unaware that the same firm has also engaged a recruiter to assist with the search. In other cases, a firm may have briefed multiple recruiters on the same vacancy. Sometimes candidates have applied to a firm six or nine months earlier when they were simply testing the waters and have completely forgotten about it by the time they begin a serious search. This can create challenges for everyone involved. We might interview someone, shortlist them and present them to a client, only to be told the firm already knows the candidate because they've applied previously. When that happens, our ability to advocate for the candidate can become limited. More importantly, candidates can find themselves losing track of where they've applied, who they've spoken with, and which opportunities are still active. It sounds simple, but one of the most valuable things a candidate can do is maintain a record of their applications. Knowing where you've applied, when you applied, and who you've spoken to creates clarity and helps avoid unnecessary confusion later in the process. Why do Lawyers Fall Into the "More Is Better" Trap? For many lawyers, the desire to apply broadly is driven by uncertainty rather than strategy. Perhaps they're unhappy in their current role. Perhaps they feel stuck. Maybe they're questioning whether they're progressing quickly enough or are concerned they're falling behind their peers. When those feelings start to build, applying for multiple roles can feel productive. It creates momentum and provides a sense of control. The challenge is that quantity doesn't necessarily improve quality. Many candidates assume their CV will do the heavy lifting, but that's not always the case. Even strong lawyers can undersell themselves on paper, particularly when trying to explain complex matters, transferable skills, or niche experience. Without context, a hiring manager may struggle to connect a candidate's experience with the role they're recruiting for. In our experience, and in some cases, it's not that the person isn't suitable, it's that their experience hasn't been presented in the strongest possible way. This is where specialist recruiters like the team at Alex Correa Executive can add significant value. Beyond simply introducing candidates to opportunities, they help translate experience into a compelling story, highlighting the matters, responsibilities and skills that align with a particular role. The result is often a stronger application and a better chance of securing an interview. What is the Hidden Cost of Too Many Job Applications? Managing several job applications simultaneously can quickly become more complicated than candidates anticipate. One firm may be arranging first interviews while another is conducting second interviews. A third may be discussing an offer while a fourth is still reviewing applications. At the same time, candidates are trying to remember who they've spoken to, what was discussed, and where each opportunity sits in the process. Before long, what began as an effort to increase options can become overwhelming. One of the most common situations we encounter is a candidate receiving an offer while they're still progressing through other opportunities. This is often when the pressure starts and some candidates feel like they need to decide immediately. Most firms understand that candidates may be considering multiple opportunities. While every organisation is different, many will provide a reasonable timeframe for a decision, often around five to seven days. That time can be incredibly valuable. Rather than focusing solely on benefits or salary packages, candidates can properly assess what each opportunity offers. They can consider the quality of work, the clients they will be exposed to, the partner they will learn from, the culture of the team, the flexibility available, and how the role aligns with their longer-term goals. These are significant career decisions and they deserve thoughtful consideration. After all, accepting a role simply because it is the first offer that arrives can sometimes lead to a bigger problem six months later when the reality of the position doesn't match expectations. What Happens When Too Many Applications Start Sending the Wrong Message? There are also situations where applying too broadly can actively work against a candidate. We recently worked with a lawyer relocating to Australia who had applied for opportunities across multiple states, including different offices of the same firm. From the candidate's perspective, they were keeping their options open. From the firm's perspective, it raised questions. The feedback was that the candidate didn't seem to know where they wanted to be based. Similarly, firms increasingly have systems that track previous applications. Candidates who repeatedly apply for the same organisations over several years without refining their approach can unintentionally create the impression that they are applying reactively rather than strategically. Our advice is straightforward. "Don't DIY everything." Before sending another application, take the time to understand whether your CV is working, whether your experience is being presented effectively, and whether the role genuinely aligns with what you're looking for. Why Does Legal Recruitment Take Time? Another source of frustration for many lawyers is the perception that recruitment should move faster than it often does. The reality is that legal hiring involves numerous stakeholders and competing priorities. Partners may be tied up with major matters. Internal recruitment teams may be coordinating multiple vacancies. Budget approvals may still be pending. Other candidates may still need to be interviewed before a final decision can be made. Whilst our team can follow up and ask for feedback, there’s only so much influence they can exert. We just can't always make a firm move faster. While some firms can move from application to offer within a matter of weeks, others may have a process that includes multiple interviews, informal meetings with team members and internal approvals that extend over five or six weeks. Understanding this reality helps candidates manage expectations and avoid making decisions based purely on speed. The fastest process is not always the best opportunity. Are You Looking Beyond the Job Description? When evaluating opportunities, many lawyers focus heavily on the role itself. However, some of the most important information rarely appears in a job advertisement. Every firm talks about culture. Every firm promotes flexibility. Every organisation positions itself as a great place to work. What those concepts look like in practice can vary dramatically. We have found that what flexibility looks like in one firm can be completely different to what it looks like in another. This is where market intelligence becomes valuable. Our team who works exclusively within the legal sector have years of insight into teams, partners, management styles and working environments. We have placed lawyers into those firms and maintained relationships long after the placement has been made. That means we can often identify when an opportunity genuinely aligns with a candidate's goals and, just as importantly, when it doesn't. We've absolutely told candidates that a role doesn't appear right for them, even when it means we don't make a placement. That advice may not always be what candidates expect to hear, but it often leads to better long-term outcomes. How Can You Find Someone You Trust with Legal Career Advice? The reality is that changing jobs can be stressful, particularly when you're balancing billable hours, client expectations and career uncertainty. While it can be tempting to seek advice from multiple sources, too much advice can sometimes create more confusion than clarity. Different recruiters may provide different perspectives. Some may be highly transactional. Others may not have specialist QLD legal sector market insights. For candidates, the key is finding someone you trust. Someone you genuinely vibe with. Someone who understands not only the market, but also your personal goals, motivations and concerns. A trusted adviser should help you compare legal career opportunities objectively, challenge your assumptions when necessary and support you in making decisions that serve your long-term career rather than simply filling an immediate vacancy. In some cases, that may even mean encouraging you to accept another opportunity. And that's exactly how it should be. Your Career Deserves More Than a Quick Decision One of the most practical pieces of advice we offer candidates is surprisingly simple. Prioritise. That doesn't mean applying for only one role at a time. It means identifying the opportunities that genuinely excite you and focusing your energy there first. Too often, candidates become distracted by opportunities that arrive more quickly, rather than opportunities that are more aligned with their goals. By focusing on one or two preferred options and allowing those processes to play out, candidates place themselves in a stronger position to make informed decisions rather than reactive ones. Ultimately, your next role should be about more than securing an offer. It should be about finding the right work, the right people, the right learning opportunities and the right environment for the next stage of your career. We often say, slow down. It's not a race. It's your career. The lawyers who make the best moves are rarely the ones who apply for the most jobs. They're the ones who take the time to understand their options, seek good advice and make decisions with a clear view of where they want their career to go. Are you looking for your next ideal step in the legal market? Reach out to find out how my team at Alex Correa Executive can help you build the career you aspire to. Get in touch here.