From notarial lawyer to secondment, and on to permanent employment.

"I didn't know what I was looking for, and that is precisely where they started."
Notarial lawyer Charlotte Michiels on her experience with Steve Skills.

When Charlotte first got in touch with Steve Skills, she was looking for a new professional challenge. What exactly that challenge should be? Still an open question. We spoke with her about how that journey unfolded.

How did you find Steve Skills?
"Through a friend who had had positive experiences with them. I had never worked with recruiters before and didn't really know what to expect, but I had nothing to lose. Looking back, I am incredibly glad our paths crossed."

What did Steve Skills do for you?
"They really listened. To my personal situation and my professional aspirations. And based on that, they looked for a challenge that suited me. I had just become a mother and moved from Brussels to Antwerp. I had experience as a lawyer in private clients and as a notarial lawyer, but I didn't want to continue down either path. What I was actually looking for? No idea. A question many of us cannot easily answer."

How did you approach that?
"Together we zoomed out. Instead of immediately looking at vacancies, we started by defining which aspects really matter to me in a job. Only from that starting point did we look for a suitable position."

And what came out of that?
"A secondment model, where I take on different missions sequentially. That turned out to be the perfect combination for me. On the personal side, the comfort, stability and security of an open-ended contract. And on the professional side, the freedom to explore different career paths within the expertise I had already built. With Steve Skills and my colleagues there as a home base and steady anchor point."

And how did it continue?
"My mission went exceptionally smoothly. After an agreement with Steve Skills, my client ultimately became my new employer. The entire process, from A to Z, was genuinely pleasant and professional."

Looking for your next step in legal? Whether you know exactly what you want or are still figuring it out. We listen first, and search after. Talk to us!